Am I stuck?

[Clint Yeastwood]

My dry stout seems to be determined to stay at 1.015-1.016. It has not budged in two days at 75 degrees. Still getting some airlock burps, but I know that doesn't mean anything.

In the past, I went from 1.058-1.013. This time, I started at 1.053, so I would expect to go lighter.

What would you do? I can always throw more yeast in. I started with Abbaye. I have Safale US-05.

 

[AlexKay]

How does it taste?

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Seems fine, but I don't know whether I could tell the difference between a finished 1.012 and a stuck 1.016.

I think it may have gone down half a point after all. Hard to get a measurement because of bubbles. I am waiting them out.

 

[dmtaylor]

Abbaye is prone to sluggish behavior. Those last few points can take an extra couple of WEEKS to finish fermenting. I would recommend swirling the fermenter to try to get some of the settled yeast back into suspension. You could also try adding "yeast energizer" which is a type of nutrient that can sometimes wake up tired yeast, it's worked for me in the past. Finally, the most important thing you will need with this yeast is patience. Give it a lot more time than you think it might need. This is not a normal yeast, and grows sluggish for a long time after the first few days, but will perform very well for you if you give it time.

I don't think you need to add more yeast. Save your US-05 for some other occasion.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I have to apologize. I have two beers going at once, and I mixed them up. This one is US-05. The other one is Abbaye.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I mashed at 123 for 30 minutes and 154 for 60, with a 170-degree mashout.

Grain bill:

5 Maris Otter
1.5 rolled oats
1 light Munich
0.5 Cara Pils
0.5 roasted
0.5 chocolate

 

[mac_1103]

Last time I used US-05 it took 1.064 to 1.026 in five days, and 1.026 to 1.013 in three more weeks.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I hate to sit and stare at this fermenter for three more weeks, but I know I shouldn't rush.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

You know what? I'm going to chill and keg this stuff. I have like 3 gallons of beer, total. I need to fill kegs. Perfection can wait for the next batch.

I'll put this stuff in the keezer and order another batch of grain. By the time this stout is gone, the new batch will have had weeks to go through its midlife crisis and shape up.

 

[dmtaylor]

Wow, I am indeed surprised that US-05 would stall like this. Who knows why, could be a lot of things.

Hope you can enjoy it anyway.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Thanks.

For all I know, I made a refractometer mistake when measuring the OG. My refractometer is cheap, and I am new to using them. Anyway, it tastes like beer, I need inventory, and this will do for now.

I wonder if I should oxygenate next time. I was told not to do it with dry yeast.

 

[AlexKay]

I've had major stalling with US-05, but only when I've started over 1.100.

Other ideas:

1. Stuck a few gravity points high isn't really a problem if you're kegging. If it doesn't taste too sweet and it seems to be holding steady, call it done.
2. I usually leave fermentations alone for 2 weeks, even if gravity has stopped dropping (thank you, Tilt!) after a few days.
3. 75 is ... pretty warm ... for US-05.
4. The long mash at ~120 isn't needed for well-modified malts.
5. You could drop the 154 saccharification step down a few degrees for better attenuation next time.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Ordinarily, I would ferment this at 68, but I got impatient because I have so little beer on hand. Once it slowed down at 68, I moved it indoors.

I used a protein rest because I was told to do it for the oat flakes. Is that a myth that has been debunked during my years away? Today I saw a dude on Youtube saying saccharification only takes 40 minutes, so everything seems to be different now.

I will consider your suggestion about temperature.

Last time I made this stuff, it seemed to keep going in the keezer. The flavor dried out nicely. Not sure what that was all about, but I have read that some ale yeasts will not stop at serving temperatures.

 

[RM-MN]

Today I saw a dude on Youtube saying saccharification only takes 40 minutes, so everything seems to be different now

He's wrong. When the starches get gelatinized sacchrification is nearly instantaneous. The part that takes time is gelatinization which it heavily influenced by the grain particle size. Whole kernels can be gelatinized but it takes a long time. Flour? not much time at all.

 

[camonick]

Ordinarily, I would ferment this at 68, but I got impatient because I have so little beer on hand.

Rushing the process rarely produces satisfactory results. I’ve read a lot of your other posts and I’m not sure what the rush is other than being excited to use your new gear. Let your beers do what they’re going to do in whatever time it takes them to do it, and hit the liquor store in the meantime.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I'll slow down when I have some kind of inventory.

I don't really like factory beer, except for a few things. The only thing I've found near me that I really like is Old Rasputin, and I can't drink imperial stout all day.

 

[camonick]

I'll slow down when I have some kind of inventory.

Is this the stout you brewed on January 28? If so, it’s only been actively fermenting for 8 days at best.
Just trying to understand the hurry? Seems that you’ve already made up your mind… enjoy your beer.

 

[day_trippr]

wrt "mash specific gravity vs time"...
It has often been said the typical mash has converted in the first 40 minutes. That seems achievable.

Next brew I think I'll take a crapton of successive SG readings...

Cheers!

 

[RM-MN]

Make sure to stir the mash well before each SG readings. I find the SG fairly low at the top of the mash but higher the deeper I take the sample.

Next brew I think I'll take a crapton of successive SG readings...

 

[jerrylotto]

I made a Bourbon Stout with S05 that usually starts around 1.85 and ends around 1.10. recently I made a batch that started a little higher and ended around 1.26. I don't know why but it was really done and it was very good.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Is this the stout you brewed on January 28? If so, it’s only been actively fermenting for 8 days at best.
Just trying to understand the hurry? Seems that you’ve already made up your mind… enjoy your beer.

I made up my mind after posting, not before. You can see this in the thread.

 

[day_trippr]

Make sure to stir the mash well before each SG readings. I find the SG fairly low at the top of the mash but higher the deeper I take the sample.

Well, I run a HERMS: I stir once a few minutes after underletting the strike and that's all. But hopefully the recirculation keeps the gravity fairly even, and I'll draw all samples from the tip of the wort return tubing floating atop the mash, for consistency...

Cheers!