Uh oh.... first stalled fermentation.

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

brutus09

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Location
Columbus, OH
Hey everyone.

I brewed my IPA 3 weeks ago. Pitched Wyeast 1272 with a 1 liter starter. Temperature has been in between 62 and 68 degrees F. OG: 1.058.

I took a SG reading after two weeks, it was surprisingly still high at 1.029. I thought it was just that the 1272 was a slow starter. I went on vacation for a week and took another reading today. Well, it is still 1.029 putting it at a 3.78% making it one very weak IPA. I have read the options out there, and the two most common I have come across are pitching with a yeast and an energizer, or gently swirling the primary. It seams that repitching would be a fairly sure fire way, but I was wondering how much of an effect adding a dry yeast would be to the flavor I was striving for with the 1272. Also is swirling worth the risk of aerating the wort. I would appreciate any expertise people could share.

Thanks.
 
If you went with S-05, you won't notice much flavor impact. S-05 is pretty neutral. But, IMO the 1272 is pretty neutral as it is, so even better. Interesting that you didn't get more attenuation out of that yeast. You say that temps were 62-68. 62 is definitely too cool for that yeast, but 68 should have been fine. I would GENTLY swirl (no splashing) after you warm it up to 67-70 degrees. You won't aerate the wort unless you go psycho on the swirling.
 
Certainly possible... Its always best to eliminate the variables before adding extra yeast.
 
I have had US-04 drop out on my at 62 degrees numerous times. With most of your fermentaion complete, I think your best bet is to rouse the yeast and warm it up, even if you get up into the low 70's at this point I don't think you will get too many off flavors since the bulk of your fermentation is completed.
 
Thanks for the help. I will swirl this afternoon, and take a reading in a few days. If no drop, I will go with the S-05.
 
Thanks for the help. I will swirl this afternoon, and take a reading in a few days. If no drop, I will go with the S-05.

I think the best way to do it, would be to warm it up first, then once the wort is at the appropriate temp, rouse the yeast. I bet it works. Heck, I have even re aerated my wort before to beat a stuck fermentation...no oxidation issues or infection issues at all.
 
I think the best way to do it, would be to warm it up first, then once the wort is at the appropriate temp, rouse the yeast.

+1 on warming first (although it probably doesn't make much difference, you might get more back into suspension if its already ~70 when you swirl).
 
If you went with S-05, you won't notice much flavor impact. S-05 is pretty neutral. But, IMO the 1272 is pretty neutral as it is, so even better. Interesting that you didn't get more attenuation out of that yeast. You say that temps were 62-68. 62 is definitely too cool for that yeast, but 68 should have been fine. I would GENTLY swirl (no splashing) after you warm it up to 67-70 degrees. You won't aerate the wort unless you go psycho on the swirling.

Can you really aerate the wort if there is no air in there?
 
Bad news. I swirled the wort when it was around 70. Then took a measurement a day later... no change. I then bought some US-05 yeast and yeast energizer. I pitched the yeast and added the energizer on Friday. I took a measurement and it is still at 7.2 brix (1.029 sp. gr.). I do not understand how after pitching extra yeast and doing every thing else it is still a high specific gravity. Does anyone have an explanation for this?
 
If it does not start up again within 72 hours of pitching at the warmer temperature, you may have some unfermentables in there. Could your mash temperature be off? Bad thermometer?
 
Can you really aerate the wort if there is no air in there?

If it is a sealed environment with CO2 from the fermentation, then the beer is mixing with CO2, so I do not see how. On the other hand, a gentle swirl is sufficient so why go overboard?
 
If it is a sealed environment with CO2 from the fermentation, then the beer is mixing with CO2, so I do not see how. On the other hand, a gentle swirl is sufficient so why go overboard?

But it's not a sealed environment. The fermenter has been opened a number of times, for SG readings, for example. It's basically just room air in the fermenter, especially since the SG has been stuck for a while and no co2 is being produced.

I'd swirl very carefully. It doesn't take much to rouse the yeast.

What was the recipe?

One thing that might work is to brew another beer. Then rack this one onto the yeast cake of the other beer. That seems to be the only thing that can help a truly stuck fermentation.
 
But it's not a sealed environment. The fermenter has been opened a number of times, for SG readings, for example. It's basically just room air in the fermenter, especially since the SG has been stuck for a while and no co2 is being produced.

I'd swirl very carefully. It doesn't take much to rouse the yeast.

What was the recipe?

One thing that might work is to brew another beer. Then rack this one onto the yeast cake of the other beer. That seems to be the only thing that can help a truly stuck fermentation.

Point taken. If the OP was concerned about a stalled fermentation and fiddling around, then my premise was likely false.
 
If this is alll grain or extract ? If all grain what were your mash temps? If your fermentation swung up or down too much that could have helped the stalling out as well.
 
It was a partial mash. Mashed at 153 degrees F. This is the only the second time I have done a partial mash. I remember I kept adding hot water in order to keep the temp above 150 degrees F. Is it possible i just completely messed up this step and that caused this problem?
2 lb vienna malt
1 lb 2 row
.5 lb cara-pils
.5 lb crystal 10L
5 lb Light DME
 
I was just asking cause if you mashed at like 170 that would be a big part of your unfermentability. With a mash close to 153 you should have been in good shape. Maybe next time get your mash temp where you want it and cover your mash temp and ride it out for 30-60 minutes. Good luck. Hope this helps. Maybe check the calbration on your thermometer in some ice water?
 
Did you check this with a hydro as well Brutus? I know you have to have the begining brix measurement and put that into a calculation to get the true fg from a refract.
 
Back
Top