Man, this pils...

[sjlyons81]

So this is the second thread I've had to start for this freaking beer. Details of the brew: partial mash, 1500 ml starter, decanted (probably didn't let it rest long enough first), pitched at 65, 24 hrs at 65, crashed to 52. Og was 1.052. My question is it's been 11 days and the krausen is still thick and on top of the beer, and the gravity is stuck at 1.022 (readings are 4 days apart) Any suggestions? Does someone want to adopt this thing?

 

[MaxStout]

Can you give some more details? Grain bill, mash temp, yeast used?

 

[sjlyons81]

Can you give some more details? Grain bill, mash temp, yeast used?

partial mash 2.5 german 2-row, 6 oz German light crystal and 2 ozgerman dark munich malt, 1oz belgian aromatic @ 154 90 min. albs pils light DME. white lab 800.

 

[sjlyons81]

*6 lbs DME

 

[MaxStout]

OK, if my math is correct, that's about 57% attenuation, from a yeast that should give you attenuation over 70%. Mash temp was a little higher, so that should raise your FG some, but it shouldn't be stuck that high. Besides, it's PM, so only a portion of the fermentables is affected by the mash temp. That extract should attenuate down more.

Try warming it up into the 60s for a few days to rouse the yeast and check gravity again.

 

[sjlyons81]

OK, if my math is correct, that's about 57% attenuation, from a yeast that should give you attenuation over 70%. Mash temp was a little higher, so that should raise your FG some, but it shouldn't be stuck that high.

Try warming it up into the 60s for a few days to rouse the yeast and check gravity again.

Thanks, was kind of thinking of doing a D. rest and hopefully jump starting the yeast a bit. Am I too late for the rest though?

 

[sjlyons81]

Any idea why the kausen hasn't sunk yet?

 

[MaxStout]

Any idea why the kausen hasn't sunk yet?

I've never brewed with that yeast, so not sure if that's typical. With other strains I have occasionally seen krausen hang around on the surface for quite a while. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[okiedog]

I wouldn't rush it. You crashed it, which probably caused a slow re-start of the yeast. You still have krausen, so something must be happening. How far apart were your last 2 gravity checks?

 

[sjlyons81]

I wouldn't rush it. You crashed it, which probably caused a slow re-start of the yeast. You still have krausen, so something must be happening. How far apart were your last 2 gravity checks?

4 days apart. Are low 60s too high for that strain?

 

[MaxStout]

Thanks, was kind of thinking of doing a D. rest and hopefully jump starting the yeast a bit. Am I too late for the rest though?

Ideally, the D-rest should be done when the beer is about 2/3 of the way fermented. But if the yeast wake up they should clean things up. And hopefully attenuate further.

 

[okiedog]

Low to mid 60's certainly won't hurt the yeast, and shouldn't hurt your beer since it's about 3/4 done with fermentation anyway. It does sound like you may have a stuck fermentation, but 11 days is not a long time for a typical lager. I leave my best lagers (especially Pils) in the primary for 3 weeks before racking to secondary. That gives them plenty of time to fully attenuate and clean up. As a test, you can take a sample of your pils with a little yeast, put it in, say a beer bottle covered with foil (both sanitized). Put it where it is 70 -75F for 3 days, then pour it in your hydrometer jar and take a reading. If there is no change, then that's the extent of fermentation for that yeast in that wort.

 

[okiedog]

Any update on this? Did you warm it up?

 

[ibrewmyown]

I wouldn't rush it. You crashed it, which probably caused a slow re-start of the yeast. You still have krausen, so something must be happening. How far apart were your last 2 gravity checks?

When I do lagers I leave it out at 65 or so till it starts to ferment and then I put it in my lagering fridge but I don't "crash" it directly to 52. I usually do a few degrees a day or so till I hit 52. I've found that I get a more consistent fermentation doing this. When I use to just crash it to 52, at times it stalled and then started slowly and took longer to ferment down all the way. If yours has stayed at the same gravity for 4 days, it's likely stuck and to get it started again would need to warm it and rep itch a huge starter because a good amount of alcohol has formed now. It wouldn't hurt to leave it a few more days and see if it moves. Good luck and keep us informed.

 

[d3track]

Wlp800 is pretty good at attenuating down, and for me the krausen will sit there for up to two weeks.

Unless you didn't oxygenate I'd image it would tear through at that temp and you'd end up with a pretty dry steam beer.