Will yeast wake up?

[UrbanBrew]

I ran a batch of Munton's Nut Brown last week. It was fermenting fine in the garage but then we had a cold snap and the temp dropped. Not sure what the actual temp in the garage was but it seems that all activity stopped. I moved it inside but nothing. I just took a reading and it is at .0020 and should be around an 8 when finished. I tried to aerate it some but there is still no activity. Will the yeast possibly wake up or do I need to pitch again? I plan on go the single fermentation route so it has about 3 more weeks in this bucket.
Thanks,

 

[Justibone]

Unless it froze, they should wake up.

 

[avidhomebrewer]

If needed, gently rouse the yeast by swirling in the bucket once it is all at room temp for about a day or so.

 

[Yooper]

Don't aerate! The beer may be done or nearly so. Aerating now will ruin the beer.

If you have to rouse the yeast, you can gently swirl the fermenter if you feel that you absolutely have to do something.

 

[UrbanBrew]

3 days and still no activity. SG still at 1.020. Any ideas?

 

[Justibone]

You sure your hydrometer is okay? Test it in water, and then in sugar water.

Also, taste the beer, is it super sweet?

 

[daytonlawvol]

Had the same problem with the exact same beer. My Gravity crapped out at 1.020. Tasted a little too sweet. If I were you, id leave it be in the fermenter for a few weeks, give it time to possibly get the gravity down, but another bucket and work on something else in the meantime.

 

[Kealia]

What temps did you start at and what temp did you raise it to?
What type of yeast was used?

 

[UrbanBrew]

Had the same problem with the exact same beer. My Gravity crapped out at 1.020. Tasted a little too sweet. If I were you, id leave it be in the fermenter for a few weeks, give it time to possibly get the gravity down, but another bucket and work on something else in the meantime.

Hum, wonder if the kit yeast has something to do with it? Thanks, I had planned to leave it be for a month or so.

What temps did you start at and what temp did you raise it to?
What type of yeast was used?

It started at 70, don't know what it dropped to but it's back up to 70 now.
Thanks for the reply

 

[Revvy]

If it is extract I'd say it is the 1.020 curse, and it is done. It's almost expected these days that extract batches often finish at 1.020 (or 1.030 on occasion) and nothing will bring them lower. Back in my extract days I bottled many a batch that finished that high, the beers were fine. I've often wondered if it doesn't have something to do with the production of some nonfermentable sugars in the wort carmelization during the boil.

 

[Kealia]

If it is extract I'd say it is the 1.020 curse, and it is done. It's almost expected these days that extract batches often finish at 1.020 (or 1.030 on occasion) and nothing will bring them lower. Back in my extract days I bottled many a batch that finished that high, the beers were fine. I've often wondered if it doesn't have something to do with the production of some nonfermentable sugars in the wort carmelization during the boil.

I think I tend to agree with this.

One of the remedies for a stuck fermentation (if that's what it is here) is to rack this brew onto a yeast cake that you've just racked another beer of it (if you have that option).

Personally, I'd take a sample and if tastes good and not overly sweet not worry about it.

 

[Gman2]

I have also had this problem many times. I am actually warming a bucket that is at 1.033 hoping it will go down. It is a porter and i might add a little blueberry if i cant get it down anymore just to make sure there are some sugars in there to kick it back fermenting again.

But i have bottled at 1.021 and had no trouble, just a little sweet.... the wife likes it. Let me know if you find a fix. Racking onto a fresh yeast cake didnt even help my last batch.

 

[Justibone]

I guess if there's no other fix, and it's too sweet to be palatable, you could always try to brew a really dry beer and blend them. *shrug*

I'd never heard of the 1.020 curse before.

 

[UrbanBrew]

Thanks to all of you for your time. I tasted it on Sunday when I did the SG test and it didn't strike me as overly sweet. But, I like beer on the sweeter side.

Question: What would happen if I added some honey to it at this point?
Thanks again,

 

[sgillespie]

I'd never heard of the 1.020 curse before.

Not sure if its the curse, but my second batch "finished" out at 1022, only to explode 4 times in my closet. You can probably bottle it and watch them like a hawk. If they get a bit over-carbonated then just throw them in the fridge

 

[Revvy]

Not sure if its the curse, but my second batch "finished" out at 1022, only to explode 4 times in my closet. You can probably bottle it and watch them like a hawk. If they get a bit over-carbonated then just throw them in the fridge

That's not the same thing. Yours probably wasn't finished if it blew. Or it was an infection.

The 1.020 curse is when the beer actually does finish at 1.020. There are no fermentable sugars left and you can bottle the beer.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/1-020-curse-63896/

 

[UrbanBrew]

Might have some what of an answer to this. In my case I added the extract to the pot of boiling water with the flame on, which caused some scorching on the bottom. When I mentioned this to the owner of my LHBS he said that when this happens it caramelizes some of the sugars and caramelized sugar won't ferment. Hence what Revy said. There is still unfermentable sugars present.
:fro: