Stalled Fermentation...

[mccumath]

I brewed Biermuncher's Blue Moon clone approximately 3 weeks ago, and it stalled out before reaching an appropriate FG. It is currently sitting around 1.020-1.022.

I had a OG of 1.052, used WLP400, no starter (stir-plate was still being built at this time), mashed at 154 degrees. My lowest temp on my sticky thermometer was 63 degrees the first week, and so I moved it upstairs and fermented at 70 degrees for another 1 weeks, then racked to secondary for another week in an attempt to jump start the yeast. No go...

My question is, would it be appropriate to re-pitch another yeast strain to clean up what the White Labs yeast couldn't finish, or just bottle as is? Pretty sweet, would like to dry it out a bit... Maybe a little Nottingham as I have some on hand.

Any help would be appreciated - I have not had a problem with other yeasts, but I am sure that a started would have prevented this issue (not going to be an issue in the future with my new stir plate). If you need other information (i.e. recipe, technique, etc.) let me know.

Thanks,
Ryan M.

 

[djfriesen]

I would have left it on the yeast cake and roused it a little, to see if you could get those last few points to drop off. Pulling it off the yeast practically stops fermentation; that's the whole point of secondaries. You might have to repitch, but wait for someone else with more experience. I haven't had a slow fermentation (I hesitate to say "stuck") that wasn't helped with a little rise in temps and a little stir, so I'm not a good source of info on more drastic measures.

 

[mccumath]

I actually did rouse the yeast, and did raise the temp, and unfortunately it did not seem to help. There is still quite a bit of yeast in the secondary too. So, now i will see what you guys think.

Thanks

 

[mccumath]

Would the addition of some extra yeast, as i mentioned in the OP cause any issues? Or do i just bottle and see how it goes?

 

[amh0001]

let it sit until you can pitch it onto a yeast cake from another batch. This seems to be the agreed method with dealing with stuck fermentation.

 

[Boek]

Try some amylase enzyme. It is like a buck at the lhbs. I've not used it ye but i have it at th ready for such an occasion. Seems to work but may dry out your beer too much from what i hear.

 

[RainyDay]

Haha, I guess no one noticed the date from the original post? The beer is most likely bottled and consumed at this point