Is Wyeast 1338 always this slow?

[hal simmons]

I made a brown ale on Feb 9 using the the following fermentables and Wyeast 1338.

2 oz Chocolate,
8 oz Crystal 40
8 oz Victory
5 lbs Dry Amber Malt
8 oz Corn Sugar
1 lb Dark Brown Sugar
1 capsule yeast nutrients

Pitched the smack pack contents at around 70 degrees. The fermentation started really slow, no activity for 48 hours, then moderate fermentation after that. I never saw a violent fermentation like i'm used to seeing. Got about an inch of krausen, and the airlock bubbled pretty steadily for about 10 days. The fermentation temps were around 67-69 the entire time.

OG was at 1.054, and I checked after 14 days (two days ago) and it's only down to 1.026. It's supposed to end up at 1.016. The airlock is still burping once every 2 minutes, I've got the temps up to around 69ish, and i'm swirling the carboy once a day to rouse the yeast.

Is this normal for Wyeast 1338 to take this long? It's been in the primary for 16 days now an it looks like it'll need at least another 7-10 days to finish up if it does at all.

 

[scottfro]

what was the date on the smack pack? maybe it was a bit old.
did you oxygenate the wort well before pitching?

 

[hal simmons]

Couldn't read the date since it was all smudged. I smacked the pack about 6 hours before pitching and it swelled like normal. Pitched yeast, and shook carboy for 3-4 minutes like I usually do to oxygenate.

I've done some searching for info about this yeast and i've found ALOT of similar posts both on this forum and elsewhere by people using this strain...stuff like, why is it taking so long to start, why am I not getting much krausen, it's been three weeks and it's not done, etc...

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with this yeast and if it's normal or not.

 

[RoaringBrewer]

I've done some searching for info about this yeast and i've found ALOT of similar posts both on this forum and elsewhere by people using this strain...stuff like, why is it taking so long to start, why am I not getting much krausen, it's been three weeks and it's not done, etc...

Seems like you already know the answer... If its fermenting/has krausen just relax until it finishes up...

If for some reason it stalls out at 1.026 (hydro reading over 3 days says this is the FG), then you'll probably need to do something about it b/c thats a bit too high. Agitate the fermenter, etc.

EDIT: I see you are already rousing the yeast. Keep it up and see if you can't get it to finish. Would save you repitching the same strain. Repitching a different strain might be risky...

 

[hal simmons]

The krausen went away a few days ago. I'm still getting a bubble every two minutes, so it appears to be doing something. I'll take another reading in a few days and see if it's moved.

 

[Twofox]

I have one in secondary right now that's still going. I let it sit for 2 weeks in primary as usual, and it was at 1.014, so I racked to secondary for fining. It then took off again. I check, and the last time I brewed this ale it went to 1.007, so there ya have it. I'll let it sit 2-3 weeks just to be sure

 

[badhabit]

The first time that I used 1338 I had a slow start and slow ferment. I asked the same questions that you are. 1338 starts slow...even Wyeast says so on their web site. I would say as long as you are getting activity i your fermenter let her go.