Fementing Stalled

[C-Rider]

Any ideas why this Stout stopped fermenting?

8.00 lb Pale Liquid Extract
0.75 lb Chocolate Malt
0.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L
0.13 lb Black (Patent) Malt
0.13 lb Roasted Barley
0.5 lb Lactose
8.00 oz Malto-Dextrine
1.00 oz Galena (60 min) Hops
1.00 oz Galena (5 min) Hops
2.0 oz unsweetened Cocoa (5 min)
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04)
-------------------------------------------
Est OG=1.063
Est FG=1.016
Est ABV=6.05
--------------------------------------------

OG going into fermenter was .064
After 1 week it was down to .039
After 2 weeks it was still at .039
At 2.5 weeks added pack of Champagne yeast.
After 6 days it was down to .036
After 21 more days still at .036
--------------------------------------------
Any ideas why this ain't going down any more?

 

[BendBrewer]

Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[FensterBos]

What temperature are you fermenting at? And what sort of "pitching procedure" did you do; did you make a starter?

 

[C-Rider]

Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer?

Hydrometer w/temp correcting.

 

[C-Rider]

What temperature are you fermenting at? And what sort of "pitching procedure" did you do; did you make a starter?

Using a tub, water and ice blocks temps were kept between 65 & 70.

Just sprinkled the dry yeast on top of the beer/wort. No starter, no hydration.

 

[Krrazy]

Hmm, strange. What is there temperature like where it's fermenting? The fact that you added more yeast and that didn't really do much makes it seem like either there's no more fermentable content or something external is preventing any further fermentation.

 

[C-Rider]

Hmm, strange. What is there temperature like where it's fermenting? The fact that you added more yeast and that didn't really do much makes it seem like either there's no more fermentable content or something external is preventing any further fermentation.

Outside temps during the day 72-80 nights 68-70

My thouhgts are same, nothing left to ferment, but the software says there should be a lot more????

Oh well it still tastes good, will probably bottle this weekend.

 

[C-Rider]

Wonder if somehow I screwed up the steeping and didn't convert the sugars??????

 

[Yooper]

Outside temps during the day 72-80 nights 68-70

My thouhgts are same, nothing left to ferment, but the software says there should be a lot more????

Oh well it still tastes good, will probably bottle this weekend.

The software doesn't take the amount of unfermentables into account. IT's just a simple math, probably about 75% of the OG. It also doesn't take into account the actual attenuation, or the amount of crystal malt. Lactose is unfermentable, so .5 pound in a 5 gallon batch is .004 right there "added" to the Fg. I believe malto-dextrine would be unfermentable as well, and .5 pound of that would add to the FG also.

You got 1.057 or so out of the extract, so I assume .006 came from the mash.

Caramel malts aren't all that fermentable, so I suspect your beer is done.

 

[C-Rider]

The software doesn't take the amount of unfermentables into account. IT's just a simple math, probably about 75% of the OG. It also doesn't take into account the actual attenuation, or the amount of crystal malt. Lactose is unfermentable, so .5 pound in a 5 gallon batch is .004 right there "added" to the Fg. I believe malto-dextrine would be unfermentable as well, and .5 pound of that would add to the FG also.

You got 1.057 or so out of the extract, so I assume .006 came from the mash.

Caramel malts aren't all that fermentable, so I suspect your beer is done.

Thanks Yooper, so you're saying that BeerSmith thinks the unfermentables are fermentable and give an OG that is to high? If so next time I should leave them out of the BS recipe to calculate OG and then add them for the record?

 

[millhouse46]

There has been a similar problem with the oatmeal stout kit put together by better brewing. Mine has been in primary for a week now and after 3 days is stuck at 1.030 and the final is supposed to be around 1.021. There is a older thread on here about it. Search oatmeal stout if u are interested. In anycase I am going to add amylace to mine to help break down some the unfermentable starches. It worked for someone else and I did some reading about it and it adds up. It is being shipped as we speak and I will put a post up with the results. Good luck and happy brewing.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks Yooper, so you're saying that BeerSmith thinks the unfermentables are fermentable and give an OG that is to high? If so next time I should leave them out of the BS recipe to calculate OG and then add them for the record?

No, I'm saying that the FG estimate is too low!

 

[C-Rider]

No, I'm saying that the FG estimate is too low!

OK, I think I'm getting it. BS thinks they can be fermented and thus the low FG estimate. ABV seems to be about 3.66 from my readings. Taste is good, and should get better when I add the coffee at bottling time.

Mahalo nui loa!

 

[millhouse46]

Have you thought of adding amylace to get fermentation going again?

 

[C-Rider]

Have you thought of adding amylace to get fermentation going again?

To tell the truth I've never heard of it. Tried "search" and got a lot of links, but none really mentioned how it would kick start fermentation.

 

[Yooper]

To tell the truth I've never heard of it. Tried "search" and got a lot of links, but none really mentioned how it would kick start fermentation.

I wouldn't use amylase. What it does is break up the long chain sugars, making the beer more fermentable. It is great for getting a nice thin dry light cream ale, but I wouldn't use it in a stout.

I think your beer is done. Hopefully, it's not too sweet.

 

[dcp27]

I disagree that its done. while the rest of the recipe is either unfermentable or mostly, the extract still should have fermented along more, which would drop the FG at least another 10pts. sometimes S-04 flocs out early so if you haven't already tried it, i'd gently swirl the fermenter to rouse up some yeast and let it warm up. if that doesn't work, id try adding an active starter. if that doesn't work, you can add 1tbs of amylase.

Also, champagne yeast doesn't work for stuck ferments. wine yeasts can only consume simple sugars, so they're only really useful for high ABV beers to gaurentee carbonation.