Stuck fermentation after repitch

I currently have two batches that appear to be stuck. The first one was brewed on 1/11 and was very active it had a starting gravity of 1.100. It was a braggot style. I let it sit for a week and shalt racked it to secondary and let it sit. There seemed to still be some action, but nothing to active. About on e a week I'd measure the gravity. It stopped at 1.045. I pitched some dry Champagne yeast 4 days ago and there has been no action. The gravity has went down to 1.040.

The other batch is an IPA with a starting gravity of 1.074. It was brewed on 02/07. It is still in primary on the original yeast cake. Gravity was 1.040I repitched the same time as the braggot. After repitch a few days it was 1.038.

What should I do? Transfer both to new car boys, aerate, and repitch again.

I don't see a need to transfer them off the yeast. How's the temp? And how many yeast did you add at the start of each? Strange that the champagne yeast didn't start it up, but that's a lot of alcohol to be dumped into. Might take a few more days to get active again.

I wouldn't aerate, but try to get the yeast into suspension again, maybe stirring lightly or giving a good roll around. And wait a week to be sure nothing is happening.

PoppinCaps said:

I don't see a need to transfer them off the yeast. How's the temp? And how many yeast did you add at the start of each? Strange that the champagne yeast didn't start it up, but that's a lot of alcohol to be dumped into. Might take a few more days to get active again.

I wouldn't aerate, but try to get the yeast into suspension again, maybe stirring lightly or giving a good roll around. And wait a week to be sure nothing is happening.

Click to expand...

When I originally pitched they both were dry yeast packets. The house temp has been 71-72.

I'll rouse the yeast every couple of days and check the gravity in a week.

There are two questions here, perhaps.

For your current batches, I'm not sure there is a whole lot to do other than raise the temp, gently agitate and give it more time. You've already repitched. My understanding is that you don't want to aerate or oxygenate at this point, after fermentation has started. You risk creating oxidation off-flavors.

The second question is how to keep this from happening in the future. Your IPA, at that OG, is big but shouldn't get stuck if you're making sure that: 1) your yeast are healthy, 2) you're pitching at sufficient numbers and 3) and you're giving them a good environment to work in.

A few more details, like what yeast you used, how much of it, at what temps, and a little more info about your wort (recipe, mash temps etc) would help people give you some advice to avoid this problem in the future.

Pappers_ said:

There are two questions here, perhaps.

For your current batches, I'm not sure there is a whole lot to do other than raise the temp, gently agitate and give it more time. You've already repitched. My understanding is that you don't want to aerate or oxygenate at this point, after fermentation has started. You risk creating oxidation off-flavors.

The second question is how to keep this from happening in the future. Your IPA, at that OG, is big but shouldn't get stuck if you're making sure that: 1) your yeast are healthy, 2) you're pitching at sufficient numbers and 3) and you're giving them a good environment to work in.

A few more details, like what yeast you used, how much of it, at what temps, and a little more info about your wort (recipe, mash temps etc) would help people give you some advice to avoid this problem in the future.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I'll be sure lot add the recipe for future posts. I think me next thing to conquer is good aeration and yeast starters.

Recipes used

Crandaddy Bragot


Estimated Actual
Brew Date: - 01/11/2012
OG: 1.050 1.100
FG: 1.013 1.040
ABV: 4.85 % 7.86 %

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp Estimated Actual
Primary 7 days @ 70.0°F 01/11/2012 01/11/2012
Secondary 28 days @ 74.0°F 01/18/2012 01/16/2012
Bottle/Keg 14 days @ 74.0°F 02/13/2012 -

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
6.60 lbs 100.00 % Briess Golden Light LME 60 mins 1.038

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.00 ozs 17.86 Hallertauer 60 mins 4.80

Yeasts
Amount Name. Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Champagne White Labs (null)
1.0 pkg Champagne

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
6.00 lb Honey 10 mins Boil
36.00 oz Cranberries (Puréed)

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

Estimated Actual
Brew Date: - 02/07/2012
OG: 1.086 1.074
FG: 1.026 1.038
ABV: 7.86 % 4.72 %

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp Estimated Actual
Primary 14 days @ 68.0°F 02/07/2012 02/07/2012
Secondary 14 days @ 72.0°F 02/21/2012 -
Bottle/Keg 14 days @ 74.0°F 03/06/2012 -

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
9.00 lbs 84.43 % Briess Pilsen DME 90 mins 1.043
1.66 lbs 15.57 % Amber Malt 90 mins 1.035

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
0.50 ozs 12.43 Amarillo Gold 90 mins 8.50
0.50 ozs 19.00 Simcoe 90 mins 13.00
0.50 ozs 19.00 Nugget 90 mins 13.00
0.50 ozs 11.62 Amarillo Gold 60 mins 8.50
0.50 ozs 17.77 Simcoe 60 mins 13.00
0.50 ozs 8.93 Amarillo Gold 30 mins 8.50
0.50 ozs 13.66 Simcoe 30 mins 13.00
0.50 ozs 0.50 Amarillo Gold 1 mins 8.50
1.00 ozs Amarillo Gold 7 days 8.50
0.50 ozs Simcoe 7 days 13.00
0.50 ozs Nugget 7 days 13.00

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Whitbread Ale Wyeast Labs 1099
1.0 pkg Champagne

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
0.50 tsp Irish Moss 15 mins Boil

Carbonation
Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols
6.6 psi Force Carbonation 42.0°F 1.90

I think you hit the nail on the head - your issues are probably providing enough oxygen for the yeast and pitching a sufficient quantity of yeast cells.

Starters are a great approach. You can also pitch two vials or packs of liquid yeast. Or if you use dry yeast, there are more yeast cells in those packets.

Also, it's not unusual for extract beers to finish a little high.

Good luck!

Just wanted to update everyone. The problem ended up not bring a fermentation issues. Rather it was me not knowing a new piece of equipment. I had gotten a refractometer. Local brew shooed ended up giving me a web page to give me the proper conversion from reading beginning and ending Brix. Go figure.

Thanks for the help