High Gravity - Fermentation didn't start

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MetuchenBrewerNJ

MetuchenBrewerNJ

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Hello everyone,
Sorry, but I have a very beginner's question to ask. A few days ago we brewed an Irish Red Ale, and for some reason the gravity was way high. It was predicted on the recipe to be around 1.050 and the beer calculator agreed with the number, but our came in around 1.080. We pitched the standard vial of WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast for the 5 gallons, and we haven't seen any action yet, and for obvious reasons I'm not surprised. What's the best way to handle this. Should I buy more yeast and a yeast energizer (which I do not have) and add that in and re-aerate?
Any help much appreciated, I'd hate to toss what looked to be a good (and hopefully very alcoholic) batch. Thanks!
 
Welcome!

First, I'd highly recommend reading the sticky on fermentation taking up to 72 hours. How much is "a few days ago"

Second, I'd start diagnosing why your gravity is so far off. If it's an extract batch, you added everything, and your final volume is correct, then it almost impossible to be off that much. Topped up extract batches are notoriously difficult to measure OG, without tons of stirring.
 
What was your recipe? Are you sure your beer was 10.80 or was your gravity reading 1.080, that's not the same thing, where extract beers are concerned.

Also have you taken a current gravity?
 
Revvy said:
Are you sure your beer was 10.80 or was your gravity reading 1.080, that's not the same thing, where extract beers are concerned.
Click to expand...

The OP said 1.080. But the main issue is if this was extract....if it was extract, then it's better to consider your gravity to be what the estimated gravity is (as it's hard to mix the wort evenly with top off water). If this is extract, and you're sure your gravity is really 1.080 instead of 1.050, then you're nowhere near a 5 gallon batch! My advise would be to take a gravity reading now: see if it's under 1.050...if it has been over 72 hours after pitching, and the gravity is staying the same as the SG, only then should you start considering ways to get fermentation going. Rousing the yeast, upping the temperature to the max recommended range, adding more yeast, adding yeast nutrient.
 
davesrose said:
The OP said 1.080. But the main issue is if this was extract....if it was extract, then it's better to consider your gravity to be what the estimated gravity is (as it's hard to mix the wort evenly with top off water). If this is extract, and you're sure your gravity is really 1.080 instead of 1.050, then you're nowhere near a 5 gallon batch! My advise would be to take a gravity reading now: see if it's under 1.050...if it has been over 72 hours after pitching, and the gravity is staying the same as the SG, only then should you start considering ways to get fermentation going. Rousing the yeast, upping the temperature to the max recommended range, adding more yeast, adding yeast nutrient.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's what I'm getting at. ;)
 
MetuchenBrewerNJ said:
Hello everyone,
Sorry, but I have a very beginner's question to ask. A few days ago we brewed an Irish Red Ale, and for some reason the gravity was way high. It was predicted on the recipe to be around 1.050 and the beer calculator agreed with the number, but our came in around 1.080. We pitched the standard vial of WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast for the 5 gallons, and we haven't seen any action yet, and for obvious reasons I'm not surprised. What's the best way to handle this. Should I buy more yeast and a yeast energizer (which I do not have) and add that in and re-aerate?
Any help much appreciated, I'd hate to toss what looked to be a good (and hopefully very alcoholic) batch. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Always make a starter. That way you know the yeast is viable. You may only have had a few million viable cells and they are working hard.

What is the temperature of the wort. Not the room, but the wort? Is it too cold for the yeast?

Always give recipe. It is really easy to estimate the gravity. I would trust your calculators. If you really do have 1.080, then you only have 3 gallons. Take a new reading now.

Go get some dry yeast and add it if there is still no activity. If the 004 takes off then you are OK, if not, then the dry yeast will take up the challenge. Probably not necessary to re-aerate if you did a good job to start with.
 
We did top it off, but turns out we had another problem. My brother (let's call him the assistant brewer) thought he was adding the extract in, and I thought I was adding it in (we brew outside, and its cold so we take turns)..so I think we added more extract than needed (2 pounds-ish), which would make sense for the high gravity (very high). We brewed 5 days ago. I opened the fermentor this morning and there is a good amount of activity going on, so I guess it just had a very hard time starting due to so much sugar. Seems to be doing alright now, but the final product will be very malty..he better like it, because he's got 5 gallons of it he's drinking.
 

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