IPA Stuck at 1.027

[prcbrewer]

So I recently brewed a 5 gallon partial mash ipa and everything went according to plan, but my fermentation stopped at 1.027. The OG was 1.055.for the partial mash, I used about 2.5 pounds of pale malt and little over a pound of various chrystal malts with an ounce of roast barley. I mashed at 155 for one hour then mashed out to 170 over a 10 minute period. I then brought to a boil and added 4 pounds of golden light dme and 6 ounces corn sugar at flame out.

For my yeast, I used danstar nottingham and made a 600 ml starter. My fermentation went very well as for the first 5 days there was a healthy kraussen and the temp held at 68. After that, the temp dropped to 64 and the gravity has held at around 1.027 for a week and a half now. Two days ago, I moved the beer to a warmer room and its now at 68 and the fermentation seems to have picked up a tiny bit. I plan on giving it another 3 days before I dry hop and another 4 after that before bottling. This would make it a total of 3 and a half weeks total fermentation time, if the gravity is still around 1.027 what would be the safe move? Bottle? I just dont want to ruin a whole batch by bottling at too high of a gravity, resulting in bottle bombs.

Hope someone can hep me out! It would be much appreciated!

 

[Indian_villager]

How dark did the crystals get? If you have a higher content of roasted grains, more of your suspended sugars will be unfermentable, also I have heard some people speak of issues of malt extracts stalling ~1.020 have you tried tossing in some amylase to see if you can break down some of the more complex sugars from the extracts?

Also it says you made a 600mL starter of Nottingham, was this from a harvested slurry or from a dry packet? If from a dry packet you probably don't need a starter for a 5 gal batch of the gravities listed.

In terms of bottle bombs, give the fermenter a gentle swirl and check the gravity again in a few days, if they stayed the same you can use that as an indication of the end of major fermentation.

 

[prcbrewer]

Thanks for the reply!

The darkest the Chrystal malts got was C60 L. There was some C45, C55, and a couple ounces of honey malt. When I mashed in, I threw in 3 Tbs. of amylase enzyme. Should I try and add some to the fermenter? If I just tossed it in, would I have to worry about contamination at all from the amylase? Finally, the Nottingham was from a fresh package, I just like to use starters to ensure that my yeast is doing well.

Thanks!

 

[Spoonmann]

How does it taste?

 

[prcbrewer]

The taste of it is great! It doesnt seem like its overly sweet like you would think at this gravity. I am thinking that it will be safe to bottle soon. Iguess between the large amount of crystal malts and DME there was alot of unfermentables. I will learn from this one...

 

[cjgenever]

What brand was the dme? Extracts are often a bit less fermentable than ag. There are still some extracts on the market that are meant for kit and kilo brewing. Those are full of unfermentables. The amount of Crystal seems ok. The mash temp could be lower.

I would hold the temp@ 70°f, swirl it, add 6 oz simple sugar. Give it three days and see where it's at.

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[cjgenever]

A starter with dry yeast is often more detrimental than beneficial. With the yeast in such tight quarters they will be less likely to bud. It's fine if used to wake up the yeast and pitched in about four hours. letting the starter go full term is fine as well, as long as the starter is of proper size. An undersized starter will rob the yeast of reserves and not supply the proper pitch numbers.

Btw... you did rehydrate it, right?

This could be a yeast health issue.

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[Yooper]

Have your checked your hydrometer (not a refractometer!) in plain water? If the reading really is 1.027, that beer would be plenty sweet as in "hurt my teeth sweet", so I think the reading is incorrect.

 

[Flipadelphia]

There is absolutely 0 reason to make a starter for a pack of Nottingham for a 1.055 beer. Not one.

 

[cjgenever]

Before doing what I said earlier I would perhaps pitch a fresh pack of yeast, rehydrated with no starter. The alcohol levels well be low enough for most to deal with. Make sure the yeast are acclimated to the beer temp. Just my .02

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[prcbrewer]

What brand was the dme? Extracts are often a bit less fermentable than ag. There are still some extracts on the market that are meant for kit and kilo brewing. Those are full of unfermentables. The amount of Crystal seems ok. The mash temp could be lower.

I would hold the temp@ 70°f, swirl it, add 6 oz simple sugar. Give it three days and see where it's at.

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For this beer, I used Breiss DME. I also did re-hydrate the yeast. For the starter, I mixed up some DME with 600 mL of water and some yeast nutrient to make a starter OG of 1.050. Then, when the temp was about 75 degrees I pitched the fresh pack of Nottingham into it then let that sit for about 8 hours before pitching into my fermenter. Also, I had already swirled the yeast cake around a few days ago and it seemed like it may have fermented a little bit more.

Now that I think about it, a big problem could have been aeration. I shook the wort around in the carboy before pitching yeast, but it may not have been enough. Next time, I will use my aerator.

I am just stumped with this one... I have brewed countless batches and the gravity has never been stuck this high, especially for a simple IPA.

Thanks!

 

[prcbrewer]

Have your checked your hydrometer (not a refractometer!) in plain water? If the reading really is 1.027, that beer would be plenty sweet as in "hurt my teeth sweet", so I think the reading is incorrect.

This could be a problem. I have been using a refractometer, so I think if I use a hydrometer I will get a better reading. But, wouldn't you think even if the refractometer is off, that the gravity would still be changing if the beer is actually fermenting?

 

[Flipadelphia]

This could be a problem. I have been using a refractometer, so I think if I use a hydrometer I will get a better reading. But, wouldn't you think even if the refractometer is off, that the gravity would still be changing if the beer is actually fermenting?

Refractometers are only supposed to be used pre-fermentation.

 

[Yooper]

This could be a problem. I have been using a refractometer, so I think if I use a hydrometer I will get a better reading. But, wouldn't you think even if the refractometer is off, that the gravity would still be changing if the beer is actually fermenting?

It's not changing because the beer is done. Run and check the reading with a hydrometer- I guarantee the beer is finished and at about 1.012 or thereabouts.

 

[cjgenever]

are you using the proper calculations to compensate for the alcohol while using a refractometer

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[Indian_villager]

Thanks for the reply!

When I mashed in, I threw in 3 Tbs. of amylase enzyme. Should I try and add some to the fermenter?

Thanks!

There is really no need for amylase in the mash. And whatever amylase you had in the mash was denatured and destroyed in the boil. If you want to dry your beer out some toss some into the fermenter.

In regards of you making a starter with fresh nottingham, while the practice is not really going to harm your beer as far as I can see, it is still unnecessary. If you want peak viability look up proper rehydration technique. I have never even rehydrated Nottingham, just pitched straight into the wort and have had fermentations strong enough to blow lids off buckets.

If you are happy with the way your beer tastes, wait to see that your readings are stable then bottle.

EDIT: Try it again with a hydrometer, go grab a jug of distilled water and test your hydrometer calibration, then adjust your readings.

 

[jack_a_roe]

jeeeeeze what was your entire grain bill. this is for an IPA right?????

 

[IslandLizard]

Try rousing the yeast by gently swirling the fermentor and keep around 70-74°F for a few weeks. It should pick up, unless there's nothing left to ferment. Many extract brews (most of your malt is extract) tend to stall out at around 1.020, for whatever reason.

Agree on calibrating the hydrometer, thermometer etc. Don't bottle unless you know it is done. Notty sometimes takes a break and resumes a week or 2 later.

 

[Hello]

I gotta go with Yooper on this, I bet the beer is done. If checked the right way, with a hydrometer, I bet it'll not be 1.027.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

After you take a hydro reading definitely check your thermometer. If you thought you were mashing at 155 and were mashing a lot higher it would explain the high FG. If you still find it to be unusually high that is.

 

[cjgenever]

if one puts amylase into the fermenter doesn't it continue to work indefinitely? I thought it required a 160 degree temperature to denature

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[cjgenever]

are you using the proper calculations to compensate for the alcohol while using a refractometer

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again^^^

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[cjgenever]

if you have not compensated for the alcohol in solution when taking your final gravity reading, your actual gravity at this point would be 1.009. that is spot-on for an IPA.

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[KeyWestBrewing]

Admittedly I'm not exactly certain what the bottom limit is for amylase activity but fermentation temperatures may be too cold. Being in the ball park of 100 deg colder than the optimal temperature range for both beta and alpha amylase. Would love to hear more info on this though.

 

[northcal]

are you using the proper calculations to compensate for the alcohol while using a refractometer

^All you need to know.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/refractometer-calculator/

 

[prcbrewer]

Thanks everyone for all of the input on this. I think that my main problem is the refractometer. Once I get my hydrometer, I think I will get all of the answers I need. I will proceed with the dry hopping today.

Thanks everyone!

 

[g-star]

Refractometers should require a license to operate. This basic mistake seems to happen on a daily basis.


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