how long is too long with no krausen going on?

[Hoochin'Fool]

Made a 3-gallon, extract-based chocolate porter wort (1.064 SG) five days ago. Pitched a full pack of S-04 at 70F, and verified that fermentation appeared to be going okay the next morning. But then I got busy, and was out of town for a few days, and when I finally had a chance to check on my bucket, saw the "fermometer" on my bucket was reading 58F, and the beer itself was completely flat, as if all fermentation had halted.

I've since moved my bucket to a warmer part of the basement, but still doesn't seem to be any activity (only been 2 hrs tho).

Anything else I should do? I can't just RDWHAHB, because I'm out!!!

 

[Dr_Jeff]

What is the specific gravity, it's likely done.

 

[brewbama]

Anything else I should do?

take a gravity reading

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Starting Brix was 16.sumthing, and 16.5 would match exactly what the software predicted.
Current Brix is 12-ish (hard to read, pretty cloudy).

So OG ~ 1.065
Current gravity: 1.035 ish

Definitely tastes very sweet

I've made this recipe before, and it went down to 1.014 iirc.

 

[brewbama]

Are you using a refractometer? Did you use a correction factor to account for the alcohol?

If so, rousing the yeast and warming it up could help.

 

[hotbeer]

Was there a expected FG for the recipe? Though 1.035 probably means there is more to do. Especially since you got a 1.014 previously. Same yeast and same recipe?

You might try to hold the temp more constant and see if it starts back fermenting. I usually shoot to maintain the ambient air temp around 69°F and let the beer coast as high as it wants with it's temp. Which usually has been up to 74 - 76°F during the very active part of it's ferment. And that's only about 12 - 24 hours then it goes back down near the ambient air temps.

Give it 3 or 4 more days after you get it into warmer and more stable temps. Then check the FG again. If nothing by then you might have to try more drastic stuff or just bottle/keg it and accept it for whatever it is.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Yes, refractometer. Using the Refractometer Calculator - Brewer's Friend -- it's been very accurate with my cross-checked hydrometer measurements in the past.

I haven't tried rousing the yeast yet, will give that a shot. It has been brought to a warmer room. Expected FG is 1.014

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Looks like things are slowly coming back to life, getting a few bubbles when I peeked under the lid. Temp is at 68F now.