Stuck at 1.022, what to do?

[klinus]

Hi! We brewed an ipa a couple of weeks ago, and fermented it with california ale 5 (from starter).
By accident we mashed it a little higher than we wanted, at 69C/156F.
Measured og was 1.057, and now it has been stuck at 1.022 for 6 days.
We fermented it at 18C/64F for eight days, after that we took it out to room temp. Weve tried to swirl the bucket around several times.

Do you think its the high mash temp that made some sugars unfermentable, or did the yeast just drop out on us? I read about an enzyme to convert the sugars, should we try that, or should we repitch with another yeast (if so, which yeast is good for this sort of situation?)

Thanks!

 

[seabrew8]

I would pitch some more yeast personally. I really don't think that mash temp would effect the attenuation that much.

 

[bransona]

I actually really think that's the mash temp. If it tastes good, don't screw with it. Yeast won't fix an unfermentable beer. 156 is pretty high (where I usually mash my porter, and it finishes right around that 1.022 mark)

 

[seabrew8]

http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/12/the-mash-high-vs-low-temperature-exbeeriment-results/

This is what i'm basing my opinion on. Even at 161F it finished at 1.014 final gravity.

The lower temp - 148F - and the higher temp - 161F - finished 9 points in difference. Which is a lot.

 

[Moose_MI]

Recipe ? If it was a "normal" IPA recipe of almost all 2row and and a smudge of Crystal than I also think 22 is high even at a 156 mash. Perhaps your thermometer was off and you mashed even higher than 156?

I just love throwing darts at a board....

 

[whovous]

Have you checked your hydrometer lately? Is water still 1.000?

 

[bransona]

+1 to all the things

 

[gruversm]

Have you checked your hydrometer lately? Is water still 1.000?

Agree 100%

 

[klinus]

http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/12/the-mash-high-vs-low-temperature-exbeeriment-results/

This is what i'm basing my opinion on. Even at 161F it finished at 1.014 final gravity.

The lower temp - 148F - and the higher temp - 161F - finished 9 points in difference. Which is a lot.

This is interesting! Thanks for that! It is possible that the thermometer is a little off, but I don't think it's off by that much. The hydrometer is brand new, and its correct in water.

If I go with the assumption that the yeast dropped down, and I want to try and repitch, which yeast would you recommend?

 

[IslandLizard]

Recipe ? If it was a "normal" IPA recipe of almost all 2row and and a smudge of Crystal [...]

This^

Some (not so good) IPA recipes include lots of crystal/caramel malts, even as high as 30% (!), which will raise your FG.

 

[seabrew8]

This is interesting! Thanks for that! It is possible that the thermometer is a little off, but I don't think it's off by that much. The hydrometer is brand new, and its correct in water.

If I go with the assumption that the yeast dropped down, and I want to try and repitch, which yeast would you recommend?

Ale yeast. Any that you have on hand.

 

[IslandLizard]

Ale yeast. Any that you have on hand.

Pitching new yeast may or may not help, and if so chosen it should be done when it's at high krausen. But first the OP needs to check the recipe for an excess of non-fermentables (crystal malts).

@OP, what is "california ale 5" yeast?

 

[klinus]

Pitching new yeast may or may not help, and if so chosen it should be done when it's at high krausen. But first the OP needs to check the recipe for an excess of non-fermentables (crystal malts).



@OP, what is "california ale 5" yeast?

Oh, maybe that could be it. We had so many opened almost finished bags that we wanted to get rid off, so it got a little messy:

81% 2-row
9% caramel 50L
4% crystal 50
4% carapils
2% victory

The yeast is California Ale V (I just assumed it was pronounced as "5"?), wlp051.

 

[IslandLizard]

Oh, maybe that could be it. We had so many opened almost finished bags that we wanted to get rid off, so it got a little messy:

81% 2-row
9% caramel 50L
4% crystal 50
4% carapils
2% victory

The yeast is California Ale V (I just assumed it was pronounced as "5"?), wlp051.

13% crystal is a bit higher than recommended for IPAs (5-8%), plus the 4% Carapils being dextrins, puts it at 17% of unfermentables.

Thank you for the yeast reference, I can't remember all the different names and suffixes, most of us tend to go by the numerical designators. WLP051 has an attenuation of 70-75%. So it could be about done at 1.022.

I'd leave it in a warm place (70-75°F) for another week or 2 then check again. Rousing the yeast a few times is good, just be careful not to incorporate air into the beer, as it will oxidate it. If you haven't lifted the lid, the headspace is still mostly filled with CO2, so rousing is safer. If you did lift the lid, it's all air in there, so be extra careful not to slosh too much.

 

[klinus]

13% crystal is a bit higher than recommended for IPAs (5-8%), plus the 4% Carapils being dextrins, puts it at 17% of unfermentables.



Thank you for the yeast reference, I can't remember all the different names and suffixes, most of us tend to go by the numerical designators. WLP051 has an attenuation of 70-75%. So it could be about done at 1.022.



I'd leave it in a warm place (70-75°F) for another week or 2 then check again. Rousing the yeast a few times is good, just be careful not to incorporate air into the beer, as it will oxidate it. If you haven't lifted the lid, the headspace is still mostly filled with CO2, so rousing is safer. If you did lift the lid, it's all air in there, so be extra careful not to slosh too much.

Wow, I learn so much at this place, thank you so much! I didnt know that the crystals were unfermentable, gotta read up more! We roused it with the lid on, gonna leave it for two weeks in the livingroom and then check again. Thanks!

 

[IslandLizard]

Wow, I learn so much at this place, thank you so much! I didnt know that the crystals were unfermentable, gotta read up more! We roused it with the lid on, gonna leave it for two weeks in the livingroom and then check again. Thanks!

YVW, this place is the best!

How did you collect the wort for your gravity reading? Did you leave the lid on and sucked it out through the grommet hole?