Kviek at low temp

[Oneandone]

Just started my first Kolsch brew with a lustra kviek oyl-071. Basement has been where the fermenter has stayed at a solid 66 degrees. It is now day 4 and no bubbling from the air lock. The thing was an explosion of activity from day 1 now just silence
I bottle on Saturday due to work restraints So i cantdo it sooner
A)will it be bad to wait to bottle?
B) should I try and find a bit of a warmer spot to let it sit until Saturday?
C) should I call of work to save my beer and bottle?

 

[derekp83]

How do you know it's not done? What temp did you pitch at? I'd take a reading. Bubbling isn't always a reliable sign.

What's the temp range for that strain?

No need to rush bottling. Could sit for weeks and be fine.

 

[Oneandone]

How do you know it's not done? What temp did you pitch at? I'd take a reading. Bubbling isn't always a reliable sign.

What's the temp range for that strain?

I pitched at about 67 degrees. I haven’t taken a reading yet. I’m more or less about to do that now since I just got home and still have the energy. First time home brewer so I’m questioning everything.

 

[DuncB]

I've done a few brews with Kveik, warmer than this though and under pressure. Agreed crazy activity at first in all of them.
I agree unless you can see a couple of days of stable gravity readings there could be some slow activity going on.
It will probably be better for a couple of days cleaning up after the mad ferment. I waited ( due to circumstances ) a couple of weeks to keg a rice lager clone and it was well received.
Usually the Kveik drops like a feather in a vacuum ( ie the same as an anvil ) when it has finished but there should be enough yeast around for bottle conditioning ( an assumption that you plan bottle condition).

 

[Oneandone]

setting up now to take gravity. I was worried about exposing to much oxygen in it but the urge to check is to much will post back in a bit

 

[DuncB]

I reckon move to a bit warmer for the next couple of days and check it again before bottling on saturday and if it's near your target gravity or similar to todays gravity then get bottling.

If you are miles off final gravity today then might need to go warmer and swirl it to get it hopefully going again. It is a pretty robust yeast though but likes it hot. Most esters are produced early in the ferment so you started cool so should be okay.

 

[Oneandone]

I’m at 1.014 which is on the head where I need to be. Looks pretty too and tastes good. Pretty cloudy though.

 

[Oneandone]

Should I still try to bring the temp up a bit to have the ferment go a bit

 

[Oneandone]

Hopefully she stays the same by bottle day

 

[AzOr]

I’ve brewed 3 batches with Lutra. Every one of them fermented at 70f and we’re done by fourth day. They ranged in gravity from .050- .080.
They all had a clean yeast profile with no flavors typically associated with other Kveik strains.
1.014 sounds like it could be done (depending on OG).
For insurance sake, I would warm up just a little if possible and let it sit til bottling day.

 

[Oneandone]

I’ve brewed 3 batches with Lutra. Every one of them fermented at 70f and we’re done by fourth day. They ranged in gravity from .050- .080.
They all had a clean yeast profile with no flavors typically associated with other Kveik strains.
1.014 sounds like it could be done (depending on OG).
For insurance sake, I would warm up just a little if possible and let it sit til bottling day.

Ya I have a room that stays at 70 so I’m bringing it there and letting it sit till bottle day

 

[AzOr]

There’s a thread here on Lutra, definitely worth checking out. Some have reported getting a slight off flavor.
I really like this strain but have not pushed the ferm temp.
My garage now stays at a constant 55f so it’s lager season for me, otherwise I’d experiment a little more with Lutra.

 

[DuncB]

Oneandone 1.014 is probably there. But a few days more won't harm at all with a bit more warmth.
You don't have to move it if you can wrap it up and add some heat.
If my brew fridge isn't free I just wrap up the fermenter ( sleeping bag ) and put some plastic bottles with hot water next to the fermenter I can then unzip to peak in and if necessary unzip the foot end of the bag to let the bubbler poke out.
As per the pics.
AzOr this is worth a try in your 55f room as well.

 

[Miraculix]

I’m at 1.014 which is on the head where I need to be. Looks pretty too and tastes good. Pretty cloudy though.

Well... Opening was bad. Now you decreased the shelf life of the beer.

For next time, just let it sit for two weeks and bottle. You can ferment it way higher without change in flavor so for yeast metabolisms sake,I would do so next time. Just room temperature is fine.

 

[DuncB]

If it's a good beer and chilled the glass life will be shorter than the shelf life.
Remove the bubbler and take the sample thru that hole next time but you'll have more knowledge by then.
I wouldn't wait a fortnight with Kveik, but it's horses for courses.

 

[Oneandone]

Well... Opening was bad. Now you decreased the shelf life of the beer.

For next time, just let it sit for two weeks and bottle. You can ferment it way higher without change in flavor so for yeast metabolisms sake,I would do so next time. Just room temperature is fine.

How much have of the shelf life have I decreased it by you think?

 

[Oneandone]

I moved it to a closet that sits at 70 degrees and she’s already started bubbling again

 

[Tancred the Brewer]

How much have of the shelf life have I decreased it by you think?

Don't fret over it too much. It will most likely taste fine the whole time you drink it. I have been brewing good beers for years and I don't fret over a little O2 exposure. As Charlie Pappazian has famously said, "relax, it's homebrew."

 

[Miraculix]

Don't fret over it too much. It will most likely taste fine the whole time you drink it. I have been brewing good beers for years and I don't fret over a little O2 exposure. As Charlie Pappazian has famously said, "relax, it's homebrew."

Yes, I agree.

Just don't do it again, if it can be avoided. Your beer is going to taste a bit better with every unnecessary thing you don't do

 

[derekp83]

In the future, when using a Kveik strain, pitch warm. Even if it cools to ambient temperature, much of the fermentation will happen at the strains appropriate temp. I pitch Kveik in the 90s F. 67 F is good for US-05 and other conventional strains.

 

[lumbergh]

In the future, when using a Kveik strain, pitch warm. Even if it cools to ambient temperature, much of the fermentation will happen at the strains appropriate temp. I pitch Kveik in the 90s F. 67 F is good for US-05 and other conventional strains.

I was thinking about doing this, but wasn't sure if the yeast would stall if ambient temp was 68F-ish. I might try it out now.

 

[DuncB]

I agree deprkp83 , I decant from the boiler at 45 celsius into the fermenter and by the time the fermenter is full its about 40C or less, then toss in the Kveik flakes, shout at it and then cover up with the sleeping bag. Usually makes enough heat to keep it well over 34 c during first bit of ferment, when it can't maintain that temp most of the activity is done.

 

[Miraculix]

I agree deprkp83 , I decant from the boiler at 45 celsius into the fermenter and by the time the fermenter is full its about 40C or less, then toss in the Kveik flakes, shout at it and then cover up with the sleeping bag. Usually makes enough heat to keep it well over 34 c during first bit of ferment, when it can't maintain that temp most of the activity is done.

I did the same, worked pretty well.

 

[derekp83]

I was thinking about doing this, but wasn't sure if the yeast would stall if ambient temp was 68F-ish. I might try it out now.

It should be fine. Because Kveik likes warm temperatures without giving off the flavors and esters that other strains would, the fermentation takes off and finishes a lot quicker. Also, the exothermic heat (heat from yeast fermenting) will keep it warmer even as it cools down to ambient temp. Best bet with this method, pitch at the high end of the temperature range if you can, and relax as it cools to ambient temp. Take a reading after 5 days. It's probably done. I'm going to try Kveik again in the summer and bottle after 7 days.

 

[lumbergh]

The water heater closet is a touch water than the rest of my house. I was planning on putting a blanket or towel around to keep it warm.

 

[AzOr]

Oneandone 1.014 is probably there. But a few days more won't harm at all with a bit more warmth.
You don't have to move it if you can wrap it up and add some heat.
If my brew fridge isn't free I just wrap up the fermenter ( sleeping bag ) and put some plastic bottles with hot water next to the fermenter I can then unzip to peak in and if necessary unzip the foot end of the bag to let the bubbler poke out.
As per the pics.
AzOr this is worth a try in your 55f room as well.
View attachment 721818

I have a cool brew bag and use your method occasionally. However, Lutra is supposed to be utilized as a lagerish type of yeast, only faster.

 

[BreweyMcHops]

How do you know it's not done? What temp did you pitch at? I'd take a reading. Bubbling isn't always a reliable sign.

What's the temp range for that strain?

No need to rush bottling. Could sit for weeks and be fine.

In 2023 we would question that. You actually dont want to leave it on a thick kveik cake for weeks like it was a regular ale yeast . You want to get kveik bottled pretty quickly once your dry hop is done , I don't like more than 6-7 days ( 3 days insulated and warm to ferment, then dry hop 3-4 days with insulation off, cooling)

 

[DBhomebrew]

In 2023 we would question that. You actually dont want to leave it on a thick kveik cake for weeks like it was a regular ale yeast .

Would we? Do I? Why?

 

[BreweyMcHops]

B

Would we? Do I? Why?

Because over the last few years brewing with it, keeping your own house strains year after year, you noticed that it drops the living hell out of the PH, ferments down dryer than a bone and sort of starts to sour by about day 10. You thought hey funny it dosent do that with regular ale yeast so fast , and wow the kveik chews the hell out of hops too and you want to get those out of there and get it bottled!

Cheers!

 

[DBhomebrew]

ferments down dryer than a bone

Bottling before it's 100% done fermenting doesn't concern you? Even off the gross lees, there are plenty of viable yeast cells transfered to the bottle.

 

[hottpeper13]

I think that the off / twang/sour flavors might be coming from not taking the wort to cold break temp of 70*. I chill to 68* and let it hang in the BK for 4-6 hrs. I did my first Lutra at 68* and it took 14 days to reach FG and an even level in the "S" lok. (worked for Rite-Hite 25 years) The next one at 76* and the next at 86*. All beers finished at 1.010 no matter the grain bill or mash temp 148*- 154*. The warmer the faster to even "S" lok. All were kegged at the 14 day mark and lagered for 2-4 weeks. None could be described as a lager,the Munich Dunkel turned out to be the best brown ale I've made. All were clean and crisp but took as long or longer then most of the ale yeast I use(BRY-97/Notty).