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Author Topic: Stuck Fermentation?  (Read 5338 times)

Offline purduekenn

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #30 on: May 06, 2021, 02:49:07 pm »
I recently had my lowest attenuated beer that I can remember. I used Wyeast 1332 Northwest Ale in a Brown Ale. OG was 1.052 and FG was 1.023, EST ABV=3.8% glad that it was only a 3.5 gallon batch!!!  :) The attenuation was only 55%. This is the third time I have used this yeast in a brown ale and attenuation previously was around 75%. The yeast started out with a bang with a 3" Krausen and was fermenting nicely at 68F not sure what went wrong.
Today I kegged it and blended it with 27% Barley Wine (10.2%) that makes the beer about 5.5% if I did the math correct. I have about 1 gallon of unblended Brown Ale that I will bottle as a session beer. Doesn't taste bad but is a bit sweet. I think it will taste good with a little Kentucky Bourbon  :) Anyway a sample of the keg beer tasted good.
« Last Edit: May 06, 2021, 02:51:04 pm by purduekenn »

Offline duelerx

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #31 on: June 19, 2021, 08:31:01 am »
I am experiencing the same situation as OP with an Oatmeal Stout using Verdant IPA and doesn't move from 1.020, Tilt was calibrated and almost new.
I do not have this situation with 1318 or Juice so i guess Verdant is more tricky to ferment. Maybe i will wait a little longer and later add an active starter.

Offline purduekenn

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #32 on: June 19, 2021, 06:47:40 pm »
Sorry you are having this problem   :( I have never had good results pitching a active starter in a stuck fermentation. But it may be worth a try and others on this forum probably have more experience on this subject.

Offline duelerx

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #33 on: July 07, 2021, 10:58:54 am »
I added an active starter as well  and i could not ferment below 1.018. The beer is tasty with some mouthfeel that reminds me Wyeast Deny's Favorite yeast and not sweet as it has some bitterness from dark malts. Need to make more test with this yeast in my opinion it pass the test for an Oatmeal Stout.

Offline purduekenn

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #34 on: July 07, 2021, 03:24:37 pm »
It sound like a decent beer. I want to try the Verdant IPA yeast soon.

Fire Rooster

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #35 on: July 20, 2021, 03:38:46 am »
Causes of stuck fermentation can be dead, unhealthy, or too little yeast pitched.
According to their yeast calculator, you under-pitched.
https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/en/canada/brewers-corner/brewing-tools/pitching-rate-calculator/
That may or may not be the cause in your situation.  The packet states to store @ or below 4c (39.2).

I just received packets of W-34/70 in the mail.  I brought the packets inside and used a lazer infrared temperature scanner.
The packets were 95f  degrees (35c).  How long were they at that temperature ? were they higher at one point ?
How much did they cool down before checking temperature ?

My point isn't to debate about proper amount of healthy yeast to pitch.
A brewer could be possibly pitching at a much lower rate than thought, due to dead/unhealthy yeast damaged from heat.
Some yeast packets are already pushing the limits with good dates, and stored at or below 4c.

« Last Edit: July 20, 2021, 05:31:04 am by Fire Rooster »

Online BrewBama

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Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #36 on: July 20, 2021, 06:15:11 am »
I am experiencing the same situation as OP with an Oatmeal Stout using Verdant IPA and doesn't move from 1.020, Tilt was calibrated and almost new.
I do not have this situation with 1318 or Juice so i guess Verdant is more tricky to ferment. Maybe i will wait a little longer and later add an active starter.
I don’t trust Tilt to give final gravity. Compared to a finish hydrometer I have never found it to be accurate. 

Tilt is great for OG, temp, lag time, progress, etc… but not FG.

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Offline purduekenn

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #37 on: July 20, 2021, 09:43:21 am »
I also use a hydrometer for FG.

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #38 on: July 20, 2021, 11:15:15 am »
Agreed on the Tilt relative to FG readings in the absolute sense, but I find it reliable as to determining completion of fermentation in terms of no change in gravity for 3 days or so at the end of fermentation.  For what it is worth....
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Offline purduekenn

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Re: Stuck Fermentation?
« Reply #39 on: July 20, 2021, 06:50:17 pm »
If you recipe was high in unfermentables, or your process created them.  Have you checked gravity with a hydrometer?

My regular hydrometer reads 1.018 - dangerously close to the Tilt which is now reporting 1.019. Tastes a bit sweet still, good but overly sweet.
He use a hydrometer and it was 1.018 and Tilt was 1.019.