fury556

Recipes 

Recipe: Dark Owl Sweet Stout
Brewer:
Asst Brewer:
Style: Sweet Stout
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.52 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.98 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.068 SG
Estimated Color: 33.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 19.6 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 87.2 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
7 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 59.6 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.5 %
12.0 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.4 %
8.0 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.3 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Milk Sugar (Lactose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 5 12.8 %
1 lbs Brown Sugar, Light (8.0 SRM) Sugar 6 8.5 %
0.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 7 19.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg British Ale (White Labs #WLP005) [35.49 Yeast 8 -

I started this on 12/22 and the OG was 1.064, I took a reading today (1/13) and it was 1.038. I've had it in the wine fridge at 64° for the past 3 weeks. Fermentation got off to a great start, was vigorous and lasted 3-4 days.

I plan on taking it out of the wine fridge so it can warm up to room temp, which is about 76° in my house. Will that help the yeast start back up or do I need to pitch a new starter?

beergolf

Recipes 

A pound and a half of lactose is going to finish high. I am not sure but with that much lactose I am guessing it will not finish below 1.030 or higher.

You can try warming it up, and you may get a few more points but withh that recipe I doubt you will get much lower.

Bamsdealer

Recipes 

That's a tough one. I would expect this brew to finish high... Not sure about 1.038 though. Rehydrate a high attenuating yeast like Notty or US 05 to see if it get any lower. Maybe toss in a half pound of dissolved sugar to see if that helps pick things up and clear the head space of oxygen. Let that go another couple weeks then bottle or keg. Only 60% base malt and a pound and a half of lactose coupled with British ale yeast is asking for an unusually high finishing gravity.

Good luck.

fury556

Recipes 

If this is as low as it gets I won't mind but I don't want to worry about bottle bombs. If warming it up doesn't help I'll throw in a 1/2lb of brown sugar, don't have and yeast and no lhbs.

Should I gently stir up the yeast at the bottom or try not to disturb them?

fury556

Recipes 

Well, after letting it warm back up to 75° over night there is now some activity in the air lock, a bubble every 60-90 sec. Still wondering if I should gently stir the bottom or add some sugar or just let it be for another week or two.

freisste

Recipes 

Could be just from warming up.

Bamsdealer

Recipes 

Right. Also remember that a gravity reading taken at a warmer temperature will give you a lower gravity

fury556

Recipes 

Just ordered some fresh yeast. I'll make a starter and pitch that. Now I get to try out my new stir plate.

fury556

Recipes 

Pitched a fresh starter today, there is some activity in air lock not, about a bubble every 25 sec. Was my first time using a sir plate for the starter, there was almost twice the amount of yeast compared to what I normally end up with just swirling it. I'll give it a few days before checking the gravity. Hope this helps.

fury556

Recipes 

Well, I checked the gravity after 2 days and no change. I decided maybe they needed a kick start so I boiled up 1lb of light brown sugar and added 10g of yeast nutrient. Of course it started fermenting and now today the SG is 1.034. I tasted it and it still tastes great. I'll check again in a few days to see if it's changed, if not I'll bottle.