First Issue In Years (Stuck Fermentation)

[RainyDay]

Brewed a massive stout 16 days ago (18lbs 2row, about 2-3 lbs combined chocolate malt, crystal malt, flaked oats, 8oz lactose, 2.5lbs dme and 1lb corn sugar in boil). At day 2 of fermentation 1 added boiled and cooled invert sugar (1lb corn sugar used). When all was said and done, had an OG of 1.166. Used a 4l starter of White Labs 099 super high gravity yeast (a little under pitched.

Took a reading today and it's only at 1.104. I (gently) stirred the yeast, and will check in a few days. If it still hasnt gone down much, im considering making another starter and pitching (though im sure there's still plenty of yeast in there), or even use champagne yeast to drop it. Also warming it up a little (70 degrees ambient instead of 65-68 degrees ambient).

This is the first 'incident' ive had in a while, but im somewhat looking forward to the process of working it out. Ive read quite a few threads on stuck fermentation in my few years of brewing, but im never opposed to more ideas/tips/tricks from people who've been in similar situations

I was going to RDWHAHB, but bought a sixer of Lagunitas Sucks, and am thoroughly enjoying that!

 

[johnsnownw]

In the future, I think the use of pure o2 would greatly benefit a beer of that magnitude.

 

[RainyDay]

In the future, I think the use of pure o2 would greatly benefit a beer of that magnitude.

Yeah, Ive been seeing that a lot. I did a pretty decent aeration job, but it was limited to shaking the crap out of the carboy with the wort in there before pitching the yeast.

 

[johnsnownw]

Yeah, Ive been seeing that a lot. I did a pretty decent aeration job, but it was limited to shaking the crap out of the carboy with the wort in there before pitching the yeast.

Unfortunately, the most you can introduce that way is 8ppm...and IIRC it's recommended to have 10 ppm (only attainable through pure o2) for most beers above 1.100.

If you have the money and can get a hold of a pure o2 aeration system, you may want to try it on this brew.

 

[RainyDay]

Unfortunately, the most you can introduce that way is 8ppm...and IIRC it's recommended to have 10 ppm (only attainable through pure o2) for most beers above 1.100.

If you have the money and can get a hold of a pure o2 aeration system, you may want to try it on this brew.

That's good info! Do you have a setup you use or recommend?

 

[johnsnownw]

That's good info! Do you have a setup you use or recommend?

I don't have one, I will after this Christmas! I've been doing quite a bit of research on them, and I think I've decided on this one:

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/WILLIAMS-OXYGEN-AERATION-SYSTEM-P699C106.aspx

It has a rod that keeps the "stone" down at the bottom of the carboy. The only thing I wish it came with was a .5 micron stone...but the ones I've been able to find with that measurement only come with the plastic tubing. The issue with the plastic tubing is that it will float around and move up from the bottom when in use.

I've been holding out on beers above 1.100...the last big one I brewed was a Wee Heavy at 1.094. Going to brew a RIS in mid-Jan.

 

[poptarts]

you can also add a fraction of a drop of olive oil to replace the oxygen. I contains something very similar to what the yeast use use oxygen to make so the skip the step. I would recommend that and stirring the crap out of if and bumping up the temp a bit before pitching more yeast.

 

[Malric]

If I remember, the olive oil should be limited to something like the tip of a toothpick. Could be wrong as I've never done it. I use an O2 bottle for 30-45 seconds full blast.

 

[poptarts]

If I remember, the olive oil should be limited to something like the tip of a toothpick. Could be wrong as I've never done it. I use an O2 bottle for 30-45 seconds full blast.

Yea half or quarter drop should do the trick. Just put a drop on the stir spoon and wipe most of it off before you give it a big stir

 

[RainyDay]

Yea half or quarter drop should do the trick. Just put a drop on the stir spoon and wipe most of it off before you give it a big stir

You're talking pre-fermentation, yeah? I wonder if it would do anything at this point (the drop of olive oil with a little bit of rustling, not the big stir).

 

[poptarts]

Your gravity is high enough I would try.

 

[Malric]

A yeast nutrient wouldn't hurt either. Are you still seeing a drop or is it completely stalled? If you do the olive oil, stirring will rouse the yeast. Otherwise, I would rock the fermentor.

 

[RainyDay]

Thanks all. This was my first reading since brewing, but ill check again in a fee days. Im also going to try the olive oil trick to see if that will do anything, before trying to add invert sugar.

 

[RainyDay]

*few days. Since the gravity is so high, would it be worth it to give it a little shake for insurance, to get even more oxygen in there if the olive oil trick doesnt work?

 

[poptarts]

i agree a bit of yeast nutrient and energizer would help too. and yes since the gravity is so high i would give it a good stir at the very least.

 

[RainyDay]

I ended up adding a drop of olive oil, some yeast nutrient (half tsp per gallon), and a bit of O2 (method not important...), so we'll see what happens! Im feeling optimistic about it. I bought some dry champagne yeast just in case, and maybe just to dry it out at the end if all goes according to plan just for kicks (the whole goal of this was to make a good tasting stout with as much abv as I could muster). Thanks for the tips; Ill keep you posted!

 

[RainyDay]

About 3.5 weeks ago, I re-pitched a 4l starter and added 4oz of simple syrup to get the team going. Good fermentation at first, but now it's still going. When I say still going, I dont mean airlock activity, I mean I can still see the yeast moving around, albeit slowly. Im going to let it be, and while I know WLP099 takes its time, this is crazy. From all signs, its doing what it needs to and there's obviously food to eat if they're still moving, but it's very odd. Anyone else experience anything like this before?

 

[RainyDay]

Still working on this one. Im currently at 1.060 and 14.44% abv, but it's not moving. I seem to recall the temp dropping too low in the mash and instead of adding more water (didnt want to have to boil for even longer) I took some runnings and boiled it and added it back to the mash to raise the temp. In retrospect, that may not have been a good idea in that it may have stopped conversion, but on how much (volume), im unsure.

At any rate, I think I may need to cut the batch with some water (not from the tap, boiled and cooled), but I cant find my notes to calculate the 'FG' im looking for and the ABV after that. I want to end with 1.035 after adding the water, and I know water is 1.000, but I cant work out the formula. Additionally, with water being 0% ABV, how would I calculate that too? Here's the current numbers:

O.G. (after a few invert sugar additions): 1.070
Current volume: 3.75 gallons
Desired F.G.: 1.035
Current ABV: 14.44%

Can someone be a stud and help me with the math (specifically the formula itself if anything changes; I just pitched some more yeast)? Im also open to other suggestions to bring the gravity down if I really do still have some fermentables in there.


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