Slow/stalled fermentation

[robsauce]

Grains:
1.0 lbs. Caramel/Crystal Malt 60
1.0 lbs. Roasted Barley
0.5 lbs. Chocolate Malt

Extract:
8 lbs. Light/Pale DME
1 oz. Target (Beginning)
1 oz. East Kent Goldings (Finishing)
6 oz. Cocoa powder

Wyeast Irish Ale

- Bring 1.5 gallons of water to 160F and add grains. Let steep for ~50mins
- Remove and rinse grains with water and pour into boil kettle and additional water to bring total boil size to about 2.5-3 gallons.
- Return to boil, remove from heat and stir in DME and add target hops then bring back to rolling boil (total boil time 60mins)
- 20 minutes remaining add Goldings hops
- 10 mins remaining added 6oz of cocoa powder and 2.5g of wyeast nutrient (dissolved in warm water)
- 0mins remaining remove from heat and pour into primary (plastic bucket) and chill in an ice bath.
- yeast pack was smacked 4hrs earlier. Wort @ 78 degrees – stirred vigorously to aerate for 2 minutes and pitched yeast.

OG: 1.076

There was some activity in my primary bucket (some foam, blow off, etc.) but after a week it seemed to have subsided so I took a gravity reading thinking it was close to completion. To my surprise its currently at about 1.058 which means its only dropped 18 points in just over a week (og was 1.076). I decided to toss a thermometer in the primary and sure enough my beer was sitting at about 58 degrees. Wow - didn't realize my basement was that cold. So, I gave it a mildly vigorous stir and moved it upstairs where the room temp average is around 65-68.

I had ordered 3 packs of yeast from a supplier and figure they were pretty much dead as I attempted to smack another British Ale yeast pack and toss it into the primary with hopes of it kick starting the fermentation. I Let it sit for 5 days hoping fermentation would kick start due to warmer temps but nothing changed.

So, I went out and bought some known, good fresh Nottingham yeast. Re-hydrated it with water as per package instructions (which actively foamed during the 15min re-hydration) and pitched into wort. At this point I was set to go on a 2week vacation so a friend popped over every few days to check the temperature and SG. Fast forward to today, I get home, check the temp (wort temp is about 66), room temp is 64. I tossed in my hydrometer and unfortunately my SG is sitting at 1.050.

Thoughts on what I should do now?

 

[TipsyDragon]

first you didn't need to add more yeast. the first batch was fine it was just sleeping.

well if the wart is warmer than the room and the gravity is dropping you still have fermentation. how much yeast did you pitch to start with? from the sound of it you only added 1 packet of yeast. beer with an OG of 1.076 would require somewhere around 3 packets or an appropriate sized starter. when aerating you should stir the crap out of it till your arms get tired, then wait and do it again.

at this point i would say just put it someplace warm and forget about it.

 

[robsauce]

It only dropped 8 points in 2 weeks.....and you're suggesting to leave it be?

Is this just going to be a retardedly slow fermentation?

 

[TipsyDragon]

yea some fermentations do that. i would only worry if it stops completely and its significantly above your target FG. you may try adding a yeast nutrient i know that when i add it to my meads the yeasties definitely take notice.

 

[Pappers_]

This is most likely not the problem, but just asking - are you sure you're reading the hydrometer correctly?

Another idea is to really warm up the wort and try to get the yeast woken up and working. A warm closet, an electric blanket, a radiator or heat vent. See if you can get it up to 70 or more. This isn't the preferred temp of course, but it seems like it might be worth a shot.

 

[robsauce]

Already tried warming it up - had it at ~76 for 2 days.

And yes, I'm reading the hydrometer correctly.

 

[Pappers_]

Is it cooler now? If so, why did you take it out of the warmer area?

I'm sorry I don't have any other good ideas for you

 

[robsauce]

Nottingham was the last yeast pitched:

"The recommended fermentation temperature range of this strain is 14° to 21°C (57° to 70°F) "

http://www.danstaryeast.com/nottingham.html

 

[jessup]

i'm having a similar problem right now with the Danstar Nottingham yeast. I haven't been waiting nearly as long as robsauce, but i brewed a wee-heavy on 12/28 and have just now seen the beginning of a slow fermentation. i used 2 packets of Danstar Nottingham and there was no activity after four days. I then decided to place the carboy on a towel instead of the cold floor and pour another packet of the nottingham dry yeast. The temperature of the closet is ~65*, but the cold floor was surely adding to the problem possibly making the wort much colder (no thermometer on carboy).

the OG was 1.082 and i'm guessing the wort has been between 60-65* which is well within the rec temp of 57-70*. this is a slooooow start to ferment and i'm guessing it is gonna take a while. i shoulda made a starter but just figured overpitching would compensate. rookie mistake on my part

Robsauce:
You've pitched alot of yeast so something strange is def going on there. Sounds like your temp is fine now, you've aerated and there's plenty of sugar, so some extraneous factor must be present. I would definitely add yeast nutrient and yeast energizer and see if that helps. if it doesn't, go and get yourself some wine yeast and pitch that! that sucker will ferment anything and you'll at least salvage your beer. Or maybe this is a good beer to try souring since it may already have some sort of infection and Brett will eat just about any sugar readily available. if your wort is still ~1.050 then there's plenty of fuel to become "sour" and any offtastes from an infection already present might need a year or so to dull anyway. you've been waiting a LONG two weeks so you might wanna expect the worst at this point and possibly do something drastic to assure it's drinkable in the long run.

edit: saw this about my problem which is danstar notty related only. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/nottingham-yeast-128940/
kinda funny coincedence though. my recs still apply 4 op