Need advice on stalled stout

[brandont]

I overshot the OG on my first stout, hitting 91 vs 85 intended points on 5/25. Pitched a very basic S05 starter that probably wasn't done right (no stir plate). Went nuts in the primary - like 4" krausen. A week later I transferred it to secondary. It's now been in 2nd for 3 weeks. Gravity hasn't moved in a week. I actually pitched another pack of rehydrated S05 last week. Currently sitting at 1.030 (FG should be 1.019). So, do I keep waiting it out? Do a proper starter and pitch more yeast (have a stir plate now), or just bottle it? I'm afraid of priming it with so much left to go - if the yeast isn't dead yet then I'll have bombs.

 

[GuldTuborg]

What was your recipe and procedure? It may be stalled, or may just be done.

 

[brandont]

This is my recipe. The estimated FG is 11 points lower. Temp is constant 62.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/242807/fat-leprachaun-schlafly-stout-clone-

 

[flars]

What was the SG before racking to the secondary?

 

[Gavin C]

I overshot the OG on my first stout, hitting 91 vs 85 intended points on 5/25. Pitched a very basic S05 starter that probably wasn't done right (no stir plate). Went nuts in the primary - like 4" krausen. A week later I transferred it to secondary. It's now been in 2nd for 3 weeks. Gravity hasn't moved in a week. I actually pitched another pack of rehydrated S05 last week. Currently sitting at 1.030 (FG should be 1.019). So, do I keep waiting it out? Do a proper starter and pitch more yeast (have a stir plate now), or just bottle it? I'm afraid of priming it with so much left to go - if the yeast isn't dead yet then I'll have bombs.

Dry-yeast, starters is a bad idea. Not rceomended. Just pitch another packet and rehydrate as per the manufacturer's guidelines on their website. I all liklihood you will get more yeast and healthier yeast that way then a non-stirred starter for dry yeast.

Secondary. Moving your beer at a week removed it from a lot of the yeast. Not the best idea.

Gravity at 1.030. I presume you measured with a hydrometer. If not correct your refractometer reading.

Pitching another un hydrated packet of 100B cells is useless. (adding 50B cells) There are already much much more yeast in suspension in the beer.

 

[brandont]

So next time a longer primary, noted. I didn't record a reading when I transferred to secondary. I probably took one but didn't write it down. So, do I keep waiting? Warm it up a bit?

 

[jrgtr42]

I'm looking at the recipe and I see a couple things going on.
First, 2 pounds of caramel grain is a lot to add to 5 lbs of extact. That's a lot of unfermentables there. (or correction, 1.5lbs caramel and .5 roasted)
Extract tends to finish high anyways, some people say (and I can vouch, when I brewed extract) that it won't go below 1.020.
I think that you may be done. I would say to move the carboy to a warmer environment, maybe up to around 70 at the top, and see if you get any more action.
Give it a couple days there, check gravity, then check again a couple days from there. If it hasn't changed, most likely that's all you'll get.

 

[Owly055]

Dry-yeast, starters is a bad idea. Not rceomended. Just pitch another packet and rehydrate as per the manufacturer's guidelines on their website. I all liklihood you will get more yeast and healthier yeast that way then a non-stirred starter for dry yeast.

Secondary. Moving your beer at a week removed it from a lot of the yeast. Not the best idea.

Gravity at 1.030. I presume you measured with a hydrometer. If not correct your refractometer reading.

Pitching another un hydrated packet of 100B cells is useless. (adding 50B cells) There are already much much more yeast in suspension in the beer.

Making a starter from dry yeast is fine.......... You have to rehydrate it first in plain cool water..... one more step, but a small simple step.

H.W.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I would definitely warm it up, I would feel comfortable going as high as 73-75F because you're so far along in the fermentation. Swirl the carboy gently a few times a day to get everything in suspension and force out some of the dissolved CO2 which is making it harder for the yeast to work. I'm a fan of three times a day: when you wake up, when you come home from work and when you're about to hit the sack.

Big beers can be a pain because the environment you've made is toxic to the yeast...low pH, high alcohol, dissolved CO2.

But like they've already mentioned, it might not go much lower being a big extract batch w/ crystal malts.

 

[Gavin C]

Making a starter from dry yeast is fine.......... You have to rehydrate it first in plain cool water..... one more step, but a small simple step.

H.W.

Agreed but it needs to be a big one 2L+ to get any kind of decent growth rate. Then there is the cost.

200g of DME-v- 1 more pack of S-05

For me it's no contest. Big beer like this a second pack both rehydrated if using a dry yeast is simpler, less work, cost effective and I am getting a quality product out of the pack and using it exactly per the manufacturer's guidelines.


I also would have not done any secondary.

With the high percentages of specialty malts, the high OG, the possibly detrimental starter (size and hydration unknown) and the time frame I'm guessing this beer is finished and its time to package and let age.

 

[Owly055]

Agreed but it needs to be a big one 2L+ to get any kind of decent growth rate. Then there is the cost.

200g of DME-v- 1 more pack of S-05

For me it's no contest. Big beer like this a second pack both rehydrated if using a dry yeast is simpler, less work, cost effective and I am getting a quality product out of the pack and using it exactly per the manufacturer's guidelines.


I also would have not done any secondary.

With the high percentages of specialty malts, the high OG, the possibly detrimental starter (size and hydration unknown) and the time frame I'm guessing this beer is finished and its time to package and let age.

One packet of -05 is a lot of yeast if it's rehydrated properly before pitching. One packet pitched directly into 5 gallons of wort does pretty good, two packets better, but properly rehydrated in cool water the live cell count is double what pitching directly into wort is.... Or more accurately double the survival rate. 05 is pretty cheap....hardly worth the bother of a starter.

I built a fairly large starter of 34/70 once with the idea of having a major over pitch, which I believe is beneficial in a lager.

The large amounts of crystal malt no doubt is the reason for the high FG. I wouldn't bother re-pitching....... If it's stopped fermenting, I'd go with it. -05 is a pretty tough yeast, and not known for stalling.


H.W.

 

[brandont]

I'm not into doing cell counts but I do know the krausen was at least 3x what any other beer has been. So I at least know the yeast started out viable.

Although this beer has a lot more steeping grains (2x the next highest), I have had 3 extract beers finish under 1.018. The readings have been taken with a hydrometer also.

FWIW, it is supposed to be a clone of Schlafly Irish Stout and it tastes spot on. I'm just afraid of bottling when there is potential left. Bombs would likely follow.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Who manufactured the extract? Between the high OG, Amber extract, and steeped crystal malts (mashed crystal attenuate more), you may well just be done. Looking at the recipe, I kind of doubt it will generally attenuate that well. Plus, your OG was higher.

 

[brandont]

Actually I just realized that recipe was DME. Originally it was 6.6lb of Amber LME, which is what I used on this batch. I think it was Briess likely sourced from Ritebrew. I've since gone all DME. Otherwise the recipe was correct.

If it's done, that's fine. I just don't want bottle bombs!