Stuck Fermentation

[Vex]

I brewed a saison nearly 5 weeks ago and fermented with Wyeast 3724 Belgian Saison. I mashed at around 148*F for 75 minutes. The yeast was pitched from a small, 48 hour starter that really lacked any fermentation character; hardly any krausen or action.

Two weeks into the fermentation at 74*F I took a sample. SG 1.040. Okay, I've read about this yeast and it has a history of stalling. I know, I'll move it to a warmer location. Out into the garage where it gets up to 90 during the day.

10 days later I check the gravity again. SG 1.032. Well, this simply isn't working. A couple days later I added a different strain of yeast that was harvested from a recent batch. Brought it back inside to the ambient 74*F. There was a mini krausen after 30 hours and fell within another 48.

8 days later, today, I took another sample. SG 1.030.

In short, what are my options at this point? I've briefly read about amalyse. Any suggestions?

Thanks for reading.

 

[flars]

How did your specific gravity sample taste? Was it sweeter than expected indicating low attenuation? If you used a refractometer there are online calculators to correct the SG reading to account for the presence of alcohol.

 

[Vex]

Apologies, I should have specified. All readings were done with a hydrometer. I checked it about 3 weeks ago and was reading 1.000 in water.

The gravity samples are sweet. There is a pleasant funkiness from the saison yeast that I am really looking forward to if I can ever get this yeast going.

 

[flars]

Try the simplest first with the least chance of complications. Sanitize your long spoon and give the yeast a very gentle stir to raise some back into suspension. Then more time.

 

[LiquidChemistry]

As you noted this is a known predicament with 3724. But man, that yeast produces an amazing flavour profile. You have to get those temps up to get it tho. Agree with Flars that you should try the good old stir it up method first and, i would add, wrap a blanket with a couple of heated bottles of water around your fermenter. So when this happened to me, I made a sugar water solution (about 1 l) to match the gravity of my stuck wort added a TSP of molasses to add some more complex saccharides in there. Pitched wyeast 3711 let it sit for 24 ish hours and dumped it in to my stuck saison. 3711 is a monster. It'll take your saison right down to that crisp finish you wanted (I'm assuming, based on your mash temps).

 

[Vex]

Try the simplest first with the least chance of complications. Sanitize your long spoon and give the yeast a very gentle stir to raise some back into suspension. Then more time.

As you noted this is a known predicament with 3724. But man, that yeast produces an amazing flavour profile. You have to get those temps up to get it tho. Agree with Flars that you should try the good old stir it up method first and, i would add, wrap a blanket with a couple of heated bottles of water around your fermenter. So when this happened to me, I made a sugar water solution (about 1 l) to match the gravity of my stuck wort added a TSP of molasses to add some more complex saccharides in there. Pitched wyeast 3711 let it sit for 24 ish hours and dumped it in to my stuck saison. 3711 is a monster. It'll take your saison right down to that crisp finish you wanted (I'm assuming, based on your mash temps).

Thank you for the suggestions.

The beer is currently in a carboy. A couple sample pulls and there's already more headspace than I'm comfortable with to swirl it.

I do plan to brew again in the near future. Might buy some Wyeast 3711 with my order and try that route.

Thanks again.