Ok, so I still have my stuck barleywine/imperial smoked porter and I am looking for some input on what I am about to do next.
The story...
I had a few AG batches under my belt and was really wanting to make a BW so I started to read up on how to brew them. I had a poor mix in the MLT cooler and my efficiency sucked. It should have come out WAY above 1.1 and the OG was 1.096. My temps were right. I do not think I stirred/mixed the mash enough and that was my undoing. The day was gone and so was my patience so I pitched it with 1024 Irish ale yeast smack pack, no starter, the smack pack was like a rock when I pitched it...
It fermented at a pretty constant 62-64 degrees. 3 weeks later the SG was at 1.040 this did not change for 5 days. I then pitched, with a starter, champagne yeast into it. It went nuts for 3 days after I took a reading and it was at 1.034. It has not moved since then. I sampled it and I am not sure if I am dealing with unfermentables or a stuck fermentation...but it has a sweet taste to it...it is supposed to be a smokey BW and mixed with the sweet taste it is not very pleasant tasting IMO.
In a few days I will have a fresh cake of K1v111 wine yeast. I have read that pitching a good cake into a stuck fermentation may kick start the fermentation again. I fully understand that this yeast may drop the SG below 1.000 but I am willing to risk it to get it out of the 1.034 range. I will also bring the temp up to 68-70F before I repitch.(I did this with the champagne yeast as well.)
My questions are, is this my last hope to get the fermentation rolling again?
Is this a bad idea?
What is the worst that can happen?
Thanks.
The story...
I had a few AG batches under my belt and was really wanting to make a BW so I started to read up on how to brew them. I had a poor mix in the MLT cooler and my efficiency sucked. It should have come out WAY above 1.1 and the OG was 1.096. My temps were right. I do not think I stirred/mixed the mash enough and that was my undoing. The day was gone and so was my patience so I pitched it with 1024 Irish ale yeast smack pack, no starter, the smack pack was like a rock when I pitched it...
It fermented at a pretty constant 62-64 degrees. 3 weeks later the SG was at 1.040 this did not change for 5 days. I then pitched, with a starter, champagne yeast into it. It went nuts for 3 days after I took a reading and it was at 1.034. It has not moved since then. I sampled it and I am not sure if I am dealing with unfermentables or a stuck fermentation...but it has a sweet taste to it...it is supposed to be a smokey BW and mixed with the sweet taste it is not very pleasant tasting IMO.
In a few days I will have a fresh cake of K1v111 wine yeast. I have read that pitching a good cake into a stuck fermentation may kick start the fermentation again. I fully understand that this yeast may drop the SG below 1.000 but I am willing to risk it to get it out of the 1.034 range. I will also bring the temp up to 68-70F before I repitch.(I did this with the champagne yeast as well.)
My questions are, is this my last hope to get the fermentation rolling again?
Is this a bad idea?
What is the worst that can happen?
Thanks.