Fermentation Help

[JVAL21]

Help......

Ok so 2 weeks ago i brewed this Vienna Lager on my grainfather. it is so thick and doesnt seem to clear. I had unexpected guests stop by and somehow i think i restarted the mash. So i think it mashed twice. It did have a step mash of 140 for 30, 158 for 20 AND 168 fr 10 min. I kept going with the brew and i did hit my target gravity of 1.059. and i have had it in the cooler for 10 days at 50 degrees and i just dropped it to 47 degrees. It looks like a yoohoo. Also, the filter on the grainfather fell off so it took in a bunch of hops. But it still should have settled. Let me know what you think and i would like to hear any suggestions that you might have to get it a bit clearer.

thanks,

 

[day_trippr]

What yeast did you use? And did it reach a predicted final gravity?
If you're sure it's done drop the hammer on it and crash-cool it to ~36°F or even lower. If it doesn't brighten up in a few days there's something "different" going on...

Cheers!

 

[JVAL21]

What yeast did you use? And did it reach a predicted final gravity?
If you're sure it's done drop the hammer on it and crash-cool it to ~36°F or even lower. If it doesn't brighten up in a few days there's something "different" going on...

Cheers!

I used Urkel L28 Imperial Yeast. I’ll check FG but it was pretty active all through the fermentation process.

 

[joehoppy]

Instead of cooling I would be warming it. 60-65 for 3-4 days to make sure fermentation is complete and byproducts reabsorbed. Then slowly cool to as close to 30 as you can get it. Lager for at least 4 weeks. 6 is better.

 

[Kiln]

Crash it to near freezing. Wait 3 to 4 weeks. Should do it ah ha yah yah it's your birthday.

 

[bracconiere]

I've never done it, but if cold crashing doesn't work...i've heard of other people boiling some irish moss or gelatin in a bit of water, and adding it, stirring it in to it....

 

[Bamos6928]

I agree with Joehoppy. I would be warming it up slowly 10-15 degrees before I started to cold crash it just to make sure that it is done fermenting. That being said, I believe the cold crash should clear it up for you.

 

[JVAL21]

Update: Thank you all for your advice. Attached is a pic of where we are at today. I did add gelatin to the beer, and this is where we are at. Do you think it will clear out some more or is that as clear as it is going to get? If so, how do you recommend I siphon this out? do i consider the bottom as a loss. it is quit a bit if that is the case. Id be lucky to get 3 gallons out of this.

Thanks,

Jon

 

[juggabrew]

How much gelatin did you use?

 

[RM-MN]

Update: Thank you all for your advice. Attached is a pic of where we are at today. I did add gelatin to the beer, and this is where we are at. Do you think it will clear out some more or is that as clear as it is going to get? If so, how do you recommend I siphon this out? do i consider the bottom as a loss. it is quit a bit if that is the case. Id be lucky to get 3 gallons out of this.

Thanks,

Jon

As mentioned above, warm that beer up so you encourage the yeast to complete fermentation, then either give it time or cold crash to settle out the trub at the bottom. That trub layer should settle to half an inch. I think it isn't settling because the yeast are struggling to finish at the 47 degrees temp.

 

[JVAL21]

As mentioned above, warm that beer up so you encourage the yeast to complete fermentation, then either give it time or cold crash to settle out the trub at the bottom. That trub layer should settle to half an inch. I think it isn't settling because the yeast are struggling to finish at the 47 degrees temp.

The temp is at 34 degrees. Do you recommend that I raise the temp back up then drop it again?

 

[JVAL21]

How much gelatin did you use?

1/2 TSP per 5 gal

 

[day_trippr]

Did you take a specific gravity reading on this beer before you added the gelatin?

Cheers!

 

[JVAL21]

Did you take a specific gravity reading on this beer before you added the gelatin?

Cheers!

You know what, I didn’t. I didn’t even think to do that.

 

[day_trippr]

On December 28th I asked "And did it reach a predicted final gravity?"

Here's the intrinsic problem - disregarding whatever the heck happened with the wort production (which may play a role somehow): you ran the yeast below the manufacturer's recommended temperature range (52-58°F, 11-14°C) and never took a pair of specific gravity checks to see if it reached a rational target. While I've never had a fermentation not complete within your two weeks, I've never run a yeast strain outside its recommended range, either.

So there really is no telling exactly where this brew is at. The wort production was sketchy AF and the fermentation was clearly sub-optimal. And now there's six inches of gelatin in the mix.

But...you can still draw a gravity sample above the gelatin line - which will at least give you a clue as to whether that beer was ever "done" fermenting. If the gravity is out of bounds for the recipe and yeast attenuation ability that'll guide what to do next...

Cheers!