Stuck Ferment?

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born3z

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So, last Sunday I brewed up a porter and pitched a starter of American Ale II That was harvested from a previous brew. Brew went well and I actually hit my projected OG of 1.052. Fermentation started fine and went steady for three days then stopped. SG read 1.025. I roused the yeast a bit and let it sit for three days. SG read 1.023 on Saturday. I racked over to another carboy, sucking up all the yeast cake in an attempt to get it going again. Today it's still sitting at 1.023. Could it be finished? Do I pitch a pack of dry yeast?

This is the grain bill:

7lbs 2-row
1lb 8oz Victory
1lb Crystal 80L
6oz Chocolate
4oz Special B
4oz Black Malt
4oz Crystal 20L

This is the first time I've ever had this happen. Any suggestions are appreciated! :mug:
 
Well I've had this happen with a Porter that I brewed a few weeks back. It stopped at about 1.022 and I did everything you did, even let it sit for an extra 1 1/2 weeks in the secondary. Finally I said $%^@ it and bottled. Well I can tell you it is delicious, everyone loves it, and I've only got two bottles left from the batch. I used WL Irish Ale in mine. I also read somewhere that gravity can also be attributed to body in beer and mine certainly has some body. How true this is, I don't know and won't pretend to know. Hope this helps. :tank: Oh and mind did get me tipsy more than once so I know the alcohol was in there.
 
With all the residual sugars from the high gravity, it will have more body to it. The sample tastes really good so it's not a loss by any means but I'm looking at a 3.8% abv porter. A light porter, perhaps?
 
Ya mine tasted good too. Weird it happened with both our porters. Thought it was my yeast but you used something different. Not sure, I'd say bottle it. Like I said all my friends liked mine. What temp did you ferment at?
 
I had it in the coolest room of my house. Fermented around 62*, when it stopped after three days, I moved it to about 65*.
 
Haha. I did the same and thought the temp was the issue too so I went from about 64 and moved it upstairs to about 68. Even after I moved it I only got a bit more fermentation out of it over about 1 1/2 weeks. I also considered pitching again but instead just bottled.
 
Yeah, I might just keg it up but would like to hear some other opinions first. Anyone else want to chime in on this one?
 
Your recipe has a lot of crystal malt, ~30-40% of grain bill (unfermentables) so it will be full-bodied and is likely finished at 1.023.
keg it & enjoy
 
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