AHS Pumpkin Ale: Fermentation Problem

[BugAC]

I brewed AHS pumpkin ale sunday. Extract brew, steeped grains, and 4 lbs. baked canned pumpkin.

Recipe called for Danstar Windsor dry yeast. I rehydrated my yeast and pitched it.

OG = 1.052

Set fermentation chamber (freezer with johson temp controller) to 70 degrees. Cycles from 66-70 degrees in chamber.

1st day, good fermentation, lots of bubbles, and good krausen in the tank.

Day 2 it slowed.
Day 3, little to no signs of krausen. a few bubbles in airlock. Checked out the carboy, thick yeast layer on bottom. I gave it a good shake to try to get the yeast suspended.
Day 4, today. No krausen, few bubbles in airlock.
Took a reading just now, my gravity is at 1.020

FG is supposed to be around 1.013.

Has my yeast stopped? I will obviously take another reading tomorrow to check to see if it hasn't stopped.

If it is stuck at 1.020, what is the recommendation. Re-suspending the yeast by shaking isn't working. Should i pitch more yeast? The only other yeast pack i have that could work for this brew is Safale US-04.

What are your thoughts? Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Erg]

That sounds like what happened to my ahs Pumpkin ale I just brewed. Just really slows down quick. Just give it time, mine turned out great!

 

[BugAC]

how long did you let it sit in the primary?

 

[midfielder5]

Since it has been only 4(!) days, just leave it alone for another 7-10 days. it just needs more time. and quit shaking it! (oxidization).

 

[Erg]

I left it in the primary 9 days, 7 secondary, the 3 weeks in the bottle. I used 3 cans of pumpkin in the mash. Pretty good stuff.

 

[EBroten]

mine also seemed to stall out but it all turned out fine i wouldnt worry about it all to much

 

[nrock74]

I did the same kit with 6 cans pumkin and some brown sugar. Activity in the airlock slowed quickly but it finished fine and hit it's FG. Don't worry, just give it time...also took bout a month in the bottle to become really great.

 

[BugAC]

Thanks guys

 

[BugAC]

One last question. Did everyone do a secondary, or will just the primary do the job?

 

[h22lude]

I just kegged the same kit. I didn't use any pumpkin. I kept it in primary for 4 weeks. FG was 1.016. You won't always be exact to what they estimate but it should be pretty close.

With it being only 4 days, let it go another week and take another reading. It will probably drop a few more points.

I'm not positive (someone can correct me if I am wrong) but wouldn't the sugar in the pumpkin make the OG and FG a few points higher than expected?

I never do secondary unless I am adding something like fruit

 

[BrewKnurd]

Since it has been only 4(!) days, just leave it alone for another 7-10 days. it just needs more time.

Agreed.

and quit shaking it! (oxidization).

Eh, I don't think I can agree with this. Not that I think shaking will accomplish a lot, but its also not going to hurt. Its hard to oxidize when there's very little no no oxygen inside the carboy (which is the case once there's been any significant amount of fermentation).

 

[BugAC]

UPDATE: I just measured the gravity again since i started this topic, 5 days later.

The fermentation IS stuck. It is still at 1.020 after fermenting for 9 days. Am i just stuck with a low alcohol beer, or is there something that can be done that will start up the fermentation?

 

[Brewham]

Stir it gently to get the yeast up off the bottom (no air bubbles) and move it to a warmer spot. Give it another week and measure again.

 

[IffyG]

The fermentation IS stuck. It is still at 1.020 after fermenting for 9 days. Am i just stuck with a low alcohol beer, or is there something that can be done that will start up the fermentation?

I'm gonna venture a guess and say it's not stuck, it's done. When I was doing straight extract brews I was lucky to get an FG of 1.018 and had a handful bottom out at 1.020.

Search for 1.020 curse and you'll see it's a common problem with extract brews.

 

[BugAC]

Yeah, but this is my 5th brew, and i've always hit usually, between 1.012-1.010

 

[h22lude]

Yeah, but this is my 5th brew, and i've always hit usually, between 1.012-1.010

I haven't had any finish at 1.020 so I don't know much about it but just because you have had 5 batches that didn't stop at 1.020 doesn't mean it is not a common thing.

I say it is done

 

[BugAC]

Well, the only reason i disagree is because i've only brewed 5 batches total.

 

[BugAC]

If i transfer to a secondary, and try to grab some yeast from the bottom, would that jump start the fermentation again?

 

[akimbo78]

i used white labs liquid yeast for this one, with no starter and had no problems getting the gravity down. i also skipped the pumpkin. 2 weeks in primary, 4 days in secondary ( i needed the bucket), 3 weeks in bottles. i feel it is underspiced, but then again it may be good that you can have 3 or 4 in a sitting, instead of 1 or 2.

 

[BugAC]

Well, when i measured yesterday, i took a taste. It is pretty good. I can taste the pumpkin (i baked 4 lbs. of organic pumpkin from fresh market at 350 for 30 min) in the beer. My only problem is, it is a little fruity. I know thats one of the flavors produced from windsor, but i think if i could get the FG to 1.012, it would be perfect.

 

[alexriverajr]

I'm at 1.020 after seven days in the primary. I'm hoping to give a few more days and see if drop a little more. Fingers crossed.

 

[Morrey]

Last pumpkin ale I made was with fresh roasted pumpkin and when I racked from primary to keg, there was a ton of fiber mass that carried over. I re-racked thru a strainer to clear the wort. Point is this beer had a good amount of residual fiber that can possibly trick your hydrometer into thinking there are unfermented sugars lingering. The best judge of that is tasting for sweetness.

I suggest a full two weeks before you become genuinely concerned.

 

[alexriverajr]

Last pumpkin ale I made was with fresh roasted pumpkin and when I racked from primary to keg, there was a ton of fiber mass that carried over. I re-racked thru a strainer to clear the wort. Point is this beer had a good amount of residual fiber that can possibly trick your hydrometer into thinking there are unfermented sugars lingering. The best judge of that is tasting for sweetness.

I suggest a full two weeks before you become genuinely concerned.

Thanks for the advice. I realized that after watching a video on YouTube that my hydrometer was off by two lines or four points. As of right now the pumpkin has settled nicely to the bottom and the beer looks clear. I'm still going to transfer it to other container before bottling to make an additional attempt to clear the liquid.