Jump Start fermentation after Cold Crash?

[luso-brewer]

Hello everyone,
Looked on the forum and didn't find an answer specific to my question so forgive me if it is already answered somewhere.

I made an Irish red with a full gravity of 1.06. and fermented at 65F. Started to cold crash at day 9 or 10, thinking everything was done, let it go for 2 days and got ready to bottle today. I had put the priming sugar in the bucket and the beer in the bucket to mix. While it was siphoning I took a gravity reading and it was 1.021. Seems high to me for this style and wasn't pleased when I took a sip as well with the residual sugars still there and not as attenuated as it should be (used US-05).

Not knowing what to do with the situation I decided to put an airlock back on and put it the fermentation chamber at around 70F to re-start fermentation and hoping the priming sugar may help jump start as well (not sure if it works like that but just a thought).

However my thought is that there will not be enough oxygen for the yeast to re-start even if it could to really attenuate better (granted that the issue wasn't a bad Mash temp or something).

Is this possible or did I throw away a batch?

Advice is appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong but did you add priming sugar and the check the gravity? If so, then you elevated your gravity with the priming sugar...not sure what else to say here

It's good to let the beer ferment for 2 weeks, especially when you're not letting your FG drive your bottling decisions. Even when fermentation appears to be complete, the yeast will still clean up the flavors...Either way, I think you kind of jump the gun on bottling.

The agitation of transferring and adding the sugar might rouse some yeast into working. Check the gravity in a few days to see if anything is happening...

 

[jekeane]

There is likely enough yeast to get some movement if there is some to be had. The priming sugar should scavenge a bit of oxygen so at worst you are doing a short week long secondary and making a judgement call then.

 

[gypsyhead]

67% doesn't sound too out of style for an Irish Red, but go w your taste.
Yeast takes in O2 to build cell walls and split. If there's little/no growth they don't really continue to scavenge. The priming sugar may help reinvigorate the existing yeast.
If you dont have the ability to do a cell count, you can roughly estimate the amount of yeast in suspension by gauging wort clarity. How clear is the wort now?
Overall, your best bet might be a light pitch (~5g) of something like a dried Nottingham yeast to really drive the attenuation a bit further.

 

[luso-brewer]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong but did you add priming sugar and the check the gravity? If so, then you elevated your gravity with the priming sugar...not sure what else to say here

Sorry I wasn't very clear. No, while I was already pouring from the fermentation to the bottling bucket, I decided to take the gravity then, just moving the hose to the hydrometer test tube. Once I saw the gravity then tasted it, I had poured maybe half the beer into the bottling bucket.

I appreciate the advice from everyone and one more instance to learn from :/

 

[RM-MN]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong but did you add priming sugar and the check the gravity? If so, then you elevated your gravity with the priming sugar...not sure what else to say here

It's good to let the beer ferment for 2 weeks, especially when you're not letting your FG drive your bottling decisions. Even when fermentation appears to be complete, the yeast will still clean up the flavors...Either way, I think you kind of jump the gun on bottling.

The agitation of transferring and adding the sugar might rouse some yeast into working. Check the gravity in a few days to see if anything is happening...

I've had instances where the priming sugar did not get evenly mixed in the bottling bucket and got some overcarbonated bottles. You might have the same situation with your gravity reading and got a bit more priming sugar in your hydrometer sample. Give this beer a few days (5 to 7 would be my guess) and sample again, then prime and bottle if the sample is low enough or unchanged.

 

[glugglug]

Yeah, you jumped the gun, but you already know that. I think you’re doing the right thing now. Let it go at least 10 days. Then bottle. Never give up on a beer until you’re sure it’s no longer good. In other words don’t dump it. It may turn out great. Gotta keep it at least until St. Patty’s Day.

 

[ESBrewer]

I have a feeling that it may turn out just fine. The only concern is that you have introduced some extra oxygen to the beer and fermenter head space and there may be some more oxidation (plus a negligible increase in abv because of the extra priming sugar). How much this will affect the taste? Only time will tell us.