Stout still at 1.030 after 14 days- tastes very bitter

I know the mantra: touch mess with it, RDWHAHB, etc.

But since this a stout, I'm thinking I didn't pitch up enough yeast to start with- this could be the reason fermentation looks like it has slowed with still sugars available for fermentation.

What would ever be a problem with pitching more hydrated yeast? Possible contamination when pitching?

I know Stouts and Porters need time to smooth out and condition- I've made 2 Porters from extracts- but this guy just tastes undrinkable. Ha- perhaps it will also smooth out, but that will be a long time to condition. (Which also makes sense for most Stouts)

Can you provide more recipe details? Your OG would be useful here. As for re-pitching, it's pretty easy to do and if you follow sanitation protocol your chances of contamination are minimal.

yes, with more information we can give more help

McKbrew and Death- I believe the OG was .050? (Recipe noted it should be .060)

Ah! Forgot an important detail that may account for the bitterness and low OG: Since this was my second all-grain, I didn't put in half of the 2-row until midway through the mash! Of course- so that means less 2-Row base malt sugars made it into the brew and thus the brew will be more bitter, with lower OG.

I'm still unsure why it has stopped, tho.

Recipe: http://tastybrew.com/newrcp/detail/203
Recipe Details
Tasting Notes great, might use more cocoa powder next time. slightly sweet upon sipping with bitterness and roast coming through in finish.
Awards
Boil Volume 7.00 gallons
Boil Time 60 minutes
Batch Size 5.00 gallons
Yeast white labs english ale (75% app. attenuation)
Primary Fermentation plastic 5 days
Secondary Fermentation glass 1 week
Other Fermentation
Procedure one step infusion at 150 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes, add all dark malts after 30 minutes

That is a fair amount of dark roasted grains. That could account for the bitterness!

The English Ale yeast will flocculate out pretty good. That stuff is like cottage cheese. Have you tried to get the yeast back into suspension again by twisting the fermenter.

1.030 seems too high. What is your fermentation temperature?

I'd be more focused on what the mash temp was. Are you sure you weren't near 160F? If it was, it might be done fermenting right there.

I would also be looking at the sparge temperature / duration. It could be astringency caused by too hot of a sparge and / or too long of a sparge taking tannins away. (Been there, done that, sadly)

big supper said:

That is a fair amount of dark roasted grains. That could account for the bitterness!

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That's what I was thinking also ... for a sweet stout, that's an awful lot of dark grains to mash and boil for 60 min. Next time, either try carafa or cold steep the grains and add to the end of the boil.

The recipe looks like it could be the culprit. 17.4% roasted grains? A pound of flaked barley, plus the carapils, is bound to leave you high, plus another half pound of relatively unfermentable crystal? Nothing surprises me that it's stopped this high...and yes, 17.4% of roasted grains will give you a very bitter, astringent beer. IIWY, I'd make another beer, one that is lighter to balance it out, and blend it...but that's just me.

Thanks all for your help!

I dehydrated some yeast yesterday and pitched it but I'm seeing no change from then till now. I'll wait another week to see if the yeast takes hold.

Sparge Temp: I'm pretty sure my sparge temps were pretty right on- hotter deg water may have hit my grains, but the water came down to what I wanted it to when I sparged.

Mash Temp: Are you sure you weren't near 160F?
No, I'm pretty sure it was 154 deg. for the whole hour long mash..

BLENDER: The English Ale yeast will flocculate out pretty good. That stuff is like cottage cheese. Have you tried to get the yeast back into suspension again by twisting the fermenter.
1.030 seems too high. What is your fermentation temperature?

Click to expand...

I hadn't tried to rouse the yeast yet. My fermentation temp was def. high- sometimes 81. It is hot inside and I'm still trying to figure how to keep it cool. I've got foam for a chilling cabinet I may make- then throw frozen 2 Liters in it.

big supper That is a fair amount of dark roasted grains. That could account for the bitterness!

Click to expand...

It is? Well. the recipe called for adding the dark grains after 30 minutes- so they weren't in there the whole time.