twig
Well-Known Member
Been watching this forum for a few months, and learned lots of great info, but now I've got a question I couldn't find an answer to. I think I've got a stuck fermentation, and I'm not sure if it's too late to do anything about it.
Details: Octane IPA extract/specialty grains kit from Midwest. Brew went normally, OG 1.065 (recipe said 1.064-1.068), active fermentation (nice krausen for 2 days, then steady bubbling in the airlock 'till around day 4). Racked it to the secondary on Day 6. This was probably my first mistake as the SG was only 1.022 and I probably should have left it longer and/or tried to stir up the yeast a bit. After 8 days in secondary, tasted a sample (to decide whether or not to dry hop) and checked the SG again - still 1.022, but I went ahead and threw in an ounce of pellet hops in a muslin hops bag (not boiling the bag to sanitize was my 2nd mistake, but more on that later).
Then I get to thinking that with an SG steady at 1.022 (recipe calls for FG of 1.012-1.018) that I might be looking at a stuck fermentation. I went to look in the carboy to see if there was any yeast at the bottom that I could try shaking up a bit, and I noticed mould growing on the hops bag (which was unweighted, so floating on top). This is not good - quickly rack out from under it, and while I'm at it, sample and check the SG - still 1.022, beer tastes kind of bland, a little on the sweet side, little hop flavour or aroma, but doesn't seem to have been ruined by the mould.
Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions for where to go from here? Basically I've got a beer that hasn't reached the target FG, could taste better, and potentially has some mould in it. After racking twice, I doubt there's much yeast left, so I'm leaning towards whipping up a starter to try and finish the beer. Is this a good idea, or is it too late (i.e. should I just bottle it now).
If I do decide to pitch some more yeast, could I use the yeast I harvested(washed?) from the primary when I racked it the first time (Wyeast 1098 British Ale)? I'm thinking this yeast didn't do the job the first time, but maybe it just settled out early or got too cool, so a new pitch might work. My other yeast options are a) Muntons dry yeast b) Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley Ale (harvested from a Stout), or c) White Labs 400 Belgian Wit (harvested from a Wit).
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Details: Octane IPA extract/specialty grains kit from Midwest. Brew went normally, OG 1.065 (recipe said 1.064-1.068), active fermentation (nice krausen for 2 days, then steady bubbling in the airlock 'till around day 4). Racked it to the secondary on Day 6. This was probably my first mistake as the SG was only 1.022 and I probably should have left it longer and/or tried to stir up the yeast a bit. After 8 days in secondary, tasted a sample (to decide whether or not to dry hop) and checked the SG again - still 1.022, but I went ahead and threw in an ounce of pellet hops in a muslin hops bag (not boiling the bag to sanitize was my 2nd mistake, but more on that later).
Then I get to thinking that with an SG steady at 1.022 (recipe calls for FG of 1.012-1.018) that I might be looking at a stuck fermentation. I went to look in the carboy to see if there was any yeast at the bottom that I could try shaking up a bit, and I noticed mould growing on the hops bag (which was unweighted, so floating on top). This is not good - quickly rack out from under it, and while I'm at it, sample and check the SG - still 1.022, beer tastes kind of bland, a little on the sweet side, little hop flavour or aroma, but doesn't seem to have been ruined by the mould.
Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions for where to go from here? Basically I've got a beer that hasn't reached the target FG, could taste better, and potentially has some mould in it. After racking twice, I doubt there's much yeast left, so I'm leaning towards whipping up a starter to try and finish the beer. Is this a good idea, or is it too late (i.e. should I just bottle it now).
If I do decide to pitch some more yeast, could I use the yeast I harvested(washed?) from the primary when I racked it the first time (Wyeast 1098 British Ale)? I'm thinking this yeast didn't do the job the first time, but maybe it just settled out early or got too cool, so a new pitch might work. My other yeast options are a) Muntons dry yeast b) Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley Ale (harvested from a Stout), or c) White Labs 400 Belgian Wit (harvested from a Wit).
Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
