I have a Tripel I brewed that started at 1.082 OG I transferred it to the secondary after 2 weeks and it was at 1.040. It has been there 10 days and has only gone down to 1.032. Any ideas on how to get to the target gravity of 1.010?
Tripel Stuck? Or Slow?
- Thread starter Budzien
- Start date
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Leave it alone. You shouldn't have taken it off the yeast after 2 weeks. The prevailing idea now is that secondary is unnecessary unless the beer style calls for it. In the case of high gravity beers like Tripels, secondary is completely appropriate for long-term storage for aging.
However, you should only secondary after you achieved your desired final gravity. Otherwise you're just taking away a ton of yeast that can quickly get the work done, as well as clean up afterwards.
Also, did you end up adding simple sugars like candi sugar, sucrose, dextrose, etc? Simple sugars are highly fermentable and help the Tripel get its characteristic dryness.
However, you should only secondary after you achieved your desired final gravity. Otherwise you're just taking away a ton of yeast that can quickly get the work done, as well as clean up afterwards.
Also, did you end up adding simple sugars like candi sugar, sucrose, dextrose, etc? Simple sugars are highly fermentable and help the Tripel get its characteristic dryness.
ChessRockwell
Well-Known Member
A recipe, including yeast used, along with fermentation temperature would help!
The recipe is found at:
http://www.brew-monkey.com/recipes/html/shedevil.htm
Except I used WLP 545 Belgian Strong Ale Yeast
The fermentation temp is 70 degrees
http://www.brew-monkey.com/recipes/html/shedevil.htm
Except I used WLP 545 Belgian Strong Ale Yeast
The fermentation temp is 70 degrees
Yeah, I'm still going to say you either took it off the yeast too soon or you should have used a bit more simple sugar.
Either way, let it go. It's still fermenting, albeit slowly, so you really can't call it stuck.
Either way, let it go. It's still fermenting, albeit slowly, so you really can't call it stuck.
ChessRockwell
Well-Known Member
2lbs cane sugar should have been enough unless your mash temp was way too high, so I'd go with option a) took it off yeast too soon. If giving it time and maybe warming it up a little doesn't work, you may have to pitch a nice big starter of some more yeast.
Thank you for your input. I thought Papazian's book said to get it off the yeast bed after 2 weeks or off flavors could develop... I appreciate you correcting me, or I might have screwed up BIG. Thanks
he also wrote that over a dozen years ago. we've learned a lot since then, and the quality of yeast has greatly improved. for a strong beer like a 1.082, i'd see myself leaving it in primary for 4 weeks if not longer.
This.
Last time I made a tripel it sat in primary for two months with no secondary and it was heavenly after just another 2 weeks in the keg.
I've left a beer on a yeast cake for 6 months with zero of the mythical "autolysis off-flavors" that some say to beware of even though they pretty much only occur in a commercial brewery with tons upon tons of pressure baring down on the yeast.
slarkin712
Well-Known Member
If the gravity dropped in the secondary, as you reported, then there are still yeast at work. I'd slowly ramp up the temperature to help the yeast finish. If you can, raise the temp 1F a day until you get to 75-76F. Then leave it at that temp until the gravity stabilizes.
I've never left a tripel more than two weeks in the primary, so I doubt that is the problem.
I do see that the recipe as 11% crystal malt (caravienne) so that could be an issue. What was the mash temp? If you mashed at 150 like the instructions say, it might get lower but if the mash temperature was higher it would struggle mightily to get to 1.010! I don't think even in the best case it would get there, to be honest. Usually that yeast strain can go up to 85% attenuation, but the two pounds of crystal might mean it will not. 1.010 wouldn't happen in that recipe (about 87% attenuation).
I do see that the recipe as 11% crystal malt (caravienne) so that could be an issue. What was the mash temp? If you mashed at 150 like the instructions say, it might get lower but if the mash temperature was higher it would struggle mightily to get to 1.010! I don't think even in the best case it would get there, to be honest. Usually that yeast strain can go up to 85% attenuation, but the two pounds of crystal might mean it will not. 1.010 wouldn't happen in that recipe (about 87% attenuation).
I think the issue isn't the yeast, though. I think it's the high mash temp (154 is very high for a beer you want to attenuate so much), and the two pounds of crystal. That means a more unfermentable wort, with longer chained sugars, than if you would have mashed at 148-149 and used half as much crystal. I think this beer is just about done, unfortunately.
IMO, a tripel shouldn't have any crystal....just pils malt and sugar. If it has anything else, it's something other than a tripel. I mash tripels at 146-148 for 90 min. Using WY3787 I usually get 85-90% AA.
maida7
Well-Known Member
you could add an enzyme and give it a lot of time. Beano will break down any dextrines and make them more fermentable. Time is required since the yeast is not very active at this stage in the process. Warmer temps may help get the yeast working again.
This may salvage the beer but I would not expect it to be a fantastic beer. but who knows it may turn out great.
next time... mash lower, less (or no) crystal, pitch the proper amounts of healthy yeast, oxygenate your wort and properly manage your fermentation temps. Nothing sucks more then a sweet thick triple.
This may salvage the beer but I would not expect it to be a fantastic beer. but who knows it may turn out great.
next time... mash lower, less (or no) crystal, pitch the proper amounts of healthy yeast, oxygenate your wort and properly manage your fermentation temps. Nothing sucks more then a sweet thick triple.
the previous BYO mag had a long article on tripels. according to them, a tripel is either 80% pils/20% sugar, or 70% pils/20% sugar/10% wheat or munich. so at least some think there is a little wiggle room for something other than pils and sugar. but certainly not crystal.
Well, I disagree n the wheat qnd/or Munich, but I'm traditional that way. To me, Westmalle is the perfct tripel. They invented the style and it's all pils and sugar.
This is a very good point. My tripels are also pils and sugar only.
slarkin712
Well-Known Member
If the fermentation ends and the gravity is still high for the style (whatever it might be) give it a taste. If you like it, then bottle or keg it and enjoy. If it is too sweet you could add some hop bitterness and flavor to help balance it. Try a hop tea or something where you extract some bitterness from the hops. And then maybe dry hop it. Voila, you've got some kind of Belgian DIPA.
maida7
Well-Known Member
sweetness comes from the alcohol and is balanced by hops and high carbonation levels
Piratwolf said:
Really? This is a non-issue? No comment on the fermentation?
In almost 300gal in 18 months, I've never had a ferment where the bulk wasn't done after 5 days at the latest. Is this unusual? 'cause I feel like I'm pulling stuff outta my a$$ half the time I brew....
As Stan H. said in BLAM, with Belgian beers it's not uncommon for the last 10% of attenuation to take longer than the first 90%.
maida7
Well-Known Member
yes but in my experience the first 90% is done in 2-3 days and the last 10% takes double that time. 2 weeks and it's about as done as it's gonna get.
I'd say in most cases with an ale yeast, if you're not down to finish gravity in 2 weeks you have a major problem with your fermentation.
slarkin712
Well-Known Member
Budzien, did you make a yeast starter and how old was the yeast? With such a slow fermentation I would guess that your yeast cell count was far too low and the yeast was not in good health. Like many others have said, the majority of fermentation should be complete in less than a week. And with a gravity of 1.040 that far into fermentation, it appears your yeast were struggling to get the job done.
Yep, seems likely.
8 oz of DME in a growler for 36 hours seems like it could have created enough cells, if shaken/aerated enough.
Both nice toys, but neither is necessary. I made perfectly fine starters for years without a stir plate. And a MixStir works just as well as an oxygen tank for a lot less money.
Yes, that. But also a flawed recipe.
There is NO WAY that recipe would get to 1.010. Not in a million years. The recipe itself is flawed.
