Big Beer Fermentation Problems

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bkaqm6

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Not sure if its a problem or not, just wondering what to do next.
I made an AHS The Abyss Clone Kit. My SG was 1.132, a little higher than it was supposed to be, but I did a longer boil to try and increase my SG. I pitched two vials of White Labs English Ale yeast. After 6 days of fermentation, the SG is now 1.060 with very little activity. Should I just give it time, pitch a different, higher ABV yeast like champagne yeast? And if so, reagitate? Thanks in advance!
 
That's a huge beer! Yea, you need more alcohol tolerant yeast if you want it to go lower. I've read where champagne yeast has been used for this, but personally, I would get one of the super-high-gravity ale yeasts to finish it off.
 
I'm assuming that you used WLP002, and if that's the case you might have a problem as that yeast only has a medium alcohol tolerance. Did you ferment on the low side of the yeast's range or the high side? If you were on the low side, you might try raising the temp a degree or two, rouse the yeast and see if that works. If not, you might add WLP007, Dry English Ale Yeast - it has a higher alcohol tolerance and might help finish your beer. I personally would avoid champagne yeast as it will likely make your beer too dry for the style.

Best of luck!
 
Yes, I used WLP002. I fermented around 69-71 degrees, ill raise the temp and see if that gets me anywhere and probably order the other yeast. Should I re-agitate when pitching?
 
I recently had this happen with a RIS (1.116 - 1.040).

My mistake was under-pitching compounded with a sudden temp drop....so it stalled at 1.040 instead of hitting 1.033 target.

First I tried to warm up and slightly agitate - got nothing...my yeasties were pooped.
Then I tried to inoculate with yeast #43 (per LHBS rec at around a 15% success rate) - no change after 1 week.

LHBS suggested I brew a blend - meaning, I would brew a complimentary beer (or the same beer) and rack the stalled wort to the active new brew in 1 gallon increments per 5 gallon active wort every 6 hours or so.

For my problem they suggested an Oatmeal Stout to be blended with my high FG RIS...seems pretty fool proof to me (please note I am still a beginner)

So I'll post as to how my Oatmeal Imperial Stout turned out in a few months :ban:
 
Yes, I used WLP002. I fermented around 69-71 degrees, ill raise the temp and see if that gets me anywhere and probably order the other yeast. Should I re-agitate when pitching?

Raise the temp and rouse the yeast by swirling the vessel a bit and gently-DO NOT re-aerate the wort, introducing oxygen at this point would cause oxidation issues.

Basically, you severely under pitched an enormous beer and the yeast crapped out. According to Mr Malty at that OG you would have need 4 vials of yeast and that was with today's date of manufacture or very fresh yeast, I'll assume your'w were not that fresh;)

If the temp and rouse doesn't work you will need to pitch some new yeast, preferably at high krausen from a new starter.
 
Or - brew a small beer of a similar style, let it ferment completely, bottle it, then put this stuck one on the smaller beer's yeast cake. I've had that work beautifully well for a couple stuck ferments.
 
Raise the temp and rouse the yeast by swirling the vessel a bit and gently-DO NOT re-aerate the wort, introducing oxygen at this point would cause oxidation issues.

Basically, you severely under pitched an enormous beer and the yeast crapped out. According to Mr Malty at that OG you would have need 4 vials of yeast and that was with today's date of manufacture or very fresh yeast, I'll assume your'w were not that fresh;)

If the temp and rouse doesn't work you will need to pitch some new yeast, preferably at high krausen from a new starter.

+1 on this. With the next yeast, create a starter and pitch it. It will only set you back 24 hours and will produce better results.

I virtually always use a starter, and for my big beers it's a two-stage starter.
 
Or - brew a small beer of a similar style, let it ferment completely, bottle it, then put this stuck one on the smaller beer's yeast cake. I've had that work beautifully well for a couple stuck ferments.

This is the option I'd go for here.

Two vials w/ no starter in that uber-high gravity wort is an extreme under-pitch. That sort of doomed it from the start. For a beer that huge, I'd want to first make a 5g starter beer, rack it off and pitch the high grav wort on the yeast cake.
 
Not sure if its a problem or not, just wondering what to do next.
I made an AHS The Abyss Clone Kit. My SG was 1.132, a little higher than it was supposed to be, but I did a longer boil to try and increase my SG. I pitched two vials of White Labs English Ale yeast. After 6 days of fermentation, the SG is now 1.060 with very little activity. Should I just give it time, pitch a different, higher ABV yeast like champagne yeast? And if so, reagitate? Thanks in advance!
I am not an expert, but what I have read here is that champagne/wine yeast will not consume maltose, they eat simple sugars, I think glucose. MY ales usually have a OG 1.060-1.070. I use a two liter starter of washed yeast and get attenuation between 80-84%, that is with aerating with o2 and rousing yeast after krusen drops. Also what temperature did you mash at? That will determine the amount of fermentable sugars you have.
 
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