Fermentation Disaster

[cjdezz]

I started brewing a malt extract stout with a live yeast that I got from an actual stout brewery here in Ireland. I guess the fact that the yeast was so used to working with the wort it's been getting since the late 1700's is the most probable reason that fermentation stopped halfway through and was stuck at 1020 for three days! I've now put it into a keg a pressurised it up but did not prime. It tastes good but only has 3% alcohol!

My question is should I still prime when botteling or will I be making hand grenades???????

 

[Bert]

I've primed and bottled at 1.020 and ended up with glass grenades.

If it was me I'm try to get the fermentation started again. Raise the temperature, roust the yeast, make a big starter and re-pitch, etc.

 

[Coastarine]

Bert, you must have missed the part about it being in a keg.

If you have it in a keg under pressure it will be carbonated after about a week, and you can bottle it then. I assume you have a way of bottling from the keg? If not see here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/we-no-need-no-stinking-beer-gun-24678/ There will be no need to prime it then, as the purpose of priming is carbonating in the bottle.

 

[Bert]

Yeah, I thought he kegged half and was going to bottle the other half or something.

If he's forced carbing priming shouldn't be an issue... but he asks about priming. So I'm officially confused.

 

[XXguy]

I started brewing ...... It tastes good but only has 3% alcohol!

If it tastes good - you can drink twice as much with half the buzz. What's the problem?

 

[cjdezz]

I don't have it under any serious pressure in the keg as I'm just using those little CO2 bulbs. I was hoping to bottle condition it with cane sugar after a week or so of conditioning in the keg but I'm worried that the bottles may go boom! what do you reckon?

 

[Bert]

I would not prime and bottle at 1.020 if the OG was in the normal ~1.050 range.

 

[cjdezz]

OG was 1042

 

[Bert]

I'd say definitely do not prime and bottle, then.

You're at about 52% apparent attenuation. The typical range is from 65 to 80% so there's almost definitely more fermentation that still needs to occur.

 

[cjdezz]

The recipe i'm using states a F.G. of 1015 which i guess is a little higher than your standard 1005 maybe because dark malt and roasted barley are used. does this effect anything?

 

[Bert]

My beers usually have an OG around 1.050 and finish around 1.010 - 1.012.

One time I brewed a wit (OG ~ 1.050) and even after four week in primary it wouldn't drop below 1.020 so I bottled. After couple weeks they were exploding and gushing like crazy.

Without having the exact recipe and exact yeast variety it's tough to say where it should finish but ~50% attenuation is lower than I've ever had on a finished beer and is outside the normal range.

 

[Rhymenoceros]

I've heard beano will help stuck fermentation. I don't know much more, but you can do a search. Also, I thought I had a few stuck ferments, but then I just calibrated my hydrometer and turns out they were where they were supposed to be. But with your OG, I don't think it will make much of a difference.

 

[Coastarine]

This thaeread is af uckin DIASTER. wHat thew hel sis the bear doing oin tha keg tif ayou wangon a bot.le it?! ANasd FUUUUUkcin BEANO!? beani can obe good but it never quitt.

Freakin DIASTER

 

[Yooper]

I'm not sure what coasterine was trying to say, but I'm certain part of it was "don't use Beano!" And I positively agree.

How long ago did you start this beer? If it's less than 3 weeks ago, then don't worry yet.

Some beers made with extract will just NOT ferment below 1.020, no matter what you do. You won't get grenades if you bottle. You may want to decrease the priming sugar a little, but you normally do that for stouts anyway. 1.020 isn't out of line for a stout at all.

Are you planning on keeping it in the keg, bottling it, or half and half? If it's in the pressure barrel, no worries. You'll be fine.

 

[llazy_llama]

This thaeread is af uckin DIASTER. wHat thew hel sis the bear doing oin tha keg tif ayou wangon a bot.le it?! ANasd FUUUUUkcin BEANO!? beani can obe good but it never quitt.

Freakin DIASTER

Yeah, man. Totally.

Seriously though, pop an aspirin, drink a few glasses of water, and take it easy on the Apfelwein next time.

Edited: Temporarily immortalized in my sig.

 

[orangeandblue302]

i laughed pretty damn hard at this thread..bahahaha

 

[ghostbrewer]

The recipe i'm using states a F.G. of 1015 which i guess is a little higher than your standard 1005 maybe because dark malt and roasted barley are used. does this effect anything?

I have a similar concern about "glass grenades." I'm working a batch of oatmeal stout - OG of 1.054. I took a SG yesterday after 5 days of 1.011. I plan to prime with brown sugar using the guidance in John Palmer's "How to Brew": How to Brew - By John Palmer - Priming Solutions

This is my first batch, so any input will be appreciated!!

 

[orangeandblue302]

I have a similar concern about "glass grenades." I'm working a batch of oatmeal stout - OG of 1.054. I took a SG yesterday after 5 days of 1.011. I plan to prime with brown sugar using the guidance in John Palmer's "How to Brew": How to Brew - By John Palmer - Priming Solutions

This is my first batch, so any input will be appreciated!!

How long has it been in the fermenter?

 

[ghostbrewer]

Total of 6 days now.

 

[llazy_llama]

Total of 6 days now.

Still way too early to be doing stuff.

 

[ghostbrewer]

Still way too early to be doing stuff.

Understand the too early part. I do not plan on bottling for at least another 2-3 weeks. I am, however, thinking about racking to a secondary this weekend.

 

[Bert]

I have a similar concern about "glass grenades." I'm working a batch of oatmeal stout - OG of 1.054. I took a SG yesterday after 5 days of 1.011. I plan to prime with brown sugar using the guidance in John Palmer's "How to Brew": How to Brew - By John Palmer - Priming Solutions

This is my first batch, so any input will be appreciated!!

You could bottle at that gravity without concern over glass grenades.

That being said, I would leave it in primary for at least another week before going to secondary (if desired.)

 

[MX1]

Understand the too early part. I do not plan on bottling for at least another 2-3 weeks. I am, however, thinking about racking to a secondary this weekend.

I use the BlackJack brewing plan.

21 days at every stage 21 primary, 21 secondary, 21 in the bottle....

I only really 2nd to free up my primary, and to give a little more time for aging.

Tim

 

[ghpeel]

Its a WHOLE 'nother debate, but I wouldn't do secondary unless:

1) I really needed my main carboy
2) The recipe called for the beer to be crystal clear and I wanted it judged
3) I was adding fruit to make a fruit beer

Advice to other new brewers, do not bother with a secondary if you are brewing anything that doesn't fit the criteria above. As you get more advanced, then you can learn about what secondaries do (and don't do) to your beer, but it seems like every "first beer" thread or post here mentions doing a secondary.

I think a ton of brewing literature advocates secondaries like they are required, but trust me (well, me just parroting what a ton of great people here have said...): You do not need a secondary to make great beer.

 

[ghostbrewer]

All - thanks for the input. I will post what the final outcome is.

 

[dontman]

This thaeread is af uckin DIASTER. wHat thew hel sis the bear doing oin tha keg tif ayou wangon a bot.le it?! ANasd FUUUUUkcin BEANO!? beani can obe good but it never quitt.

Freakin DIASTER

Quote worthy!

Reverend!
what a wonderful exhibition of frontier gibber gabber.