First stout and need help

[Bookem15]

I put a mothers milk stout down 3 days ago and I had 3 blow outs and after cleaning it up the third time I noticed the activity slowed to a stop. The recipe told me to put it in secondary after 3 days so that is what I did and now zero activity. OG 1.062 reading now is 1.028 should I just leave it or should I repitch some yeast ? This is the first stout I have done and once it started to cook it was vigorous then after cleaning it all up nothing. Am I just worried for nothing?

Thanks for any help

On further review I called my LHBS and he told me I should have left it for 3-4 days after cleaning it up. Now the more important question should I repitch some yeast?

 

[DrinkinSurfer]

First off, that is weird that the recipe said to secondary after 3 days. But most importantly can you post your recipe so we can determine what your numbers should look like. Milk stouts finish at a high FG because of the intentional use of non-fermentable sugars. It isn't uncommon for my milk stouts to have numbers similar to what you are experiencing.

 

[Bookem15]

Yeah I had my LHBS email me the recipe as the first one got wet during clean up. I was supposed to clean it up and leave it for another3-4 days then secondary. So I really screwed that up now I just need to figure out what to do to save it.

1 pound crystal 80
12 oz chocolate malt
4 oz black patent malt
Steep for 30 minutes in about 1.5 gallons of water
Add 2 gallons water to boil 3-3.5 gallons total
Add 6 pounds Dark DME
1 oz chinook hops pellets
Boil for 30
Add 1 oz chinook hop pellets
Boil 10 min
Add Irish moss
Boil 15 min
Add 1 oz centennial hop pellets
Boil 5 min
cool down put in fermenter and add water to 5 gallons.
Pitch danstar Windsor ale yeast (dry)


Then part I screwed up

Ferment for 3 days with blow off tube then clean up any mess and install airlock
And leave it for 3-4 days or until fermentation slows. Rack into secondary carboy
And ferment until FG is reached which is 1.015 - 1.018.

HELP ME PLEASE........

Thanks for the help

 

[Jebu1788]

An airlock is a natural born deceiver. Do not trust it as a gauge for fermentation activity!

Three days is not usually enough time to ferment out. Leave it for another week and then check the gravity again. Only then if it hasn't fermented anymore would I consider re-pitching.

Here is a good resource. Very well written:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/blogs/arcanexor/328-fixing-stuck-fermentation-101.html

 

[JLem]

1.028 is still quite high for this beer - I don't see any lactose or other unfermentable sugars in the recipe, so I would expect/want it to get lower - at least 1.020, though preferably closer to 1.014 or so.

For now just let it sit and see if you get any additional drop in gravity. By racking after only 3 days you have probably slowed or even stalled your fermentation.

 

[Bookem15]

I forgot to mention I did put 4oz of lactose in at the end of the boil. Thanks for the help this is my first attempt at a stout and I wanted to get it right as this is more for my friends then for me.

 

[Bookem15]

I could not stand it I took another hydro reading still the same so re pitched and it took right off. Anyone think it will mess up the final product?

 

[Jebu1788]

It should be just fine. RDWHAHB, etc, etc

 

[TopherM]

I got a stuck fermentation at 1.022 after two weeks on my last stout.

I had an extra packet of US-05 sitting around (which was in the original recipe as well), so I made a mason jar 24-hour yeast starter using priming sugar.

Repitched the next day, and FG was down to 1.016 with 48 hours.

 

[Bookem15]

That is what I am hoping for. I am just going to let it sit for a week then I will check it and I am pretty sure it will have finished fermenting.

 

[Bookem15]

Ok so here we go I took another gravity reading with no change still sitting at 1.028. Is there a way to save this batch? I was thinking of taking some dextrose and making a yeast starter and let it fly and see if I can get it to start back up again. Any ideas?

 

[JLem]

Normally I would say to gently rouse the yeast and increase the temp if you can, but in this case I think adding some fresh yeast would be the way to go. No need to make a starter if you are using dry yeast - just be sure to properly rehydrate it first. Good luck.

 

[Bookem15]

Can I use reg dextrose as I do not have any DME or LME? And thanks for the help

I already added dry yeast without rehydrating should I have done that first?

 

[McGarnigle]

Windsor has a reputation for poor attenuation, and given this is an extract recipe that builds on top of dark extract, you'll never get that low of an FG. But 1.028 is still disappointing.

Yeast doesn't like being pitched into beer that's already fermented a ways. I think the best thing would be to do a large starter/mini-beer in a fresh bucket and when it's rolling, rack your stout on top of it. But the large starter shouldn't be made of dextrose.

Alternatively, you could accept the high FG. The issue is whether the yeast is really done (if not, you'll get bottle bombs). I don't mean to be pessimistic, but I think the yeast, dark extract and decision to rack to secondary after 3 days worked against you. But I also think that what you have now could still taste pretty good. Certainly don't dump it.

 

[JLem]

Can I use reg dextrose as I do not have any DME or LME? And thanks for the help

I already added dry yeast without rehydrating should I have done that first?

Starters should be made with malt extract not dextrose - if you make them with just dextrose, the yeast will actually have a harder time fermenting the malt-based wort since they will not have up-regulated the necessary enzymes (fermenting simple sugars is much "easier").

There is some debate about whether one needs to rehydrate dry yeast. I think it is a good idea all the time, but I certainly would rehydrate in this situation - you will be dropping them into a rather inhospitable environment (low/no oxygen, alcohol present, low pH), and you want them in as good a shape going in as possible.

 

[Bookem15]

So after a week of slow fermentation I am at 1.022 still a little high but I think I am going to leave it for another week to see what happens. Any thoughts on that plan? I really want to save this batch. After last night relaxing and having several home brews and racking the margarita wine for the wife I feel a lot better about it working out in the long run.

Thanks for the help.

 

[JLem]

So after a week of slow fermentation I am at 1.022 still a little high but I think I am going to leave it for another week to see what happens. Any thoughts on that plan? I really want to save this batch. After last night relaxing and having several home brews and racking the margarita wine for the wife I feel a lot better about it working out in the long run.

Thanks for the help.

Patience is usually a good plan. I think it definitely is here. Remember that the lactose you used will keep the FG on the higher side. And with that much dark extract, 1.022 might be the end point. Many mostly-extract brews tend to finish higher than expected and 1.020 is a common "curse" (search for it on these forums and you'll come up with a bunch of threads). It's possible you have: 1.020 plus lactose = 1.022. But, give it another week and see where it is. If it is still at 1.022 or so, I'd say it is done.

 

[Bookem15]

Thanks that is going to be the plan wait and see......