Re-pitch @ 1.030?

[bjzelectric]

Brewed a 90 minute (AG) clone 3 weeks ago. OG was 1.080. So today I was going to botttle it, took a gravity reading and it was 1.030. I used 2 packets of S-04 and Beersmith projected my FG @ 1.017. Should I re-pitch another packet? Ive already racked to a secondary b/c i had it dry hopping for a week or so...

 

[Yooper]

Brewed a 90 minute (AG) clone 3 weeks ago. OG was 1.080. So today I was going to botttle it, took a gravity reading and it was 1.030. I used 2 packets of S-04 and Beersmith projected my FG @ 1.017. Should I re-pitch another packet? Ive already racked to a secondary b/c i had it dry hopping for a week or so...

S04 is usually quick and fairly attenatuve, so I would say that perhaps there is another issue here, like a too-high mash temperature. If that is the case, repitching won't help.

 

[bjzelectric]

Yes actually i meant to add that my mash temps were higher than i wanted; 153. So the yeast is prob done huh?

 

[Yooper]

Yes actually i meant to add that my mash temps were higher than i wanted; 153. So the yeast is prob done huh?

Well, it depends on several factors, of course, but 153 isn't that high of a mash temperature so I'm stumped.

 

[bjzelectric]

Well im thinking of just adding another packet of 04 and see what happens.

 

[Weizenwerks]

How was your fermentations? Was there a temperature swing or was it stable? That can cause under attenuation.

I don't think you'll shave off 13 points by repitching. It will taste sweeter than what you wanted, but that's about it, save other issues.

Also be sure you're taking gravity with a calibrated instrument. I've had hydrometers off by 7-8 points before. Make sure you're correcting for temperature if it's not 60 degree liquid.

 

[jtejedor]

It sounds like you racked to secondary before the beer was done. That mash temp is a bit high for an ipa but not that high I imagine it should be much lower then 1.030. You probably will need to pitch more yeast. Restarting a stuck fermentation can be tricky sometimes so you might need to pitch 2 more packs but you could try one pack and see if it drops anymore.

 

[bjzelectric]

Fermentation was steady @ 68 F. I crash cooled 3 days ago and the beer was prob 50 F when I took my reading this morning. I plugged this into Beersmith and the corrected gravity is 1.029. I might just dry hop it again and have a sweeter beer. Thx for the help yall.

 

[DrewBrewTheGreat]

pitch some Champagne yeast and crash cool when target final gravity is reached... If anything will munch on it--Champagne yeast likely will. Or you could nuke it with some turbo distiller's yeast, but that might be overkill.

 

[bjzelectric]

Hmmm interesting... ive been looking into what yeasts people use in this situation and havent found much info. Have you done this before? Did it alter the taste any?

 

[pm5k00]

I have repitched with wlp 090 with good sucess,but make a starter,maybe 2L.... wlp 099 would be a good choice too.

 

[Weizenwerks]

pitch some Champagne yeast and crash cool when target final gravity is reached... If anything will munch on it--Champagne yeast likely will. Or you could nuke it with some turbo distiller's yeast, but that might be overkill.

Champagne yeast will likely eat sugars you don't want eaten.

 

[DrewBrewTheGreat]

that's why I said crash cool at desired target gravity.... Not even champagne yeast works at serving temps.

 

[DrewBrewTheGreat]

Hmmm interesting... ive been looking into what yeasts people use in this situation and havent found much info. Have you done this before? Did it alter the taste any?

Champagne yeast won't alter flavor... it is very clean fermenting. And yes I have done this--several times....

 

[BrewKnurd]

that's why I said crash cool at desired target gravity.... Not even champagne yeast works at serving temps.

One (perhaps obvious) caveat to this method. You need to be kegging and force carbonating for this to work as intended.

 

[jtejedor]

If you really want to be sure pitch like 3 packs of of dry yeast or a huge liquid starter like a gallon. I think there are sugars there to be eaten and a big pitch should get it down no problem.

 

[DrewBrewTheGreat]

One (perhaps obvious) caveat to this method. You need to be kegging and force carbonating for this to work as intended.

for bottling:
step 1: hit target gravity with champagne yeast.
step 2: bottle beer
step 3: starting after about day 4, to be safe, crack a bottle everyday (and drink) until desired carbonation is reached.
step 4: put in fridge.
step 5: drink whenever you want

 

[BrewKnurd]

for bottling:
step 1: hit target gravity with champagne yeast.
step 2: bottle beer
step 3: starting after about day 4, to be safe, crack a bottle everyday (and drink) until desired carbonation is reached.
step 4: put in fridge.
step 5: drink whenever you want

If you wanna go through all that, have at it. Especially considering that in order to really know if the carbonation is right, the bottle will have had to have been in the fridge for a day or so, which is extra time for all the other bottles to keep on carbonating beyond "desired carbonation."

Maybe you've done this with success, and I congratulate you if you have. No way in heck am I gonna fuss with that, up to the OP if he wants to.

 

[DrewBrewTheGreat]

If you wanna go through all that, have at it. Especially considering that in order to really know if the carbonation is right, the bottle will have had to have been in the fridge for a day or so, which is extra time for all the other bottles to keep on carbonating beyond "desired carbonation."

Maybe you've done this with success, and I congratulate you if you have. No way in heck am I gonna fuss with that, up to the OP if he wants to.

Everybody's a critic...

Time to brew: hours
Money to brew: a bit
Sweet beer: not that great
Effort to fix the problem: minimally more than normal bottling procedure

That said--I haven't bottled a beer in over a decade. But it easily can be done and this beer can be saved.

the bottle will have had to have been in the fridge for a day or so, which is extra time for all the other bottles to keep on carbonating beyond "desired carbonation."

Try thinking for a second to resolve your own self-created problem...

Ice bath will cool beer in five minutes if you don't want to wait for fridge to. Must homebrewers consider "desired" carbonation--"fizzy"--and have no perception, or care, to be all that precise there. You can be if you would like to be, but you are the exception.

 

[BrewKnurd]

Everybody's a critic...

Time to brew: hours
Money to brew: a bit
Sweet beer: not that great
Effort to fix the problem: minimally more than normal bottling procedure

That said--I haven't bottled a beer in over a decade. But it easily can be done and this beer can be saved.

Try thinking for a second to resolve your own self-created problem...

Ice bath will cool beer in five minutes if you don't want to wait for fridge to. Must homebrewers consider "desired" carbonation--"fizzy"--and have no perception, or care, to be all that precise there. You can be if you would like to be, but you are the exception.

no one's being a critic. Do what you like and enjoy your results! If all you care about is "fizzy", I agree your method is stellar!