Hi all. I have a Scottish 60 /- that's fermenting, and I'd intended to use the yeast cake for my next batch, a Wee Heavy. Problem is the fermentation seems to be stuck.
The details:
3.4G A/G batch, measured OG 1.036
I used JZ's recipe in Designing Classic Styles, scaled down to my batch size.
Yeast is Wyeast 1728. I smacked it about 4 hours before pitching, and it swelled right up. No starter was used because of the small volume and OG. Mash temp was 158 per JZs recommendation.
Pitching temp was about 66. After 12 hours, I lowered the temp to about 62 and left it there for 10 days, at which time I took a hydrometer reading and found it to be 1.020. I swirled the bucket, raised the temp to 64, and waited another 2 days - still 1.020. I then took a sanitized spoon and gently roused the yeast, and raised the temp to 65.
I will take another reading in a day or so, but I'm not terribly hopeful that the fermentation will have resumed. The hydrometer samples, though, both tasted very good - not terribly sweet, and there was a slight earthy taste to it. I plan on bottling regardless in a few days.
My question is this - can I use this yeast cake for a wee heavy I'd planned to do the same day as bottling this batch? If so, what steps should I take to ensure a successful fermentation? (i.e. raise the yeast cake temp to 68 or so and then drop it down to 62 slowly? or drop the yeast cake temp down to 62 and pitch at that temp?) I do have two packets of US-05 on standby if there is no activity in the Wee Heavy after 12 hours, since from everything I've read, the Wee Heavy should take right off.
Thanks in advance - this is my first actual "problem" fermentation...it figures that it'd also be the one that my next fermentation depends on. Thinking back now, I guess I caused the stuck fermentation by lowering the temp from 66 at pitch to 62, but the yeast package had said pitch between 65-75.
Anyway, ANY advice would be appreciated!
Cheers,
StatsMcG
The details:
3.4G A/G batch, measured OG 1.036
I used JZ's recipe in Designing Classic Styles, scaled down to my batch size.
Yeast is Wyeast 1728. I smacked it about 4 hours before pitching, and it swelled right up. No starter was used because of the small volume and OG. Mash temp was 158 per JZs recommendation.
Pitching temp was about 66. After 12 hours, I lowered the temp to about 62 and left it there for 10 days, at which time I took a hydrometer reading and found it to be 1.020. I swirled the bucket, raised the temp to 64, and waited another 2 days - still 1.020. I then took a sanitized spoon and gently roused the yeast, and raised the temp to 65.
I will take another reading in a day or so, but I'm not terribly hopeful that the fermentation will have resumed. The hydrometer samples, though, both tasted very good - not terribly sweet, and there was a slight earthy taste to it. I plan on bottling regardless in a few days.
My question is this - can I use this yeast cake for a wee heavy I'd planned to do the same day as bottling this batch? If so, what steps should I take to ensure a successful fermentation? (i.e. raise the yeast cake temp to 68 or so and then drop it down to 62 slowly? or drop the yeast cake temp down to 62 and pitch at that temp?) I do have two packets of US-05 on standby if there is no activity in the Wee Heavy after 12 hours, since from everything I've read, the Wee Heavy should take right off.
Thanks in advance - this is my first actual "problem" fermentation...it figures that it'd also be the one that my next fermentation depends on. Thinking back now, I guess I caused the stuck fermentation by lowering the temp from 66 at pitch to 62, but the yeast package had said pitch between 65-75.
Anyway, ANY advice would be appreciated!
Cheers,
StatsMcG
