Slow Fermentation

[51504u]

Anyone have good results from Yeast S-33? I'm in the process of the start of my 2nd week in the primary and seems airlock has slowed down almost to a stop. Took a Hydro reading today and it came in at 1.030. OG was 1.051. I brewed an all grain Belgian Wit last week and the fermentation temp started around 68 deg. and has risen to near 71. HBS didn't have any belgian wit yeast so I read somewhere to try s-33 dry yeast. Should have done my research first. Anyways my question is this. Should I wait to see if it keeps fermenting away and take another reading in a couple of days to see if gravity still drops? Wait the week out? Would love to get a FG down close to 1.010. What to do after another week? Arouse yeast? Re-pitch? Or am i just being to impatient?

Thanks in advance for thoughts

 

[andy6026]

I've never used it before but according to the specs it is a low attenuating yeast (70%). It will depend on what else you put in the brew on whether or not it's stuck or if it's done. At only 1 week in primary it may well kick back in and lose some points. Post your recipe and your mash temps and we'll be able to guess more accurately.

 

[51504u]

5 lbs pale malt
5 lbs flaked wheat
.5 rice hulls
Mashed in high at 160
Ice cubed down to 154
75 min mash
I screwed up and ended up with 7.5 gallons of wort @ 1.036
1oz east Kent goldlings
90 min boil off (5.1 gals wort)
5 min boil with orange zest and coriander
1 lb honey at flameout
Gravity reading 1.051 @ 70 deg
Pitched rehydrated salbrew s-33 @ 70 deg.
8 hrs got vigorous fermentation for 12 hrs. Then slowed considerably.

 

[Bosh]

Probably not an issue this time but beware the ice cubes. Freezing doesn`t kill bacteria.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

What did you measure gravity with? Hydrometer, or refractometer?

Also, was the 1.051 gravity before, or after adding the honey?

 

[51504u]

Gravity after honey with a hydrometer(post boil). Didn't think ice cubes a big deal pre boil.

 

[Bosh]

Ah pre boil. Doh, yeah that's fine.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Have you checked your hydrometer? Do you have access to another one you can compare with?

It seems odd that you'd only drop 20 points in a week at those temperatures, especially if there was a strong krausen. Also, your numbers don't quite add up. 7.5g at 1.036 gives 270 points. 270/5.1g = 53, so your OG without the honey should be about 1.053. The honey adds 35ppg, so about 7 points for your 5.1 gallons, giving an expected OG of 1.060, not the 1.051 you measured. Hence, I'd suggest you check your hydrometer.

Does the beer taste sweet?

 

[51504u]

Yes. It does taste sweet. Just checked hydrometer again and still at 1.030. Should I rouse yeast cake or repitch or be patient still? hydrometer with water reads 1.000

 

[51504u]

Oh. And by the way. It tastes fantastic. Just figured alcohol content would be better.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

It definitely won't hurt to rouse the yeast (as long as you don't splash - just swirl gently).

I've never used that yeast, but it seems odd that it would stall at 1.030 when it got off to a good start and temperatures were good.

 

[51504u]

I'll try if it won't hurt. If this doesn't work I should repitch?

 

[Gnomebrewer]

I'd give it at least another few days. If there's no more drop in gravity, a re-pitch might be your only option.

 

[51504u]

K. Still having airlock activity. Very very slow though. Checked gravity today and it's only down to 1.029 from 1.030. Just dont want to miss a chance to re pitch. Heard yeast can give off bad vibes/put off something that tells new yeast to not ferment. My only option would be to rehydrate some US-05 and re pitch this. I aroused yeast 6/9. The temp on the my primary was up to 74 degs. I put in water bath and now holding near 69 degs. Airlock activity slow down even more though. Probably should have left it at 74. Feel like im just being impatient. Just dont see it dropping were i want. Leave to warm up and keep patient or re pitch and get it done? (lol just like a man eh?)