need advice- possible stuck fermentation

pa-in-utah · 06-20-2007, 06:00 PM

I brewed a Wheat brew on Sunday and it was fermenting away after 7 hours. I thought wow, shortest lag yet!!! She was bubbling like mad!!! Then after 1 1/2 to 2 days of fermenting, no airlock activity. So I took a S.G. reading. It was 1.020. F.G is supposed to be 1.012-1.014 so I slighty stirred the yeast that fell out and scrapped the yeast back into the brew that was on the side of the fermenter. No visable krausen on top the brew at this point, also there was no "krausen ring" on the side of the fermenter. I tasted the brew and it had a fair amount of residual sweetness, so I don't think it has fermented out completely. Here are the details----

3 lbs flaked wheat - Mashed at 150-152 for 45 minutes
1 lb Canadian Honey Malt - Mashed with wheat
3 lb Extra light DME
1 lb Wheat DME

Yeast was dry Safbrew S-33 (no starter and not rehydrated (per advice of LHBS))
Was fermenting at 68-70 degrees.

O.G was 1.044 - little low, was shooting for 1.054 - poor mash I guess.

Any advice?? Why would fermentation just stop?? I do not have any more yeast on hand to pitch. I am going to take another gravity reading today.

If I do need to repitch yeast, how long can the brew sit before I will have problems? I know the sooner I pitch, the better. But I cannot make it to the LHBS for another day or two....... PLEASE HELP!!!

Orpheus · 06-20-2007, 06:46 PM

With all that extract and honey you have in there, it's highly doubtful that was your original SG. My educated guess would be poorly mixed wort and you got a sample that wasn't fully mixed.

Otherwise, it sounds like it was just a fast fermentation. Leave it a couple more days and take another reading. If it's the same, you're done. Also taste it. If it tastes more or less like beer, you're good to go.

**Yooper** · 06-20-2007, 07:24 PM

With that og and fg, you're only at 53% attenuation, so I'm thinking it's not done. I would expect 1.015 or so. I don't know much about honey malt- if that would leave that much residual sweetness or not.

What temperature has this been fermenting at? Has there been any changes in the temperature? I'm thinking you might have to repitch, if the s.g stays the same over the next few days. Still, wait a day or two or three because it might still drop a couple of points.

**david_42** · 06-20-2007, 08:22 PM

3 lbs flaked wheat, 1 lb Canadian Honey Malt

You have two grains here, neither of which provide much in the way of enzymes. You had very poor conversion and have lots of residual starch.

Re-pitching will not help. You need to add some alpha amylase to complete the conversion.

snoochhandytardman · 06-20-2007, 08:23 PM

did you aerate well?
if it is still sweet then either the sugars left are not fermentable or you have a stuck fermentation. it doesn't seem like a stuck fermentation though, considering it looked like it fermented rapidly to begin with. I guess it's possible you have an infection. but i think yer best bet is poor starch conversion lile 4-2 said, and your beer is naturally alittle sweet tasting.

pa-in-utah · 06-21-2007, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_42

3 lbs flaked wheat, 1 lb Canadian Honey Malt

You have two grains here, neither of which provide much in the way of enzymes. You had very poor conversion and have lots of residual starch.

Re-pitching will not help. You need to add some alpha amylase to complete the conversion.

So what does all this mean? Please explain poor conversion and residual starch. As for the enzymes.... Please help me out there too. Only been brewing for 2 1/2 months and still learning the details/properties of different grains.

Checked gravity again tonight. Dropped to a 1.016 and didn't taste nearly as sweet. Big difference in taste from my last reading. I will leave her til Friday and then rack.