Brown Ale low gravity reading after 3 weeks

[Mekju Sam]

Gravity reading from primary was quite high after three weeks. Target FG: 1.012 however the reading was 1.030, OG: 1.052 which give a 2.9% ABV.

I did move the beer from a warm location (70F) to a cooler location (65F) after about 10 days. Not sure if that stalled the fermentation. The beer tastes good just wondering if I should ferment longer, just bottle it or another suggestion.

Thanks

 

[yourlastchance89]

Should be lower than that after 3 weeks. What cell count of yeast did you pitch?

 

[Mekju Sam]

Should be lower than that after 3 weeks. What cell count of yeast did you pitch?

I used London Ale Yeast and put in the whole package, I think it was 42 grams.

 

[RM-MN]

Gravity reading from primary was quite high after three weeks. Target FG: 1.012 however the reading was 1.030, OG: 1.052 which give a 2.9% ABV.

I did move the beer from a warm location (70F) to a cooler location (65F) after about 10 days. Not sure if that stalled the fermentation. The beer tastes good just wondering if I should ferment longer, just bottle it or another suggestion.

The beer should have been at final gravity within about 4 days so moving it on day 10 to a cooler location would have no bearing on the problem. Your measured final gravity at 1.030 looks like what we often see when people use refractometers after the beer ferments. If you did use a refractometer you need to use a correction formula as the alcohol in beer skews the reading. Best would be to use a hydrometer for all readings after the yeast is pitched.

 

[Mekju Sam]

The beer should have been at final gravity within about 4 days so moving it on day 10 to a cooler location would have no bearing on the problem. Your measured final gravity at 1.030 looks like what we often see when people use refractometers after the beer ferments. If you did use a refractometer you need to use a correction formula as the alcohol in beer skews the reading. Best would be to use a hydrometer for all readings after the yeast is pitched.

Thank you. I actually used 12grams of dry yeast not 41. Also I used a hydrometer. My friend made the same beer with the same yeast and his didn't ferment at all after 1 month. He had it in a colder space. Maybe this particular yeast needs to be warmer. I just moved it upstairs again and will give it another week.

 

[RM-MN]

London Ale Yeast has a preferred temperature range from 66-71F so that shouldn't be the problem and it shouldn't take a month to finish either. Letting it warm won't hurt it and it might help.

 

[Mekju Sam]

I'll post if the extra time helped after a week. Either way I will bottle it next week.

 

[ncbrewer]

What was the wort temperature when you pitched?
Old yeast, or did the yeast get hot?

 

[Mekju Sam]

The wort was under 20C or 68F when I pitched the yeast. I used the yeast within a week of buying it and I took it out of the fridge a few hours before pitching.

One new element this time was fermenting in a 5 gallon bucket for a 3 gallon batch. I usually use a 3 gallon bucket.

 

[ESBrewer]

How is the wort prepared is it extract or all grain? Is London Ale still fresh (there should be expire date on the package), you did not use starter culture?

 

[Mekju Sam]

How is the wort prepared is it extract or all grain? Is London Ale still fresh (there should be expire date on the package), you did not use starter culture?

The recipe was all-grain and it was a package from the brew store so no starter culture. I think I may have hydrated the yeast before pitching as the instructions asked.

 

[ESBrewer]

Sorry I didn't notice that you are obviously using a dry yeast as there are liquid yeasts that are branded 'London Ale'. I'm not familiar with this yeast, but I suspect there could be something wrong with the yeast (or maybe the grain bill) as the attenuation was extremely low and you noticed that your friend saw no fermentation at all, using the same yeast. If the yeast is healthy, warming it up won't hurt. You probably aerated the wort before you pitched.

 

[Mekju Sam]

I fermented another week and the reading was the same at 1.030. Thanks for the trouble shooting suggestions.

 

[knotquiteawake]

At this point I would just toss something neutral like nottingham in there and let it ferment down or repitch with the same yeast you started with. There's a reason they call nottingham yeast the "Backup plan". You keep a few packets in your fridge for just this kind of occasion. I would NOT bottle at 1.030, if the yeast wake back up you'll have bottle bombs.

 

[Mekju Sam]

At this point I would just toss something neutral like nottingham in there and let it ferment down or repitch with the same yeast you started with. There's a reason they call nottingham yeast the "Backup plan". You keep a few packets in your fridge for just this kind of occasion. I would NOT bottle at 1.030, if the yeast wake back up you'll have bottle bombs.

I will try to get some of that yeast and repitch. Thanks.

 

[Mekju Sam]

So I can just add the dry yeast to the fermenter? Someone recommended adding some of the beer to the yeast and see if it ferments then add it to the beer.

 

[knotquiteawake]

So I can just add the dry yeast to the fermenter? Someone recommended adding some of the beer to the yeast and see if it ferments then add it to the beer.

I just tested a stout I started a few weeks ago and found it was STILL at 1.022. So I rehydrate some Nottingham yeast and pitched that into the beer. Hope NG for the best. I suggest you do the same.

 

[Mekju Sam]

I added the dry yeast to the fermentor last night and the aerator started percolating the next morning. Things are looking up. I'll do a reading in a few days.

 

[Mekju Sam]

Just to follow up on the posting, as I said before I added yeast and the aerator was percolating for three days so I was expecting some fermentation but in the end the gravity was exactly the same as before, 1.030 so I bottled the beer. Thanks for the help everyone.