Sour Mash Berliner not fermenting

So I sour mashed a berliner last weekend and after 75hrs i moved it to my primary but now its not fermenting. There are a few things i can think of but not sure where to start? I forgot to sanitize the bucket but it was washed clean with oxyclean and rinsed thoroughly. I'm also not sure on the ph and I'll be getting a tester to check that next. The yeast used was German ale 1007. If anyone else has any ideas to share that would be fantastic...

Thanks,
Bobby

What is your SG/FG?

1.043/1.013

You contaminated it yourself with your sour mash, so the bucket is probably fine. Any chance the yeast already did their job? What is the current gravity?

Stuck at 1.043

Could I have under pitched? Usually I make a starter but didn't have the time on this one...

If the pH was low when you pitched the yeast it might be having trouble, especially if it was old or you underpitched. Try pitching an active starter.

Well i was away for a few days and got back and had a nice krausen going and the gravity dropped to 1.034. I think its on its way now

Don't be alarmed by delays of 1-2 days. It's a healthy time for the yeast as they build up energy/food stores.
Underpitching can also cause activity to take more time. Glad to hear its bubbling.

Yeah I want worried until it got up to 5ish days...

So first activity was on May 11th and OG was 1.043 and i need to get down to 1.011. Im sitting at 1.020 now. Gonna let it go another week then check again...

Any other ideas?

Raise the temp. At this point shouldn't affect flavor too much.

Really? The German Ale 1007 says ferment between 57-68 and its sitting right at 68. How much higher can I go?

If it was my beer and needed to finish, I'd swirl the carboy and ramp up to 70-72 over a day or two. From what I have read, most of your esters and fusels are created in the first 48-72 hours of fermentation, after that temperature is not nearly as critical.

Ok I'll check it out. Thanks!

Primary ferment only takes 24 to 36 hours for German ale yeast 55-68 degrees, then add your lactobacillus yeast at peak of German ale ferment I did mine at 2 days, never hurt to put more German yeast in if it didn't take off


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I dont think I need anymore lacto but i might pitch another addition of yeast since i forgot to make my starter for this beer.

Don't really need a starter if your under .060, I'd put it some where a lil warmer and shake it up a few times till you get some co2 purging, gravity readings will tell you all you need to know, I had a mailbock that never did anything, no activity no co2 emissions and never stirred it self, I was worried it didn't work and it turned out awesome


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Yeah I was worried because the ph was probably so low...

jesse3474 said:

Don't really need a starter if your under .060,

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actually he does want to make a starter, because he'll be throwing the yeast into an alcoholic and low pH beer. the shock will make most yeast go dormant (and not ferment the remaining sugars). by making a starter, you're activating the yeast and getting them into munching mode. they will have gotten used to alcohol in the starter, since they went from zero alcohol to some, so being dumped into the partially fermented beer won't be a shock.

Yeah that's what happened the yeast was shocked and now its just slowly fermenting out...

Nothing in the past week... Raised the temp to 72 and now i have a nice pellicle forming guess the lacto is active again... How could this be? I boiled the wort... Do I need to boil again?

bizoneill said:

Nothing in the past week... Raised the temp to 72 and now i have a nice pellicle forming guess the lacto is active again... How could this be? I boiled the wort... Do I need to boil again?

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Didn't you say you forgot to sanitize the bucket?

I would advise against boiling again.

Yes i forgot i used the same tubing though for tranfer from mash and boil kettle to fermenter... But i did sanitize...