Black IPA/CDA

[tomoncanterbury]

I have a black IPA/CDA sitting in primary right now, pitched 1package re-hydrated nottingham ale yeast at 70F, it's been fermenting for a week at 64-68F. SG went from 1.070 to 1.030. I'm expecting higher attenuation...looking for FG of 1.012 - 1.014. Should I just wait or should I add another pack of yeast?

Thanks.

 

[C-Rider]

You could warm it up a few degrees now...but I'd wait two more weeks as well to let the yeast "clean" itself up.

 

[tomoncanterbury]

You could warm it up a few degrees now...but I'd wait two more weeks as well to let the yeast "clean" itself up.

So you think I should just wait? Should I try and rouse the yeast a bit? I have an apparent attenuation of 54% on a strain that's supposed to have 80-90%. Did I screw this up somehow? Maybe I didn't aerate the wort enough.

Thanks for your input.

 

[jwalk4]

Double check with a yeast pitch rate calc. 1 pack for 1.070 seems like an underpitch to me. Especially, since danstar packs hold 1 billion less cells than fermented products (5 vs. 6).

 

[tomoncanterbury]

Double check with a yeast pitch rate calc. 1 pack for 1.070 seems like an underpitch to me. Especially, since danstar packs hold 1 billion less cells than fermented products (5 vs. 6).

Ah ok. I asked if I should get two packs and the guy at the store told me I wouldn't need two. According to calculator I need at least another pack.
Thanks for your input.

 

[65C]

The underpitch is only going to slow it down isn't it?

It sounds like it's had a good ferment going already

I have no idea what I'm talking about - but I'd give it a shake and get it a bit warmer before adding anything else

I had one in the fridge I thought had finished, moved it to room temp and it went for another 5 days after that

 

[GrimBrewer]

Have you given the fermenter a "shake" yet? Not realy a shake, more of a swirl. Move the liquid clockwise wth out spashing . Stirs up yeast that have settled down. So far, everytime I thought I had a stall fermenter, I gave it a swirl and another week. No need for more yeast.

 

[tomoncanterbury]

Have you given the fermenter a "shake" yet? Not realy a shake, more of a swirl. Move the liquid clockwise wth out spashing . Stirs up yeast that have settled down. So far, everytime I thought I had a stall fermenter, I gave it a swirl and another week. No need for more yeast.

I'll give it a try thanks.

 

[tomoncanterbury]

I added more yeast about 24 hrs ago still not much going on. I guess I'll just wait it out another week and see where we end up.

 

[tomoncanterbury]

Took an SG reading only dropped to 1.028 from 1.030 in about a week after re-pitching. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[jrgtr42]

Took an SG reading only dropped to 1.028 from 1.030 in about a week after re-pitching. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

What was your procedure and recipe? Temps and gravities involved?
That might help us diagnose what may be going on.
You're at 2 weeks fermenting with a gravity 15 points higher than you expected. There's something going on, either way higher mash temps, way high / low pitch, or a lot of unfermentables going on.

 

[tomoncanterbury]

What was your procedure and recipe? Temps and gravities involved?
That might help us diagnose what may be going on.
You're at 2 weeks fermenting with a gravity 15 points higher than you expected. There's something going on, either way higher mash temps, way high / low pitch, or a lot of unfermentables going on.

450g Dark Crystal Malt (Crushed)
170g Malted Wheat(Crushed)
90g Black Malt(Crushed)
5.2kg Unhopped Dark liquid malt extract
52g Simcoe hops (Boiling)
55g Cascade hops (Flavouring hops)
85g Simcoe hops (Finishing hops)
Nottingham ale yeast

Steeped grains for 30 minutes @ 155-160 F. Added LME and then brought to a boil (30 minute boil). Added 52g Simcoe at 30 minutes, 55g Cascade at 8 minutes, and 85g Simcoe at 1 minute. Cold water bath and brought temperature below 100 F. Mixed with cold water and topped up to 23L. OG was 1.068 Pitched the yeast (re-hydrated) at 75 degrees. Fermented a week at 68 and then when it seemed stalled I re-pitched and brought the temperature up to 72 where it's been for a week.

Thanks.

 

[tomoncanterbury]

It's been suggested to me that pH could be the problem and adding potassium carbonate and re-pitching could get fermentation going again. Can anyone attest to this?