Another am I stuck?

I pitched a starter of 1 smack pak Wyeast 1084 Irish 7/24 8:30 PM with 1.75 oz DME & 600 ML. Added 3.5 oz DME and 1200 ml on 7/25 at 1:00PM. 7/26 5:00 PM pitched 2,000 ML starter with 1/4" yeast in flask to 11.0 gallons 70 deg 1.060 OG Irish Stout in a chamber at 68-65 degree setting. I was busy but checked at 7/27 5:00 PM and noted some Bubbles thru my 1/2" ID tube and 2 hours later had big bubbles at about 4 seconds. Checked again 5:00 AM next day and no bubbles. Is it possible this fermented out so quickly? It's in a SS Conical so I can't see. My plan = I raised the chamber setting to 71-68 and will check gravity after another day then repitch if needed. Any help appreciated

How much head space was there in the SS conical? I would be inclined to give it 5 days total (three more) then check the gravity. If fermentation has stopped and it hasn't dropped enough, then repitch. 2000 ml starter for 11 gal isn't huge, but if the yeasties were motoring it is quite possible that most of the work could have been done in 24 hours. IMO

Thanks AJ there is about 3 or 4" of head space

brewfarmDan said:

Thanks AJ there is about 3 or 4" of head space

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I was just curious as I thought if there was a lot, it might explain why the activity appeared to drop off. Give us the outcome when you check the gravity.

Obligatory, "you can't be stuck after 2 days."

jahdub said:

Obligatory, "you can't be stuck after 2 days."

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I hope not.

AJ I will check gravity tomorrow night or Friday when I get a few minutes and will let you know

jahdub said:

Obligatory, "you can't be stuck after 2 days."

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Agreed

brewfarmDan said:

I hope not.

AJ I will check gravity tomorrow night or Friday when I get a few minutes and will let you know

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Cool. I'll bet it's fine.

Well I took a gravity sample at 6PM today which is exactly 4 days after pitch. The targets were 1.048 OG and 1.013 FG. My OG was 1.060 and at 4 days I am at 1.029. The good sign is that my racking valve near the top of the cone had about 1/2 oz of clean white yeast come out before I got beer and the flavor was good. So I guess I'm still fermenting and will test again in a few days. I had raised the chamber temp from 68-65 up to 71-68 when the bubbles slowed/stopped any comments on temp or? Thanks all

brewfarmDan said:

Well I took a gravity sample at 6PM today which is exactly 4 days after pitch. The targets were 1.048 OG and 1.013 FG. My OG was 1.060 and at 4 days I am at 1.029. The good sign is that my racking valve near the top of the cone had about 1/2 oz of clean white yeast come out before I got beer and the flavor was good. So I guess I'm still fermenting and will test again in a few days. I had raised the chamber temp from 68-65 up to 71-68 when the bubbles slowed/stopped any comments on temp or? Thanks all

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To go from .060 to .029 in 4 days I think your on track. Raising the temp should be fine at this point and help clean it up IMO.

This no bubbles is bothering me and I have some time today so I will add some oxygen, drain some yeast and repitch. I started thinking and realized I had drained trub and took the gravity sample with the vent tube submerged, it's several feet up to the fermentor so I didn't back flow but the vacuum could have pulled the oxygen level down

brewfarmDan said:

This no bubbles is bothering me and I have some time today so I will add some oxygen, drain some yeast and repitch. I started thinking and realized I had drained trub and took the gravity sample with the vent tube submerged, it's several feet up to the fermentor so I didn't back flow but the vacuum could have pulled the oxygen level down

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NO! Don't add oxygen.

You'll ruin the beer.

If you're really bothered, take another SG sample.

Thanks yooper. Glad I posted first. I'll check for a change in gravity

gravity sample is at 1.026 at 11:00 AM today, 6 hours under 1 week from pitch. Dropped 3 more points in just under 3 days. Target Final Gravity is 1.014 so that would be another 12 points with 2 more weeks in the fermentor. At this point I normally dump trub and collect yeast. The sample had foam and bubbles, looks like it is fermentng. taste was excellent. Any comments

That doesn't sound like it is moving much, and could easily be within a margin of error. I'm trying to understand though what you did. Did you take the trub and yeast slurry out?

I'd be tempted to add more yeast on the top, and gently stir it in.

No I have not dumped the yeast yet. Thinking I may just harvest and repitch the same yeast to see if that will get it going?

brewfarmDan said:

No I have not dumped the yeast yet. Thinking I may just harvest and repitch the same yeast to see if that will get it going?

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No, as yeast is microscopic and there should be plenty in suspension.

I'm really puzzled here.

Your hydrometer reads 1.000 in plain water, and you're not using a refractometer, correct?

I just took another gravity reading with no real change. Hydrometer test in room temp tap water was about 1.002. Repitched from the dump valve and there was not a lot of settled yeast like normal? Seems most yeast is still suspended? I will check in 24 hours???? And will try new yeast if it does not restart

If you wait a while longer I'm sure it will show better attenuation, but if not oh well I'm sure it'll still drink great right ?

If this isn't moving at this point, I'd put fresh yeast in. It doesn't sound like you have a good culture in there. If you still want to re-use it, try making a quick starter and see if it takes off, then pitch the starter.

I'd leave it alone. Even a slow yeast will take time to finish itself up sometimes. If you really want it out so you can see it, my thought would be to rack to secondary (carboy). Give it 2 weeks and check it before kegging. Nothing wrong with a little ageing. Don't rush it brother. I also agree with Birchrun.

The problem is that if it doesn't finish itself off, he'll be stuck with an undrinkably sweet beer. There will be no harm in adding more yeast, just a downside if he doesn't. If the new yeast doesn't do the trick, then I'd just give up.

Oh, don't bottle it unless it attenuates, you'll get bottle bombs. A keg can handle the pressure.

I have some harvested wyeast 1056 I am warming up for a starter today and will repitch tomorrow

Patience. . . While most of the fermentation is done within 48hrs with a healthy pitch, elevating temp to 70 and waiting another 7 days to allow for clean-up is good practice. Unless we're talking a 10% ABV beer, which we aren't, the yeast are fine and just biding their time enjoying the worti goodness you've provided. Some yeast just aren't into fast food. . .

zacster said:

The problem is that if it doesn't finish itself off, he'll be stuck with an undrinkably sweet beer. There will be no harm in adding more yeast, just a downside if he doesn't. If the new yeast doesn't do the trick, then I'd just give up.

Oh, don't bottle it unless it attenuates, you'll get bottle bombs. A keg can handle the pressure.

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Agreed. But nothing wrong with waiting a week or more and upping the temps as PLOVE says. Sometimes patients pays off, and other times it doesn't, but hopefully nothing is lost by waiting or if that fails Re pitching.

PLOVE said:

Patience. . . While most of the fermentation is done within 48hrs with a healthy pitch, elevating temp to 70 and waiting another 7 days to allow for clean-up is good practice. Unless we're talking a 10% ABV beer, which we aren't, the yeast are fine and just biding their time enjoying the worti goodness you've provided. Some yeast just aren't into fast food. . .

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Thank you all for the input. But since I had yeast available and little patience I will pitch the new starter later today to get things going.

brewfarmDan said:

Thank you all for the input. But since I had yeast available and little patience I will pitch the new starter later today to get things going.

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Keep us updated and also to help others out who run into the same issue. Good luck! Cheers

update. Dumped yeast today and started 40 deg cold crash. Gravity was about 1.026 and taste was excelent. So my OG came in at 1.060 14 pts above target 1.046 and final came in 1.026 13 points above target 1.013. Alc calcs out at 4.46%. I think it will be a good beer, maybe a little sweet? A friend vet brewer told me that if the mash temps start too high you will convert non-fermentable sugars, maybe that is what is happening? Anyway this will be my 1st beer on Nitro

Hmmm, it seems odd that both your OG and FG are above targets by the same amount. Are you sure your hydrometer is reading correctly? A beer at 1.026 would be very sweet. To come in at 14 points above target is almost impossible unless you measured the grain incorrectly. If target is at 75% efficiency, 100% efficiency wouldn't get you to 1.060, and you never get 100% efficiency.

You seem to have the same problem as i had with my first.
I recommend checking refractometer calculator from Brewer's Friend. I thought my brew was stuck too, but i didn't know that alcohol would put refraction so much off.. You could have FG as low as 1.011!

Update. well the beer came out great, my 1st tap on Nitro. Start a new batch and had zero bubles after 4 days????? Before going to the store to get yeast to repitch I took gravity and was down from 1.044 t0 1.012 and my fridge/fermentation chamber smelled sweat. I am leaking thru the lid seals. Doh

My 1/2" ID vent hose goes thru the fridge door down about 3' to the deck and into a gallon jug 1/2 full which is creating about 4" Water Column resistance. I am looking for new seals and next time will tie off the hose at 1" submerged to educe the pressure.

Thanks all