Stalled Fermentation - should I take action?

[Clouxles]

My first cry for help. I've read a lot, probably too much on this.

Brewed a Brown Ale Using Robobrew and a Rapt Pill for monitoring fermentation.

These are the stats I have.

OG was 1.047 (expected was 1.042)

Has been sitting for 2 days at the same gravity
Stats
around 19-21 degrees C
Gravity 1.22 (final gravity expected was 1.12)
current PH is 4.21

I use the Brewfather app and it show an attenuation of 52%. (M36 Liberty Bell Ale Yeast should be 74% -78%)

Can I \Should I do anything to help this continue?

Thanks in advance

Mark D.

 

[RM-MN]

Can I \Should I do anything to help this continue?

Bump or otherwise move the Rapt Pill in case it has some trub and bubbles stuck to it. Being left in the fermenter during the active phase makes this a good possibility. While you have the fermenter open to do the above, take a hydrometer sample.

 

[tracer bullet]

^ Good suggestions. Make sure it's reading right and take a sample for an alternative reading.

Also - How long has it been fermenting?

 

[hotbeer]

Has been sitting for 2 days at the same gravity

With my RaptPill I've seen that 2 days between comparing SG isn't always enough time. The last three points of SG on my last batch took almost 12 days to obtain. Each point lower took more than 3 days.

I'd definitely shake or swirl the beer to see if it will get rid of anything clinging to the RaptPill that will affect the angle it floats at. If it's easy enough to get a sample without worry of contaminating the stuff in the FV, then compare with a more typical hydrometer.

 

[hotbeer]

By the way, how confident are you of that pH number?

Seems low to me, but I've not done much reading about beer pH in the FV. Nor have I ever tested for pH after I've finished mashing.

 

[Clouxles]

Removed trub from Rapt pill SG 1.023 (from Rapt after one hour). This is day 5 of fermentation.
PH? - fairly confident - quality instrument - calibrated before reading.

Mash PH was 5.56 (expected from app 5.49)

 

[Clouxles]

Removed trub from Rapt pill SG 1.023 (from Rapt after one hour). This is day 5 of fermentation.
PH? - fairly confident - quality instrument - calibrated before reading.

Mash PH was 5.56 (expected from app 5.49) I will take a sample for hydrometer.

 

[odie]

day 5? that's nothing. raise the temp a little?

 

[Clouxles]

OK Looks like my Rapt Pill may require a re calibration. I have 2 hydrometers and both are reading in the neighbourhood of 1.017 ish. I may have overreacted.

Thanks for the fast replies another 9 days in the fermzilla should be A-ok.

Thanks for the feedback!

Mark D.

 

[BongoYodeler]

OK Looks like my Rapt Pill may require a re calibration. I have 2 hydrometers and both are reading in the neighbourhood of 1.017 ish. I may have overreacted.

Thanks for the fast replies another 9 days in the fermzilla should be A-ok.

Thanks for the feedback!

Mark D.

I was just about to ask if you'd calibrated it lately. I'm going through the same thing right now. I've got a Wee Heavy in the fermenter for 15 days now, and the SG has been stuck at 1.032 for the past 4 days, per my Pill. I did to a basic calibration a day before brew day, but I know that's not the most reliable calibration method. I have raised the temperature to near 70°F the past couple days, but it's not budging. I'm not going to sweat it though, I'll take a hydro reading when I keg it in a week or two. Hopefully it reads lower. If not, and it's too sweet, I'll have something to put over my ice cream.

 

[hout17]

I have a Tilt and a Ispindel. I always take an OG and FG reading with my traditional hydrometer.

I've found that these digital hydrometers are good for telling me when fermentation has flattened out but they are always a bit off at FG. The Ispindel is a little better since it's not as affected by the yeast accumulation. I love them for that but they are not a precision instrument. I bet the pill is pretty good but I'm sure it also gets off a little too.

I'm thinking of grabbing a refractometer since you only need a tiny sample along with an online calc for adjustment.