Back to Back Stuck Fermentations - What am I doing wrong?!?

[ttuato]

Equipment:
Grainfather
Fermentation mini-fridge with inkbird
Speidel fermentor
Temp Correction - refractometer

I am on my second AG batch. The first batch had stuck fermentation and my second does too PLEASE HELP!!!!

Batch 1:
5.75 gal into fermentor
OG 1.065
Expected FG ~1.012
Averagely Perfect Northeast IPA from the BA forum
Wyeast 1318
What I did wrong: pitch yeast warm (75degrees), only pitched one packet (less than one month old).
After three days temp controlled fermenation - Batch stalled @1.040 for three days. Tried agitating liquid through vigorous shaking hoping to wake up yeast---three days later, nada.... Pitched another yeast pouch (less than a month old) --- three days later, dropped to 1.030.....seven day later 1.030.....drained it
I figured that I underpitched....made a stir plate, bought a erlenmeyer & stir bar.

Batch 2:
5.75 gal into fermentor
OG 1.066 (added a little more 2 row to drive up the OG)
Expected FG~1.012
Braufessor Northeast IPA
White Labs WLP002 (LBHS said friends with guys at Trillium - this what they use. Who knows I figured I would try something different) - yeast two weeks old
2 step starter. 1L in DME (1.040), decant transferred to 1L in DME (1.040) - used stir plate kept at ambient temp ~73. Decanted final starter, added my final wort @76 degrees, agitated to get some krausen rolling. Pitched into wort @70 degrees, temp lowered to 64. After two days 1.035, day three 1.035.. **de ja vu kicks in**.. I agitated the wort to resuspend the yeast....two days later 1.035
What I did wrong?????

HELP!?!?!

 

[ttuato]

Checked the calibration on my refactometer - all good

 

[TechyDork]

Can you post your recipes? Are these AG or extract? ** Missed the equipment list**

 

[TechyDork]

Checked the calibration on my refactometer - all good

This may be part of your problem, refractometers are only good pre fermentation. Once there is alcohol present the reading must be converted, but I would really recommend a hydrometer for post fermentation readings.

 

[ttuato]

:smack::smack::smack:

I did not know that (I am new to this). So basically your are telling me that I do NOT have a stuck fermentation and I drain poured uneccessarily the last batch...

 

[TechyDork]

There are a few calculators out there that will correct the post fermentation refractometer reading for you. Try this one. (it is in Brix not SG but you can convert that too) Your first batch that read 1.030 once corrected for the presence of alcohol should have been roughly 1.010. The second that read 1.035 should be 1.017 once corrected.

Did you taste the wort before dumping? if it truly was 1.030 it would have been very sweet.

 

[ttuato]

Yes I tasted it....not sweet....

Lesson learned: use a hydrometer...

Thank you for your help!

 

[TechyDork]

No Problem.

 

[jwelch1103]

Techy is correct, there is a calculation to estimate abv using refractometer readings but once alcohol is present the best accuracy is using a hydrometer. The fermentation may or may not be stuck.

 

[jdauria]

Use a yeast calculator too and pitch the proper amount of yeast, yeast starters are your friend!

 

[rtracer]

And don't take reading at three days! I know its exciting and I get the feeling that you need to check it, but just give it a week minimum,and then check.
I'm to the point now, I never check it until my planned dryhop day. Usually about 7-14 days after pitching.