Help with Triple

noisy123 · 01-05-2009, 09:11 PM

Hi,
I have had a Midwest Triple fermenting for 3 weeks as of this wednesday. Today I took a hydrometer reading and got 1.034 (the O.G. was higher than MW predicted at 1.08). It tastes good (obviously extremely sweet).

I am worried the fermentation might be stuck. There seems to be no airlock activity. (I know that I'll need to take more gravity measurements to confirm this). Is the fermentation stuck or does it often take these higher gravity beers a long time to finish?

I aerated with a paddle and my drill motor. It has been fermenting on a ramped schedule from 63 F to 70 F, over the first week. The temp was low last week (65 F). I have turned the temp up again to 70 F.

Thanks for any help.

**Malticulous** · 01-05-2009, 09:25 PM

What yeast are you using?

noisy123 · 01-05-2009, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conroe

What yeast are you using?

Wyeast 3787. I brewed a belgian pale with the 3787, harvested the cake, washed it, and it spend about a month in the fridge. I then built up that cake a couple of times with starters to have a good amount before pitching.

noisy123 · 01-06-2009, 07:54 PM

Yep. Its stuck. 24 hours later the gravity reading is 1.032
I have a wit that is almost done right next to it that was fermented with Wyeast 3944. I am thinking about racking the beer on that cake when its finished. Anyone have any other ideas?

bmorris1 · 01-06-2009, 08:15 PM

Hows your temperature? Belgians can stand (and succeed) at higher ferm temps.

You might want to raise the temps a few degrees and see if that kicks off fermentation again.

worth a shot.

edit: just saw your temps.. maybe a few more degrees? I've read belgians can finish high (75F) for those nice estery flavors...

flyangler18 · 01-06-2009, 08:18 PM

Get it warmer and swirl gently to rouse the yeast. My dubbel that's fermenting with 530 is hanging at 1.018, so I'm moving it back upstairs to see if it'll continue dropping. Krausen hasn't yet fallen, so there's things happening yet.

noisy123 · 01-06-2009, 08:40 PM

I'l give some higher temps a shot. I think I may have underpitched considering that half of the yeast may have died in the fridge during the dormancy (or so I have read). Is there anything I can do for underpitching?

noisy123 · 01-07-2009, 01:39 AM

Should I rack this to my Witbeer cake (brewed with Wyeast 3944 - tolerance of 10% ABV)?

noisy123 · 01-09-2009, 01:04 PM

For posterity:

I contacted Evan and asked him about racking this onto a finished Wit beer cake. He said to give it a shot. I did, and its been steadily bubbling for 24 hours. I did not take a gravity reading (not worth the infection risk for mere curiosity), but things seem promising. I highly recommend this strategy.

Now I wish I hadn't shaken the beer! However, I left the airlock in while shaking so oxidization should be minimal.

B-Dub · 01-09-2009, 01:54 PM

I hear you pain brother. The 3787 or WLP530 will crash in the 1.030's if the temps are not in the mid 70's or higher. When I use that yeast the temp gets tuned up after a few days to 82.

If you ever have a stuck Belgian again the T58 dry yeast is a good bet to bring the FG down because the temp range for it is much wider than 3787 or 530.