Stuck Fermentation Solutions

[TPD2245]

I've got something similar to Arrogant Bastard Fermenting. My OG came in way too high. I diluted down to about 1.091. I used Wyeast American Ale II yeast. I didn't notice it only tolerates 10% abv, but I'm not close to that yet, but I am wishing I used American Ale Yeast instead. My FG should have been 1.025 according to BrewBuilder, but I am stuck at 1.032. I tried swirling a few days ago, I got some bubbling action, but barely a drop in gravity. Here are my solutions, what does everyone think will work best?

1) Transfer to secondary, make a good starter with American Ale II, pitch the whole starter in. Proceed as normal.

2) I don't have a filter. Warm up the beer on the stove a little, kill off the yeast, cold crash it, transfer to secondary, make a starter with American Ale Yeast, pitch in the whole starter in, proceed as normal.

 

[dcp27]

you don't need to kill off the old yeast to pitch in new yeast. what was your recipe, mash temp, pitch rate, & ferment temp? am ale II should have no problem fermenting this as long as you pitched properly

 

[TPD2245]

Ok, thanks. I wasn't sure of different strains of yeast didn't play well with each other.

I mashed at 155 for 60 minutes. I do a stove top partial mash and usually get about 60% efficiency. This time I came in a little above 65%, which is why my OG was way too high. I just diluted with water to bring it down to what I was going for.

Here is my recipe:


Briess Golden Light Liquid Extract
7 lbs, 0 oz

Briess Sparkling Amber Liquid Extract
5 lbs, 8 oz

Aromatic
0 lbs, 12 oz

Weyermann Cara Munich II ®
0 lbs, 12 oz

Special B
0 lbs, 12 oz

Biscuit
0 lbs, 12 oz

Chinook Pellets
2 oz @ 60 mins

Chinook Pellets
1 oz @ 45 mins

Chinook Pellets
1 oz @ 5 mins

Wyeast Labs American Ale II
2 ea


I may have had temp issues in the beginning. I chilled the wort to about 69 and then pitched the yeast. One of my packs of yeast didn't swell up all of the way like the other one did. They were about 72 degrees when I pitched them. I don't have an aerator, so I just shook and shook my wort for about 5 minutes several times before pitching. I had a very nice krausen and it was bubbling like crazy for several days. Then it just kind of trickled off.

I bottled a pumpkin ale last night that I fermented with Denny's Favorite 50. I transferred my AB Clone into that vessel on top of the yeast cake to see if that yeast would do anything. It hasn't. So now I am going with plan b, or c, I lost track. I am going to brew the same beer again, except I am going to drop everything down by half. I'm going to try to make a 5% ab clone with same IBU's, let it ferment all the way out, then mix the two brews in two secondary fermenters, 50% of each in each fermenter. I figure that should bring down my ABV problem and give the yeast a sporting chance at bottle conditioning.

Thanks for the input!

 

[dcp27]

i guess technically that was a PM, but the only thing with enzymes was the aromatic which wouldn't have enough diastatic power for the rest, so if you saw any increase in efficiency it was likely due to a lower volume. or a miscalculation if you only expected an OG of 1.091. that higher mash temp also should/nt have made much difference

despite the 2 packs, u still underpitched that which probably isn't helping, but i'd still expect it lower esp at those higher temps. u really shouldn't be going over 70F, esp ambient, way too warm for anything not belgian/wheat for a good tasting beer. i'd expect alot of fruitiness & fusels in this. i'm sure if you give it some more time it'll come down a lil more on that cake, but the blending sounds like a good back up if not

 

[TPD2245]

Actually, the increase in efficiency was due to me being more diligent and patient pouring the extract out of the containers. I usually get about 60% efficiency, so I made my recipe under that assumption. This time, I got around 65%, which isn't really better efficiency, just making sure every last drop of extract made it into the boil.

Most of the early fermentation was under 70 degrees. My basement stays around 74, but I have a "ghetto chiller." I put my fermenter in a plastic tub filled with water right to the level of the wort. I then throw in some frozen gatorade bottles and milk jugs to cool the water around the fermenter. Not the best system in the world, but it allows me to ferment below 70. I had a late at work one night, so I didn't get to swap out ice blocks for a while, which I think got my temp above 72.

I've been out of town for the last few days. I just checked my gravity and it has come down to 1.026ish, thanks to the new yeast bed. I'm going to go ahead with my other plan, which is brew a similar lighter brew, then blend the two.

Thanks again for your input! Can't wait until it gets colder and my basement stays a steady 65!