Fermentation Issues? Belgian Trippel IPA

Four weeks ago I brewed a Belgian Trippel IPA (partial mash). The target ABV in the recipe was around 8.5% and the starting gravity was 1.085. After cooling the wort I pitched a White Labs Belgian Ale Yeast, then once fermentation was going strong on day 2 I pitched a Safbrew powdered ale yeast.

After two weeks the gravity was down to 1.04 and I racked it over to a carboy for secondary and to begin dry hopping. Yesterday, after four weeks total of fermentation I took a reading and the gravity was only down to 1.03. So after two weeks, the gravity only dropped by 0.01.

So, my questions is this...should I: a) just wait it out another week or two to see if it drops closer to 1.01; b) add some sugar (boiled with water and cooled, of course) to the wort to give the yeast something to feed on; or c) create a starter with the Belgian ale yeast I saved after racking to secondary and pitch it into the wort?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Recipe can be found here: http://menuinprogress.com/2009/09/belgian-tripel-ipa-partial-mash-recipe.html

A couple of things.Did you do a starter? 1.085 is a pretty big beer which would require a big starter. If you did not , then you seriously underpitched.

Second, what temp are you fermenting at? You can try raising the temp, that may help.

Third you should not have racked off the original yeast until it was finished. At 1.040 you should have let the yeast finish.

Here is a good quote from Brew Like a Monk that explains Belgian yeasts.....

"Let the fermentation finish, perhaps at a higher temperature. It can take as long to get the last few points of attenuation as it did for the first 80%"

I did do a starter. It has been fermenting at 70 degrees, but I dont have a way to increase temp any higher than that.

Any thoughts on how to save this big beer?

I'd repitch the yeast you kept from the primary, possibly after using another starter since the alcohol in your beer may shock them if theyve been sitting in water for a few weeks.

My guess is you took the beer off the yeast cake too soon if it was still at 1.04. That's a lot of fermentation still too go and youve taken a lot of your yeast out of the game at this point. Next time i would let primary fermentation complete before racking to secondary for dry hopping.