Advice needed to fix low attenuating Windsor yeast

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Coohang

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OK – I have determined that I am not a big fan of Windsor yeast (due to its low attenuation). Several threads on this site discussing it – and the Danstar website states that it has low attenuation. Wish I would have researched prior to using. I need some advice….

Background – I brewed an 10 gallon all grain Moose drool clone (18 lbs 2-row/1.5 lbs Caramel 60L/1 lb Caramel 80L/0.5 lb pale chocolate/0.25 lb English Black Malt); mashed at 152F; boil for 60 min with hop additions; rapid cool with immersion chiller and whirlpool; split into 2 fermenters; OG measured 1.056; hit both with 25 sec of pure oxygen; and pitched a pack of Danstar Windsor ale yeast into each fermenter; fermented both for 1 month (1 in fermentation chamber at 68F/other fermented in basement at 72F).

At this point – I checked the gravity. Both fermenters read 1.020. I was disappointed and immediately searched this site and read the Danstar website. I am under the impression that this is typical for this yeast. I went ahead and kegged the contents of both fermenters. One was kegged, placed in the kezzer and put on gas. The other – I added 2/3 cup of corn sugar, sealed it up, and it is conditioning at 72F.

I tasted the keg on the gas last night – I am not a big fan of the sweetness that is present. What would you suggest?

1. Pitch a pack of 05 into the room temp keg and leave the other in the kezzer for serving “as is”?
2. Remove the keg from the kezzer, let it warm to 72F – pitch a pack of 05 in each batch?
3. Other options?

I have brewed this in the past. All variables the same – except I used Wyeast 1332 Northwest Ale Yeast. This resulted in a FG of 1.010. Please let me know if you need any additional info….
 
I'd say your best bet is to just wait on it. I've made a similar beer with the same yeast. It starts out really chocolatey sweet. For me, the sweetness faded over time. I wouldn't suggest trying to de-gas the beers and pitch new yeast. It's not to say you couldn't try to do this, but I've tried it a couple of times and it does more harm than good IMO.
 
I'd bring both to room temperature and pitch some 05. Windsor is a "can and kilo" yeast that doesn't attenuate enough for all-malt beers.
 
I'd be hesitant to repitch any yeast when Windsor got you to 1.020 with that recipe at that mash temp. I'd call it done, lesson learned with Windsor- either mash low or use sugar in the grainbill.

I know its not my beer, but I'd be thrilled with a 1.020 Caribou Slobber clone.
 
I'd be hesitant to repitch any yeast when Windsor got you to 1.020 with that recipe at that mash temp. I'd call it done, lesson learned with Windsor- either mash low or use sugar in the grainbill.

I know its not my beer, but I'd be thrilled with a 1.020 Caribou Slobber clone.

My thought as well, but to each their own.
 
I'm listening to the CYBI episode, and the brewer said they are looking for it to attenuate to 3 Plato, and NOT in the 4 Plato range. So I understand your frustration. Still don't think I'd repitch though.
 
I just wanted to say “thank you” to everyone posting their experiences with Windsor.

I have a batch of Caribou Slobber OG = 1.052 and FG = 1.021 for an attenuation of ~60%, and I've been spending most of the last hour reading all I can find about Windsor. I knew to expect “moderate attenuation”, but to me that means somewhere in the 65% - 75% range.

Interestingly, I pitched a batch of the White House Honey Ale on the yeast cake of the Caribou Slobber – OG = 1.062 and FG = 1.020. Given that that this batch contains some honey, I'm not surprised that it finished just a touch below the slobber.
 
Brett will fix it. I used windsor once, back when I had one bottling bucket for clean and funky beers. Learned my lesson but luckily ended up with a real tastey brettmeal stout. Mine stalled at 1020 also before the "infection"

For the record, I decided 2 sets of equipment is silly so I gave up clean beer.
 
This EXACT same thing just happened to me. Same recipe, but extract. After 10 days it was at 1021. After 14 it was 1020. Temperature well controlled at 68F. I just racked to secondary and will let it condition for a few weeks at 62-64F before bottling. Taste seemed fine at racking, but I was very surprised to see the high gravity after 2 weeks. Fingers crossed! Good thing I'm not too picky :) Next time I'll try a different yeast.
 
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