Cold Crashed to early

[Patto]

Hi all
So I was doing a lager FWK with 34/70 yeast at 12* C and a snub nose fermentor.
After a week it went down from 1.06 to 1.027 and stayed there for 3 days.
Being a newbie I thought it was done so I cold crashed it and transferred to a keg to start carbonation. I also got rid of the sludge.
Yes I now realize the the fermentation was stuck and I went way too early. I thought it had finished due to the Gravity readings.
Currently its sitting at around 20*C doing not much.
So what can I do now to save it.
Do I pitch some more yeast in and restart the process.
Just put it back in the temp fridge andbring the temp down restart
Toss it
or other options
TIA

 

[ba-brewer]

What did the information for the kit say about final gravity and the make up of the grain bill?

How long has it been back to 20C and is it still in the keg? It might take a couple days for the yeast that was still in the beer to come back to life and get working.

How much yeast did you pitch originally? If you did not pitch two or three packs that might be why it stalled. It also helps to increase the temp by a few degrees ever couple days to drive the yeast to keep working.

You could try adding more yeast too, I would rehydrate the yeast to give it a running start.

 

[kmarkstevens]

Don't toss it. You may find the act of racking to your keg reactivated your yeasties and they are working away.

Is it spunding in your keg? In other words, pull the release valve on the keg for a second to check if there is a hiss? If there is a hiss of escaping CO2, then just leave it along for a few days as it naturally ferments and carbonates your keg (aka spunding). Now, your CO2 level is going to be a crap shoot. Over carbonated, then just keep pouring yourself pints until it is about the "right" carbonation, then attach your CO2 valve and push out the rest.

If it's under carbonated, relax, don't worry and have a home brew, and then attach your CO2 valve and force carb until ready.

If you pull the pressure release valve and don't get a hiss, then you could open and pitch some more yeast.

 

[Patto]

So there is pressure and I have put a spunding valve on. Set it at around 12 psi. Hopefully thats a good sign.
I had put 2 packets of yeast in at the start so should have been plenty.
Has been at 20C for around 5 days so I've also put it back in the temp fridge at 13C.
What to you reckon? Good to go now?

 

[ba-brewer]

i would leave it at 20C, dropping to 13C might make it stall again.

If you are able to run the output of your spunding valve into some water or sanitizer it it helpful to judge fermentation activity.

 

[Patto]

Ok will do

 

[Patto]

Also what pressure should I set the spunding valve. Currently 12 psi

 

[ba-brewer]

if it is at 20C 28psi will give you 2.5volumes of carbonation. Increasing the pressure a little like to 15psi will tell you if it the yeast is working. fermentation slows with increased pressure I would not increase too much until you know the yeast is working.

 

[Beermeister32]

Just leave it alone for 3-4 weeks. If you want, toss in some more yeast. There’s no rush, let it do its thing.

 

[RufusBrewer]

How does the beer taste? Does it taste sweet, dry, balanced, or what? Are you happy with the beer? What do you want change, if anything?

The answers to the questions dominate what you do going forward.

 

[Patto]

How does the beer taste? Does it taste sweet, dry, balanced, or what? Are you happy with the beer? What do you want change, if anything?

The answers to the questions dominate what you do going forward.

Its very sweet. No where near dry enough.

 

[kmarkstevens]

The taste test is a good one. If it's sweet and unbalanced, then it's not done. The fact that it is fermenting in the keg and you've got a spunding valve is good. Just give it more time at 20C

 

[odie]

Just warm the keg and let it finish. I cold crashed and kegged a dopplebock too early. several months later after tapping the keg I realized what happened. I pulled the keg and let it warm for a couple weeks and it finished out just fine to FG.