Belgian Tripel with way to high fg

I brewed a belgian tripel 2.5 weeks ago and I transferred it to the secondary this past weekend. The og was 1.083 and now the fg is 1.034 which is way to high. It hasn't changed for 4 days. The recipe looks like this

11 lbs. Briess Pilsner Malt (65% of grain bill)
3 lbs. Briess Vienna Malt (20% of grain bill)
2.5 lbs. Invert Sugar (15% of grain bill)

I used WLP500 yeast as the lbhs didn't have any wlp510. I used a 1.25L starter with a stir plate. Fermentation took off within 4 hours of pitching and fermented like crazy. I didn't add the invert sugar until two days into fermentation to help the yeast get off to a running start. It continued to ferment for 3 days after I added the invert sugar.

It tastes pretty good for only being 2.5 weeks old but I'm concerned that the fg is very high. What should I do to knock this down? Create another starter? Rouse the yeast a little?

Rouse the yeast and increase fermentation temperature.

Yep- warm it up and give the yeast a swirl. What temperature did it ferment at, and what temp is it now? Mash temperature?

You should never transfer to secondary before fermentation has finished. That's the whole point of a secondary- there's no more sugar to eat so no more yeast are being made, so you move it over so the remaining yeast can drop out. If there's still sugar, the yeast are still reproducing.

Wow double post? What is up with the phpBB on this site?

daksin said:

Yep- warm it up and give the yeast a swirl. What temperature did it ferment at, and what temp is it now? Mash temperature?

You should never transfer to secondary before fermentation has finished. That's the whole point of a secondary- there's no more sugar to eat so no more yeast are being made, so you move it over so the remaining yeast can drop out. If there's still sugar, the yeast are still reproducing.

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I fermented it in my basement around 73 degrees, I can move it upstairs which is at 75-76. It was mashed at 154 F

I always thought it was bad to keep the beer in the primary for too long of a time since trub will give it off flavors?

BoilermakerBrewery said:

I fermented it in my basement around 73 degrees, I can move it upstairs which is at 75-76. It was mashed at 154 F

I always thought it was bad to keep the beer in the primary for too long of a time since trub will give it off flavors?

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Myth busters should do an episode on this. It will be fine for months in primary.

daksin said:

Wow double post? What is up with the phpBB on this site?

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I don't know, since the site runs vBulletin.

makomachine said:

Myth busters should do an episode on this. It will be fine for months in primary.

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Seriously. I feel like the main banner of the site should say this.

(Read in Ron Burgundy voice) Everyone! Don't transfer to a secondary before fermentation is finished! Check it with a hydrometer first!

I bet it restarts in secondary. I use the Westmalle yeast and it liked to work. My 2nd tripel was slowly munching away in secondary for 6 weeks (gravity was fairly low and stable after 4 weeks primary). Eventually worked down to 1.007 from 1.078. Tastes great after 7 months in the bottle.

If not, pitching an actively fermenting starter can also work. I did this with my RIS and it restarted in secondary for 3 weeks, dropping it another .007.

Well I roused the yeast and brought the carboy upstairs but the gravity hasn't really changed. I'm going to make another starter and pitch the yeast to see where it takes me.

154F seems pretty high for a mash temp on a Tripel. I would typically mash much lower, like 148-150F range. It is supposed to have a dry finish.

Yea, +1 to that. Tripels need to finish super dry and should be mashed super low. Still, that mash temperature would not have produced such a high FG. You still have a ways to go.

I've had tripels take 5 weeks or so. As stated above, just rouse it up a bit 2-3 times a day. At the 5 week mark rack to secondary. This will rouse it up a bit and get you closer to desired FG...

I'm stumped...made up a starter last weekend and pitched it and the airlock always had bubbles in it all week long...although i never actually saw it bubble. Went to take a reading with my refractometer and it hasnt even moved...should I just keep playing the waiting game? Or just go ahead and bottle it

You started out at 1.080 - no way that will finish in a week. Let it sit for several weeks and move it to a warmer spot. What was the alcohol tolerance of the yeast?

It's been 5 weeks since I brewed this batch...sorry if I misled you but after not having it drop for 3 weeks straight I went out and got more yeast and made another starter and pitched at high krausen and let it sit for almost another week and saw activity in the airlock but no reduction in gravity readings

You probably did not pitch enough yeast, or your mash temp was higher then 154 deg. (can you double check your thermometer?) Also, can you list your recipe? Maybe you have too many modified malts? What yeast strain did you use? What size starter and what size batch of beer?

5 gallon batch
11 lbs. Briess Pilsner Malt
3 lbs. Briess Vienna Malt
2.5 lbs. Invert Sugar

WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast. Made a 1.3L starter on a stir plate.

I mashed in @ 152 and over the 60 minute mash it dropped to 148.

I added the invert sugar about 48 hours into the fermentation once the yeast was already off and running

Left it two weeks in the primary and then transferred it to the secondary (I know I should have waited longer). Sat in the secondary for three weeks where the fg stalled out at 1.034. I then went to my LHBS and got another vial of WLP500 and made a 1.5L starter. I pitched it at high krausen and let it sit for another week. I saw bubbles in the airlock all week but I tested it w/ the refractometer and it hasn't really moved.

It sure sounds like it is done fermenting. I am not sure exactly what else you can do if it's still stuck at 1.034 at this point, except maybe dilute it and call it a Belgian Blonde/Pale instead.

Would it be alright if I went ahead and bottled this at 1.034? It seems to be done fermenting and the taste is actually pretty good. Add some sugar and bottle carbonate. I'm just worried that something may happen and it over carbonates the bottles and makes them explode

I don't use a refractometer, so I'm not really sure what I am talking about, but I thought there was a correction that needs to be applied to the reading once there is alcohol in the solution.

If the sample you tried tastes "pretty good", you might have a wrong reading. At 1.034 it would taste pretty sweet. 1.034 has the same gravity as putting 10 level teaspoons of table sugar in an 8 ozs cup of coffee.

Calder said:

I don't use a refractometer, so I'm not really sure what I am talking about, but I thought there was a correction that needs to be applied to the reading once there is alcohol in the solution.

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I agree. Check with a hydrometer. Unless you have calculated the alcohol content in the refractometer reading and did a correction, the reading is useless.

If you wont find an answer to your FG go crazy and add some brettanomyces and you will reach your FG sooner or later. Done it once when I couldnt find the answer to my high FG and it turn out very well.
1034 sounds to be a very level to get stuck at, I agree with the others, check your equipment first.

Ok I got out my hydrometer and it's saying my tripel is at 1.004...I don't understand how my refractometer is so far off....are they only good for measuring the og of the mash?

That's pretty good for that yeast, and mashing at 152.

I'm running a few brews with that yeast right now. My Dubbel went from 1.065 to 1.010, and my trippel went from 1.073 to 1.006.

I currently have it fermenting my 'Bloody Saison'. Added some hibiscus to make it red.

Bah I just read up and found out there is a lot more to calculating fg with a refractometer and using the excel file from morebeer it agrees with my hydrometer

BoilermakerBrewery said:

Bah I just read up and found out there is a lot more to calculating fg with a refractometer and using the excel file from morebeer it agrees with my hydrometer

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Indeed, the alcohol messes with the reading.

BoilermakerBrewery said:

Ok I got out my hydrometer and it's saying my tripel is at 1.004...I don't understand how my refractometer is so far off....are they only good for measuring the og of the mash?

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They are only good for measuring gravity pre-fermentation. And the ATC usually only works from 120* or lower... so I never saw the point in buying one.

What? You mean this whole time you never used a hydrometer to take the reading?


Gah!

Yell at it. A lot. Shame the yeast for being losers.

So theoretically, if his FG was actually 1.034, would Alpha Amalase help bring that down in the secondary?



I have a similar situation with another belgian of mine.

SoupNazi said:

So theoretically, if his FG was actually 1.034, would Alpha Amalase help bring that down in the secondary?



I have a similar situation with another belgian of mine.

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It wasn't 1.034. It has been sorted out. Start a new thread.

Belgian ...... 1.034 ....... Sad!

When you start the new thread, add a little more information, such as recipe and fermentation temps.