About ready to quit brewing, help...

[motleybrews]

Final question (I think). I have some montrachet wine yeast in my fridge. Could I toss that in to my current batch just to make sure it fully ferments?

I have ordered a new hydrometer but won't have it for a while.

I would put that towards your next batch of apfelwine.

I'm a little late to the party in this thread, and don't have a ton of experience, but I'm going to throw something out there. Wipe your memory clean and brew your next batch as if it was your first. Remember how anal you were? How you were so afraid of screwing up that you over sanitized, over analyzed, and over prepared? I sure do. For me it wasn't that long ago. I would revert back to that absolutely ensuring that EVERYTHING is clean and sanitized (spoon, countertops, scales, tubing, canes, EVERYTHING).

However, if you are confident that your cleaning and sanitizing is not the issue, then invite yourself to your buddies next brew day (it is your stuff afterall). Observe what he does differently than you. Take notes if you need to. Notice anything that he does differently. Because there's something going differently if he is coming up with good beer out of the same stuff that is producing bad beer for you. I know we all do different methods/techniques, and when I've helped with other people's brew days, I've not only learned things I didn't know, but come away with better processes that I will later adapt to work for me.

I hate to sound like the Debbie Downer on the thread, but if all the equipment is being used by 2 people, and one is producing good finished product, and the other is producing bad batches, I'd likely say it's a brewer problem. And I mean that with the absolute upmost respect. Go sit in on his brew day, and see where the disconnect is.

Best of luck man. I know bad batches are hard to swallow. But don't give up.

 

[motleybrews]

I'd also throw this out there. Each of you get the exact same kit, and brew them up and drink them side by side. Since it's the same equipment, the one that is brewed first will have aged longer, but in this experiment, it won't matter.

Brew it the exact same. Let it sit in primary the exact same amount of time, ferment at same temperature. See if there's still an issue.

 

[bob1852]

how are you measuring beer volume and priming sugar?

 

[motleybrews]

I'd also throw this out there. Each of you get the exact same kit, and brew them up and drink them side by side. Since it's the same equipment, the one that is brewed first will have aged longer, but in this experiment, it won't matter.

Brew it the exact same. Let it sit in primary the exact same amount of time, ferment at same temperature. See if there's still an issue.

After the first batch is conditioned, each sit down with a glass and critique and take notes. What you liked, didn't like, carbonation level, mouthfeel, any off flavors, types of off flavors, etc. After the other batch has conditioned for the same amount of time, repeat. Take the same notes, and compare the 2. May sound like a pain in the butt, but that way there's less variables. There will still be some, but not near as many, and if your batch is bad, it may help eliminate some possibilities and open the door for new possibilities you haven't considered yet (different water supply, etc)

 

[MrMcPeach]

how are you measuring beer volume and priming sugar?

Well I shoot for a 5 gallon batch each time. Sometimes end up with a 5.25-5.5 or so. I usually carb with 2-3oz of sugar depending on style. I have found 3oz or a llittle more to be more than enough for everything I've made so far.

Made a belgian with 5oz sugar when I first started and it was a bit fizzy imo.

 

[Goaltender66]

I didn't see this asked. 3oz of priming sugar: is that by weight or by volume?

 

[MrMcPeach]

I would put that towards your next batch of apfelwine.

I'm a little late to the party in this thread, and don't have a ton of experience, but I'm going to throw something out there. Wipe your memory clean and brew your next batch as if it was your first. Remember how anal you were? How you were so afraid of screwing up that you over sanitized, over analyzed, and over prepared? I sure do. For me it wasn't that long ago. I would revert back to that absolutely ensuring that EVERYTHING is clean and sanitized (spoon, countertops, scales, tubing, canes, EVERYTHING).

However, if you are confident that your cleaning and sanitizing is not the issue, then invite yourself to your buddies next brew day (it is your stuff afterall). Observe what he does differently than you. Take notes if you need to. Notice anything that he does differently. Because there's something going differently if he is coming up with good beer out of the same stuff that is producing bad beer for you. I know we all do different methods/techniques, and when I've helped with other people's brew days, I've not only learned things I didn't know, but come away with better processes that I will later adapt to work for me.

I hate to sound like the Debbie Downer on the thread, but if all the equipment is being used by 2 people, and one is producing good finished product, and the other is producing bad batches, I'd likely say it's a brewer problem. And I mean that with the absolute upmost respect. Go sit in on his brew day, and see where the disconnect is.

Best of luck man. I know bad batches are hard to swallow. But don't give up.

We normally brew together and he does things the same way I do. We have learned everything together and have been at this from the first batch as a pair. In looking back I realize he has actually made some stuff that turned out to be crap too and inbetween we've had the odd good batch.

My plan is to get a new hydrometer and start measuring stuff to make sure fermentation is done. Stuck fermentations seem to me to be the option that makes most sense here.

Could it be a problem to pitch yeast into wort which is still at about 80F before adding the carboy to a 68-70 degree swamp cooler? That is what I generally do as it takes forever to cool my wort much below that. Could this be shocking the yeast and causing issues with fermentation?

 

[MrMcPeach]

I didn't see this asked. 3oz of priming sugar: is that by weight or by volume?

Not sure of the difference. I weight 3oz out on a kitchen scale.

 

[Lucky137]

Not sure of the difference. I weight 3oz out on a kitchen scale.

That's the correct way to do it.

I think it must be stuck fermentation issues. How well are you aerating before pitching/what's your aeration method? If you're not getting enough O2 in the wort, your yeast could be quittin before their job is done. It could be that when you're bottling, the change in environment (amount of sugar, temperature, slight oxygenation) is kickin those little suckers back into action, leading to all the sugar that still remains getting fermented.

Don't try any more batches until you get your hydrometer. Then, make a batch the same way you did whenever you had these problems, and take a reading after 2 weeks in primary and 2 weeks in secondary. My money is that it'll be higher than you'd think.


EDIT: Also, is your buddy using the exact same equipment? I mean, EXACT same. Same spoon to stir, same hosing, and same water/ingredients? Is there any single, individual piece, no matter how insignificant it might seem, that he uses that you don't? If so, replace that piece ASAP. If not, if it's truly exactly the same, then you know it's something you're doing differently. Have him brew a batch, and take DETAILED notes of his process. See if anything that he does jumps out as being completely different than what you do.

 

[CGVT]

When I made my first batch I rehydrated my yeast in wort and pitched it at about 80 degrees and even though I fermented at 65, I got a stuck fermentation at .040 on a beer that had an OG of .048. I was kind of at a loss so I rehydrated some Champagne Yeast (it was all I had) in water (according to the directions. Go figure) and re-pitched. It kicked off after about a day and fermented down to .010. My beer ended up dryer than planned, but it turned out very drinkable.

Yes, I learned some valuable lessons...

 

[Lucky137]

When I made my first batch I rehydrated my yeast in wort and pitched it at about 80 degrees and even though I fermented at 65, I got a stuck fermentation at .040 on a beer that had an OG of .048. I was kind of at a loss so I rehydrated some Champagne Yeast (it was all I had) in water (according to the directions. Go figure) and re-pitched. It kicked off after about a day and fermented down to .010. My beer ended up dryer than planned, but it turned out very drinkable.

Yes, I learned some valuable lessons...

I wouldn't go straight to trying this, though. Excellent tip on restarting a stuck fermentation, but I would recommend making sure that it is in fact stuck before trying this. Or else you might end up with a beer that is both REALLY dry and with no flavor!

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

This entire thread is pure speculation until you buy a new hydrometer and measure your FG.

 

[kh54s10]

This entire thread is pure speculation until you buy a new hydrometer and measure your FG.

+1

I would think maybe an occasional stuck fermentation but unlikely to be this frequent.

I agree with a previous response, get an inexpensive extract kit and follow the directions as closely as possible. Try to note if there are any differences in the instructions from what you normally do.

 

[CGVT]

Could it be a problem to pitch yeast into wort which is still at about 80F before adding the carboy to a 68-70 degree swamp cooler? That is what I generally do as it takes forever to cool my wort much below that. Could this be shocking the yeast and causing issues with fermentation?

I'm pretty sure that is why mine got stuck. I think I pitched too hot and fermented too high. I pitch and ferment my ales at 62-65 now.

There is really no reason to do anything with your beer until you get a hydrometer is there?. Just leave it in the fermenter and check the gravity after you pick one up.

If it is stuck you can deal with it and pitch at a lower temp next time.

 

[MrMcPeach]

That's the correct way to do it.

I think it must be stuck fermentation issues. How well are you aerating before pitching/what's your aeration method? If you're not getting enough O2 in the wort, your yeast could be quittin before their job is done. It could be that when you're bottling, the change in environment (amount of sugar, temperature, slight oxygenation) is kickin those little suckers back into action, leading to all the sugar that still remains getting fermented.

Don't try any more batches until you get your hydrometer. Then, make a batch the same way you did whenever you had these problems, and take a reading after 2 weeks in primary and 2 weeks in secondary. My money is that it'll be higher than you'd think.


EDIT: Also, is your buddy using the exact same equipment? I mean, EXACT same. Same spoon to stir, same hosing, and same water/ingredients? Is there any single, individual piece, no matter how insignificant it might seem, that he uses that you don't? If so, replace that piece ASAP. If not, if it's truly exactly the same, then you know it's something you're doing differently. Have him brew a batch, and take DETAILED notes of his process. See if anything that he does jumps out as being completely different than what you do.

Aeration method on last few batches has been to run wort through a filter to catch hop residue (seems to help aerate) and then shake the crap out of it. Prior to that I was using an O2 tank and blasting the wort for about 90 seconds. Made bad beer both ways.

There are some small differences between my buddies set up and mine. That was why I got a couple of new carboys and new blow off tube. The carboys and blowoffs were each individually owned so I thought the problem may lie there. There is definitely a spoon or two that is separate too.

I will follow your advice and run a similar brew day once I get my hydrometer. Will also get a new O2 tank so that I will know there is enough oxygen in there.

 

[MrMcPeach]

Update on this one as I did get a new hydrometer.

FG on the stout I have going is 1.012. This is almost perfect (brew software said I should be at 1.013), presuming I hit the correct OG.

If this stout still ends up infected then I think I can presume it is not a stuck fermentation.

 

[motleybrews]

Any update?

 

[MrMcPeach]

Well the stout seems to be fine so far. I did end up buying all new bottling equipment before bottling the stout so maybe that helped. I have done 2-3 batches recently that don't seem to have been infected, at least not yet.

I am guessing there was just a bug somewhere in the bottling set up.

 

[BonnieJ]

I had an earwig in my spigot and a gram+ bacteria in my wand spring. I now make sure to clean a lot better. Bleach is not a fix all for cleaning...

Haha! Did you stain that bacteria? That's pretty cool

 

[bob1852]

Haha! Did you stain that bacteria? That's pretty cool

Of course! Glad that microbio class and some friend's lab equipment paid off!