My_name_is_mud

Recipes 

Holy crap... not sure what to do here.

I am making a Trois Pistoles clone. After 2 weeks, it appears to be quite stuck at 1.042 (OG was 1.091). It has been at 1.042 for a week now. The bubbling has now ceased at it appears dead in the water (so to speak). Here's what I've done:

- Kept it warm -- between 70 and 74 F (this yeast works fine up to 80)

- Started swirling and rousing the yeast several days ago

- Bought another smack-pack of Wyeast 3864 Canadian/Belgian Ale (DESCRIPTION: From a Canadian brewery which produces many styles of classic Belgian beers. Produces mild phenolics, which increase with increased fermentation temperatures. Low ester profile with a dry, slightly tart finish. Complex and well-balanced, alcohol tolerant. Flocculation: Medium; Apparent Attenuation: 75 - 79%. (65 - 80° F; 18 - 27° C) . I pitched it, continued to keep the yeast roused. Nothing. I pitched 2 of these to start the beer, so now three in all.

It's just sitting now. No sign of infection. Looks beautiful. Smells wonderful. But not attenuated enough to bottle.

Do I try nutrients? Champaign yeast? I've heard Champaign yeast can impart non-desirable flavors or make the beer too dry. Surely I don't just toss it now???

HELP!!!

MriswitH

Recipes 

Need more information: recipe, etc.

I had an issue like this but it was because of the DME I used. Laaglander leaves a lot of leftover sugar and plumps up your FG reading.

Desert_Sky

Recipes 

Maybe add some beano

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Desert Sky Brewing Co.
Sierra Vista, AZ

My_name_is_mud

Recipes 

Ah yes. OK. Here is the recipe I used:

GRAINS
9 oz Crystal 60
9 oz Caramunich
4 oz Biscuit
1.5 oz Chocolate

MALT EXTRACT
9 lb Laaglanders Extra Light DME
1 lb Dark Belgian candy sugar
1 lb Invert sugar (Lyles Golden Syrup)

HOPS & SPICES
1.25 oz Styrian Goldings (60 min)
1/2 oz Styrian Goldings (15 Min)
1/8 tsp. Anise (15 min)
1/4 oz Bitter orange peel (15 min)
1/4 oz Saaz (2 min)
1/8 tsp Anise (2 min)
1 gram Coriander (2 min)

YEAST
Wyeast 3864 (2 Packs of this originally pitched. Now three)

Will bottle with 1/2 Cup Corn Sugar and 1/2 cup Clear Belgian candy sugar.

YA KNOW WHAT? I just looked up Laaglanders online, and it is listed as one of the DMEs with a high percentage of unfermentables. Now I'm wondering if because I used 9# of the stuff if that doesn't explain my high target gravity? I mean 1.091 is pretty high to start. Maybe with Laaglanders, 1.042 isn't off the mark for finishing. The wort isn't especially sweet, the alcohol is pretty pronounced, so mayne it's done???

MriswitH

Recipes 

Sad to say, it is probably where it is destined to be. Laaglander has a very poor fermentation rate. (60-65% I think?) I had my 'Honey-Butt Brown' turn out with a final gravity of somewhere around 1.035 or thereabouts, going off memory. That being said, with that much DME from that company, you're probably right where it needs to be as far as attenuation. If you want to be safe, you could always leave it in the secondary another week or so and keep an eye on it to make sure that it doesn't ferment out any further.

Plus side is, it'll be beer, albeit it may be a little sweet; cheers!

Walker

Recipes 

65% for Laaglander. I've only ever used it for a stout, which worked out great and left a FG of 1.022 or so.

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Ground Fault Brewing Co.
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