stuck fermentation

Given that you pitch the right amount of healthy yeast, and they ferment at the right temp, will you ever get a stuck fermentation? Just wondering about whether ramping the temp up is necessary. I usually ferment ales around 66-67 then after most of the Acton is over, ramp up to about 70. I do this because I had a stuck fermentation on a chocolate stout and porter a while back... It might have been due to them being extract/partial mash, and I'm ramping for nothing. Just wondering what your takes are on this from experience. I do all grain exclusively now.
Thanks

I've had a few stuck fermentations, due to poor temperature control, when I was getting started. More often, people think a ferment is stuck, but a close look at the yeast and the recipe will show that they are getting reasonable results. Many people think their first stout is stuck, but they just have higher unfermentables than pales.

In my experience, fermentations involving extracts are much more likely to get stuck. I've never had an AG batch get stuck, even with pushing lager yeast temps down into the mid-40s.

You got it; pitch lots of healthy yeast into an AG batch and away you go.

I doubt your ramping hurts anything even if you don't need to do it--kinda like a d-rest with lagers.

Yeah, I know I'm probably not hurting anything. The reason this came up was because my last batch, an Irish red, fermented at 66, got up to 68, and I couldn't ramp to 70, but got down to 1.011. So I was wondering if I should bother anymore. So I guess I shouldn't.
Thanks

I think I have stuck fermentation also. I'm using Safale 04 for the first time. I pitched at about 75 degrees, it cooled down to 50s before back up to about 68 to 72. It took two days to start bubbling, now after only two days of bubbeling it seems to have stopped.
Is there a problem, and if so, what is the solution?

togodoug said:

I think I have stuck fermentation also. I'm using Safale 04 for the first time. I pitched at about 75 degrees, it cooled down to 50s before back up to about 68 to 72. It took two days to start bubbling, now after only two days of bubbeling it seems to have stopped.
Is there a problem, and if so, what is the solution?

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S04 is a beast. I'm betting it's not stuck- simply finished.

togodoug said:

I think I have stuck fermentation also. I'm using Safale 04 for the first time. I pitched at about 75 degrees, it cooled down to 50s before back up to about 68 to 72. It took two days to start bubbling, now after only two days of bubbeling it seems to have stopped.
Is there a problem, and if so, what is the solution?

Click to expand...

What's the SG right now? It's the only sure way to know what is happening.

osagedr said:

What's the SG right now? It's the only sure way to know what is happening.

Click to expand...

I'm so friggin scared of bacteria I haven't opened it up so havent' tested it, I've had real issues with a sour after taste which maybe bacteria related.

Yooper said:

S04 is a beast. I'm betting it's not stuck- simply finished.

Click to expand...

would it finish in just 2 to 3 days? The bubbling was strong, but i've see straonger with other yeasts.

togodoug said:

would it finish in just 2 to 3 days? The bubbling was strong, but i've see straonger with other yeasts.

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Sure. Pitching the correct amount of yeast in the correct temperature wort would mean that MOST fermentations would be done in 3 days. S04 is particularly fast and flocculant and can ferment out easily in 2 days.

You really need to just open the carboy and check the gravity. I've had some stuck fermentations despite treating my yeast like royalty (O2, proper pitching temps, pitch rate, ferm temps), and the only way to confirm that you're stuck is to check the gravity for a few days and see that a) it's not moving anymore and b) it's too high.