Oaked IPA trouble

I'm making the True Brew "Maestro" IPA kit (original thread here). It's been in the primary two weeks. Here's today's sample:



Looks nice, but it's still a bit sweet and the SG is 1.020. OG was 1.053 with a target FG of 1.012-1.014.

It's been in my fermeterator at 65F the whole time. I'm going to take it out and let it warm up for a few days and see what happens.

If it doesn't move in a few days, should I just bottle and try not to think about bottle bombs, or should I pitch some of the Safale 05 I have?

Thanks for the advice,

-Joe

I wouldn't bottle with sg that high.
Give it a shake keep it in the zone temp wise and leave it a week.
I'd think about more yeast if it's tasting sweet.

I almost bought this kit last weekend at my LHBS. (I decided on the American wheat because it was about $10 cheaper.) I hope you'll post a report on how it turns out. It looks great.

orfy said:

I wouldn't bottle with sg that high.
Give it a shake keep it in the zone temp wise and leave it a week.
I'd think about more yeast if it's tasting sweet.

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I gave it a good swirl a week ago when it read 1.020, which is why I'm now trying the temp raise. We'll see in a few days.

If I do decide to repitch, would Cooper's ale yeast be an OK choice? I got it as a sub for Notty in one of my AHS kits and I'm not going to use it there.

-Joe

nostalgia said:

If I do decide to repitch, would Cooper's ale yeast be an OK choice? I got it as a sub for Notty in one of my AHS kits and I'm not going to use it there.

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Monday bump. I've read some less than stellar reviews of the Cooper's ale yeast, but I'm curious to whether it would work to restart a stuck ferment.

-Joe

I've never used that yeast. If you can't get the original yeast, I am going to venture a guess in saying since you are going from 1.020 to 1.014 you aren't going to be contributing too much flavor, and probably wouldn't notice the two yeasts.

But then again. I've never done it before.

I also think that the notty will finish and you won't have too use a second yeast.

I believe the original yeast was Munton's Gold dry yeast.

-Joe

I've heard not-so-great things about Munton's yeast. If the temp raise doesn't help, then I'd say pick up some Nottingham - ol' reliable.

Welp, two days at 75 and no activity. I can't hurt anything by repitching, right? Worst that happens is I waste a pack of US-05?

-Joe

I'd give it another couple of days, then check the gravity, then make your decision. BUT. I don't think pitching will hurt anything. What I really think you need is another batch to worry about so this one gets a little time to do it's thing .

Warped04 said:

What I really think you need is another batch to worry about so this one gets a little time to do it's thing .

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It's been at 1.020 for 10 days, possibly more since I waited 7 days to take the first reading. I've tried swirling the carboy and raising the temperature.

How much more time do you suggest I give it to do its thing?

-Joe

nostalgia said:

How much more time do you suggest I give it to do its thing?

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I would give it as much time as you have the patience for. I don't think there is a set number of days before you have reached "zero hour."

You are only going from 1.020 to 1.014, so you may not see activity. If you have good sanitation practices, pull a hydro sample.

I had a batch that was taking a while, I ended up leaving it in the primary for a month until it finished. The only way I stopped thinking / worrying about it was to brew another batch.

I am currently brewing the exact same kit. It has been in primary for about 16 days. It stuck at 1.020 at day 3, and stayed there until day 14. I had given a swirl at day 7 after reading 1.020 for 4 days in a row, and nothing. Then, on day 13 I swirled a bit more aggressively (hope I didn't introduce O2, but oh well - it's done). I didn't slosh, but I got it going in a circle pretty good (true brew plastic bucket). Less than 24 hours after this aggressive swirl, I had airlock activity again. Sure enough, when I checked SG yesterday I was at 1.018... not too far to go now!

I was so impatient that I was ready to repitch w/ bread yeast on Sunday, lol. The brew shop was closed and I was desparate. I sure am glad now that I managed to wait! I think I failed to aerate properly before pitching, so I will be sure and do that next time.

FYI, this is my 3rd batch overall.

I really have no problem waiting, as long as there's a point to it. 10 days at the same SG with several swirls and a temp raise seems to me that all the waiting in the world isn't going to do anything.

But if you guys think otherwise, I'll certainly defer to experience and wait another week before taking a reading.

-Joe

I'd pitch some rehydrated Nottingham in to get it to finish up.

How are you holding up nostalgia?

Holding up ok Going to take a SG on Sunday, which will be 3 weeks in the primary. If the SG hasn't changed I'm going to repitch.

I'd make more beer, but all 3 of my carboys are full at the moment.

-Joe

Well now i'm curious to see what happens.

Yeah if it's been sitting at 1.02 for two weeks you are right to repitch.

orfy said:

I wouldn't bottle with sg that high.
Give it a shake keep it in the zone temp wise and leave it a week.
I'd think about more yeast if it's tasting sweet.

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+1 on stirring it up a bit. For me that has started up visible fermentation again.

nostalgia said:

Holding up ok

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I just wanted to make sure . Hopefully that reading will be 1.014 so you won't have to worry about it anymore.

Warped04 said:

I just wanted to make sure . Hopefully that reading will be 1.014 so you won't have to worry about it anymore.

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Well, looks like you win.

I went down to take a reading today. Got my wallpaper trough out, sprayed my wine thief down with Star-San, found my hydrometer and sample tube. I turned around to the carboy and to my utter shock there was a big, fluffy kraeusen on top! The airlock is cheerfully bubbling away every 3 seconds.

So I didn't bother taking a reading. I'll let it go another week and take a reading before bottling.

Thanks for all the advice and anecdotes in this thread. Y'all are a great bunch.

Oh, one more question: The stick-on thermometer is reading 75F. Think I should pop it back in the fermenter chamber (which is set to 67F), or not bother at this point? I'm thinking not bother. By the time the temp comes down a significant amount it'll be a moot point.

-Joe

I might want to get it off the old yeast cake at that temp. Can you transfer to a 2ndary?

Leave it be. The primary fermenting is all done, its not going to affect the taste to much. And why mess with a finally fermenting beer.

You are the winner. You get the beer . As Revvy says "Time will fix all, including beer." Congrats.

nostalgia said:

By the time the temp comes down a significant amount it'll be a moot point.

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It's my only gripe about summer brewing. I think you are right. I'd just do what you would normally do from here on out. Cheers.

-Wally

Warped04 said:

You are the winner. You get the beer

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I'll be sure to put a bottle aside for you next time you're in NJ

Bubbling has stopped but the kraeusen hasn't fallen. Sure glad I didn't just bottle. That would have been...bad.


I'm a little fuzzy on the whole "good/bad" thing here. What do you mean, "bad"?

Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.


Ok maybe not that bad, but still messy.

-Joe

Sounds like a plan! Although I don't know when I'll make it out to NJ anytime before the next 5 years.

I hate bottle bombs. They are messy as all hell. But that's a great movie line