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Author Topic: Nearly Stuck Ferment  (Read 2712 times)

Offline timmyr

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Nearly Stuck Ferment
« on: October 28, 2010, 08:15:14 pm »
Robust porter brewed 3-weeks ago has decided to hang up at 1.022 (6 P) from a starting gravity of 1.070 (17 P).

I have two fermenters one with WLP 001 and one with WLP 007.  I pitched according to the Mr. Malty calculator and mashed at 153 (unless my thermometers are both off...but I'll check those soon).

Question: any suggested yeast strains to stir-plate and pitch? I leave Sunday for a couple weeks and plan to leave both beers on the original yeast until I get home (total time will be 5 weeks on yeast) and am thinking I'd like to throw more WLP-001 or another neutral, tolerant yeast at my porters to try and dry them out.  The recipe was similar to Brewing Classic Styles with only some small tweaks to the grain bill.

I know I may be stuck and have to deal with the FG, but am willing to try to eke out 4-6 more points if it is possible.
Cheers,

Timmy

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Offline tygo

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Re: Nearly Stuck Ferment
« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2010, 08:44:05 pm »
This happened to me just a few weeks ago.  I threw a couple of packs of US-05 into a 2 qt starter and let it come to high krausen and then tossed it in the fermenter.  Knocked off a few additional points from the FG. 
Clint
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Offline euge

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Re: Nearly Stuck Ferment
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2010, 12:25:59 am »
Does it absolutely have to go below 1.022? That might be a good ending point for a strong beer like that. If you can, you might try and force carb a liter or so and give it the old taste-test. That's what I'd do.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

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Offline timmyr

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Re: Nearly Stuck Ferment
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2010, 06:16:15 am »
It may not have to go below 1.022 but based on tasting it at this point, I think it needs to get below 1.020.  In the past I've loved this beer when it finished at 1.016.
Cheers,

Timmy

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Offline timmyr

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Re: Nearly Stuck Ferment
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2010, 06:13:30 pm »
US-05 purchased today.  Planning 0.75 L starters for each packet, stirp-plated for a few hours and then pitched into my porters (hoping to hit high krausen on them)

I'll take any dry yeast starter advice....I am only familiar with using White Labs....

Cheers,

Timmy

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Offline tygo

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Re: Nearly Stuck Ferment
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2010, 06:30:26 pm »
I wouldn't do the starter any differently than you're used to.  Just get'em going and toss them in.
Clint
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Nearly Stuck Ferment
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2010, 09:23:53 pm »
One thing that must be considered is the potential extract that can be achieved from the grist. 
There is a rather significant percentage of unfermentables (dark malts) in Porters.
This must be accounted for at the end of the brewday.
This may be the culprit in this scenario.
Ron Price

Offline timmyr

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Re: Nearly Stuck Ferment
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2010, 06:19:53 am »
One thing that must be considered is the potential extract that can be achieved from the grist. 
There is a rather significant percentage of unfermentables (dark malts) in Porters.
This must be accounted for at the end of the brewday.
This may be the culprit in this scenario.

Thanks, I sort of expected some degree of unfermentables but last time I brewed this recipe, it attenuated out much better.  In any case I am still working on my process and will throw the yeast and see how it goes.
Cheers,

Timmy

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Offline timmyr

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Re: Nearly Stuck Ferment
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2010, 04:25:59 pm »
Dropped it by about 2 points (0.5 Plato).  Good enough to go...not sure if it was just sitting on the original yeast or the repitch. Next time I pitch 25-50% more yeast and drop the mash temp a degree.

This beer has the most pronounced difference between WLP001 and WLP007.
Cheers,

Timmy

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