Nottingham ale yeast boo boo

[weiht]

Hi there, I have facing alot of bad omen with this yeast!!! I had 2-3 failed batches which i later found out were recalled batches of yeast. I brewed the last batch also with this yeast n there was some off flavours that smell literally like my son's poo.

My local homebrewer store owners has contacted me to ask if i had any more problems, cuz it seems he has some hicups using the nottingham yeast. So im keeping my fingers crossed cuz im having the yeast in my current brew. I did check that this batch of yeast im using are not those which were called back, but maybe some of u guys also experienced the same problem?

I mean, its really frustrating when u put in the time n effort in santising n cleaning n forgetting the cost of grains n effort. N it gets all spoiled by bad yeast.

[mysterio]

Yes one of our members got an infected batch possibly due to long lag time on a bad batch of Nottingham.

I used the bad batch and the beer turned out fine, although there was a long lag time. I won't be using their yeast again for a while anyway, which is a shame because it's a good yeast normally.

[Blackaddler]

See also this thread.

If not the affected batch, you should be OK [according to manufacturer].

Otherwise, return for replacement.

[weiht]

The common factor in all my failed batches was this yeast!!! I tried other strains of wet n dry yeast with great success, but this yeast had let me down real bad.

[Horatio]

I had a problem with this yeast a month or so back. It was NOT one of the recalled batch either! I made up a starter (which I have never had problems doing with other yeasts) and it had the most foul smell to it! I poured it down the drain and have never used the strain since; it has put me right off of Nottingham! It ws the first and only time I had tried it (Nottingham) too.

[pokerswazi]

Apparently Gervin is the same strain. If you don't want to use danstar's yeast but want to use the nottingham stain that might be the way to go. I've used both and never had a problem apart form the long lag time on one batch with danstar's. The beer still ended up fine though. I'm currently drinking a bitter made with nottingham and it is wonderful. there were no problems with lag on this one either. I like the strain personally.

[Garth]

Scotty MC and myself have just done a double brewday and the second beer was going to use Nottingham, I rehydrated it, and it didn't fluff up like usual and like others have said, had a really foul smell. I've had to use US-05 as it was the only yeast I had left, this is now rehydrating, and no funny smells.

This also happened the same last week with a packet of Nottingham.

None of these packets have been the bad batch number, so I think they have a problem with a few batches, not just the one menetioned in the other thread.

Also I think the new packet material is crap, you can't get all the yeast out as it sticks to the side of the packet inside.

[weiht]

Hmm, it seems that the quality control of this yeast is really slacking!!! Im really pissed cuz i managed to get a nice brew this round, n the hops flavours really came through the way i wanted it. Great on brew day, only to be spoilt by the yeast.

Really disappointed, but maybe im too dumb to have kept the faith with this for far too long. I may just try the s04 from now onwards, or some other wyeast english strain n make a starter.

[Blackaddler]

Hmm, it seems that the quality control of this yeast is really slacking!!! Im really pissed cuz i managed to get a nice brew this round, n the hops flavours really came through the way i wanted it. Great on brew day, only to be spoilt by the yeast.

Really disappointed, but maybe im too dumb to have kept the faith with this for far too long. I may just try the s04 from now onwards, or some other wyeast english strain n make a starter.

It's not so much the yeast, but Danstar/Lallemand packaging.

There was a problem with the machine that stamps the batch number and date on the sachets. In some cases, it caused perforation of the packaging. Te yesat could still be OK, depending on how it's been stored and how old it is. If the yeast is sticking to the inside of the sachet, it sounds like moisture has got in.

I have 6 sachets myself, and I'm thinking of returning them. Lallemand say it's OK to return them if I want to, even though they're not from the recalled batch.

The Lallemand return address is in the thread referred to above.

If you still want to use Nottingham, you can use Gervin brand as an alternative.

[Roy]

Bugger! Just came across this thread.

I used Nottingham for the first time yesterday in a bitter kit. Hydrated it and it did seem like someone had chucked sand into the bottom of a glass after 20 mins.

I've had the lid of my FV on fully, as I always do then once there's the 'bulge' I leave a gap for the air to leak out. By this morning nearly 24 hours there was no 'bulge'. Will report back when i get home from work!

[Parva]

Just my luck, I've got 19 packets of the batch of yeast that Delboy mentions in his post. I'll use my S04 for now and decide whether to return them, rehydrate and try it or just plain overpitch with a ratio of two packets to one and hope for the best.

[weiht]

Blackaddler, ur spot on. I got a reply from them telling me not to give up on the yeast, and that its not a yeast problem but a packaging fubar which is now corrected. But, having kept the faith 4 times n it kept failing me, i think i will try looking for something else!!!

I tempted to go with so-4 but have been told its way too bready.

[Roy]

Well i got home and mine seems to be fine, removed the FV lid and there's a 2" heaed on it and a few hours after I put the lifd on properly there's the classic 'bulge'. Not sure if I had part of the dodgy batch or not but it put my mind at ease seeing it doing it's job.

[simple one]

Blackaddler, ur spot on. I got a reply from them telling me not to give up on the yeast, and that its not a yeast problem but a packaging fubar which is now corrected. But, having kept the faith 4 times n it kept failing me, i think i will try looking for something else!!!

I tempted to go with so-4 but have been told its way too bready.

It's only bready if you don't give it a good maturation time. I have had two nottingham batches go belly up.... SO4 none.
My SO4 beers tend to keep thier character better, for longer.

[Manx Guy]

I used one of the 'affected' batches on a Sarah hughes Dark Ruby Mild...

There was a lag time of about 36 hours... however it fermented fine with a good FG and one bottle Isampled at 3 weeks was pretty good!

I will use this yeast again but I'll excersise caution - check it for funny smells and make a starter and ensure that is fermenting nicely...

Its a shame as I like the yeast and polanned to use it for some extract/minimash IPA's in the coming weeks...


Guy