29/09/2007 Old Bill.

[Jimberbob]

I have roused the yeastie beastie's, fingers crossed.

[Jimberbob]

What mashing system are you using ?

Have you checked your hydrometer reads accurately?

I batched sparged this brew. I have checked my hydrometer in tap water, it reads 1000. I'm pretty sure my thermometer is ok, checked it in boiling water. It's bugging me this one.

Are you mashing in a Bruheat/Electrim boiler ?

I'm mashing in a 10 gallon plastic bucket, insulated, with a copper strainer. I mashed this one at 66C for 2 hours. The temperature didn't drop at all during that period.

[Jimberbob]

Thanks Daab, i'll try that. Although i've had no problems at that temperature before, I have to say though that my mash time is usually 90 mins max, so that could be something to do with it. I was concerned that it may be the campden tablets I had treated my water with on the last two brews.

[Jimberbob]

I used a whole campden tablet in 37L of water, do you think that was to much?

[delboy]

I used a whole campden tablet in 37L of water, do you think that was to much?

nah, wine makers use more iirc.

1 tablet in a gallon i think.

[Jimberbob]

The rousing hasn't worked

[Jimberbob]

I shall do that first thing in the morning, I haven't got any Safale-04 left, but another yeast should be ok hopefully. I shall let you know how I get on.

[Jimberbob]

I haven't pitched anymore yeast as yet, but checking the temperature, it was still at 18C. I decided to stand my FV in a bath of warm water, gently raising the temperature to 20C and roused again. After a few hours a yeasty head seems to be developing again on the surface of the brew. . I hope this is going to do the trick. If it does, I shall be investing in an aqarium submersible heater. My weekend has brightened up considerably. I feel a bit of a plank for not trying this before, I might have saved my batch of POP's stout.

[Vossy1]

Excellent JB