Save my beer!

I brewed BM's FIre Rock Clone, and used Wyeast 2565. 3 weeks in primary at 65 degrees.

I got my new kegging system yesterday and was so excited I racked it to the keg without checking FG. I poured a pint, and it really wasn't right.. even for a green beer. So I checked the FG, and it was only 1.018. OG was 1.051.

Anything I can do to save the beer? Should I warm it up, and pitch some US-05?

This is the first time using this yeast.. and it is SLOW!

US-05 isn't slow. I've never had it take more than a week to ferment. Your temps could have been a factor. Either way...I'd warm your beer up and let it sit another few weeks. Test it a few times to make sure it's done.

I know US-05 isn't slow.. I use it for all my beers. This beer was fermented with Wyeast 2565 Kolsch.. I'm wondering if I should pitch some US-05 to help it come down.

What was your predicted FG?

Also, he didn't say US-05 was slow, he said Wyeast 2565 is slow and ASKED if he should pitch some US-05 to get it fermenting again.

bknifefight said:

What was your predicted FG?

Also, he didn't say US-05 was slow, he said Wyeast 2565 is slow and ASKED if he should pitch some US-05 to get it fermenting again.

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Predicted FG was 1.014. I don't mind giving it more time.. I'm just a little worried that I've racked it off the cake/trub and into a keg. Wondering if there is enogh yeast in suspension to get going again.

I would imagine that there are some variables that were not at optimum to cause the beer to fall short in the attenuation. Common reasons:
1. mash temp went too high
2. yeast health
3. pitching rate
4. oxygenation
5. yeast growth
6. steady fermentation temp


Your beer should usually be at finishing gravity within 5-7 days with an ale.

If you want to pitch another yeast to try to get a few more points then I would go with a lager strain. They can chew through the more complex sugars. Otherwise 1.018 isn't really all that bad. Try to dial in your process to isolate what caused the low attenuation and then you can adjust and see how it affects the beer next time. Don't adjust everything, start with the most likely reason first and go from there to see what works.

Predicted FG is usually not all that accurate especially if you are brewing a recipe from someone else. That FG is what they got with their equipment and process, it doesn't necessarily translate linear to everyone else's equipment and brewing process. Brew it again and adjust the most likely variable to see if you can dial it in to your equipment.

Thanks MSB.. I changed the setting on my Barley Crusher the past few brews, and have been having efficiency problems, I need to go back to the drawing board. I guess I'm just worried because the OG was only 1.051. I would have liked a Pale Ale to be a bit drier, and have a bit higher ABV.

I am asking, not trying to be a jerk, can you really taste the difference from 1.014 to 1.018?

St8wire.. that's a good question. I probably can't, so maybe I should just RDWAHAHB.

str8wire said:

I am asking, not trying to be a jerk, can you really taste the difference from 1.014 to 1.018?

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It's not a matter of taste, I suspect. It's a matter of possibly having a bottled beer drop 4 more gravity points and either be over carbonated or potential bottle bombs.

It's not a matter of taste, I suspect. It's a matter of possibly having a bottled beer drop 4 more gravity points and either be over carbonated or potential bottle bombs.

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I got my new kegging system yesterday and was so excited I racked it to the keg without checking FG.

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He kegged

When you say you kegged it and THEN took a FG reading, did you carbonate the beer prior to the reading?!?

Haha I give people **** for not reading the OP and then I make a mistake like that...

I pitched a two day (doubled) starter of Wyeast Kolsch into a 1.047 Ale and it dropped to 1.006 in five days. I can't suggest anything though, that was just my first experience with it. I pitched a one day starter from the harvested yeast last night on a 1.056 beer so we'll see how fast that one comes down.

OK.. what the hell!!! I stuck the corny in my ferm chamber at 70 degrees to warm it up. Just for ****s and giggles, I thought I'd double check the FG. It's 1.014!!!!

What should I do now? I don't have room in my kegerator for it, so should I just seal the keg and let it be?

The beer came down four points in a day in the ferm chamber. Since you don't have room for it in the kegerator, I'd just leave it to ferment some more and see what happens. You're at about 4.9% ABV now which is respectable, but you may still be fermenting with the change. I'd let it go a few more days and then take another gravity reading.

elproducto said:

Predicted FG was 1.014. I don't mind giving it more time.. I'm just a little worried that I've racked it off the cake/trub and into a keg. Wondering if there is enogh yeast in suspension to get going again.

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str8wire said:

I am asking, not trying to be a jerk, can you really taste the difference from 1.014 to 1.018?

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Heck, I've kegged a ton of beers at 1.018. I'd defy anyone to taste it and tell me it's not at FG. It's at FG if it's done. And if it tastes good, then it's fine.

OK.. what the hell!!! I stuck the corny in my ferm chamber at 70 degrees to warm it up. Just for ****s and giggles, I thought I'd double check the FG. It's 1.014!!!!

What should I do now? I don't have room in my kegerator for it, so should I just seal the keg and let it be?

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I have to wonder if your initial reading of 1.018 may have been off. Four points in one day after three weeks of good temp controlled fermentation is quite a bit. The rise to 70 may explain it, but it still seems unlikely. While possible, I would leave you mind open to other explanations.

MachineShopBrewing said:

I have to wonder if your initial reading of 1.018 may have been off. Four points in one day after three weeks of good temp controlled fermentation is quite a bit. The rise to 70 may explain it, but it still seems unlikely. While possible, I would leave you mind open to other explanations.

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I have no other explanation. Like you, I'm assuming my original reading was off.. but I'm sure I checked it 3 or 4 times. I really need to get a refractometer. Although, when I opened up the keg.. it had some surface bubbles which might have been from the yeast working. I'm going to leave it another 24 hours, and then check again.

Although, when I opened up the keg.. it had some surface bubbles which might have been from the yeast working.

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Was your keg cold before you warmed it up to 70? I could just be CO2 degassing at a higher temperature.

Yes.. that's probably it. My first time kegging
Thanks for the info.