Stalled out BW/Gose

[hirschb]

I brewed a 12gal Berlinerweisse/Gose split batch on 5/24. After a month, both dropped were 1.010 (OG- 1.041 & 1.049). Both taste a bit tart, but not super-sour, and I can detect residual sweetness in both. Problem is, the beer will not drop lower than 1.010! I've added some Jester King dregs to both, at which point all the airlocks started bubbling (the BW is split into 6 1gal jugs with varying levels of lacto time before yeast was added). However, despite the airlock bubbling, I'm not noticing any drop in SG! I figured the addition of brett and a more aggressive lacto (from the JK dregs) would have dropped the SG significantly. I suspect the problem was due to crazy uncontrolled temps during my mash (target temp= 150).... the insulation on my mash tun got ruined, and made this mash super-problematic. Anyway.... with the addition of brett and additional lacto, I figured that my SG would drop. After almost 3 months of waiting, I don't want two batches of beer to come out ****ty. Any ideas or suggestions? Should I just bottle it up and see how it tastes carbonated (I'll keg the Gose)? Should I use more bottled dregs (more JK, and maybe some Jolly Pumpkin), or a bit of currently fermenting beer dosed with Bug Farm?

 

[marvaden]

Give it time. It takes a while for the advanced carbohydrates to be broken down and eaten.

If you don't care about style a much, maybe try pitching some pediococcus and Brett and let it ride for six months to a year.

Otherwise, if it tastes good as is, drink it as is and don't sweat the under attenuation.

Cheers!

 

[hirschb]

Yeah, but two months and no drop? What puzzles me as well is that I noticed bubbling in the airlock, but still found no SG drop using my refractometer.
What commercial beers include Pedio? That stuff is expensive to buy from Wyeast (which is what my LHBS carries).

 

[marvaden]

I know the mad fermentalist has a list on his site. With a quick google search you can probably find it. My guess is that the dregs you already pitched has it already.

I really don't know why the air lock was moving unless you have had a temperature increase (causing a small release of co2 from solution). Otherwise, it might just be strains that don't produce alcohol that are working.

 

[hirschb]

Yeah, Mike's list does not distinguish between lacto and pedio.
Nope, no temp change occurred.
Either hetero or homofermative lacto should have dropped the SG, so I'm perplexed about WTF happened.

 

[marvaden]

Is the Ph or ABV at a level that would stall the bugs?

 

[hirschb]

ABV- I don't think so. OG= 1.049. Ph- possibly, I don;t have a Ph meter, but it doesn't taste sour enough that this could be an issue. I placed the 5gal gose outside (in hot FL temps) and added some fresh JK dregs...... hopefully this will work. Otherwise, I'm going to keg it and let it sit for a few months at room temp.