Stuck fermentation.... again....

[bracconiere]

So the next question is how much to add? and how long does it normally take to bring the SG down?

i add ~12-13 grams to a 10 gallon batch.....and i'd guess it'd take about 3-5 days to go dry....but i always pitch my yeast and gluco at the same time....

 

[passedpawn]

My advice - use less than you think you need, and it takes much longer to ferment out than you think it should. We‘re talking like 1/8 teaspoon, and 4-6 weeks to complete the fermentation.If you keg, it doesn’t much matter, but if you bottle you could end up with gushers or bombs if you bottle too soon. Fermentation should pick up again but very slowly in my experience.

I suggest the opposite. Use more than you need. There is a limit to what enzymes can do. I think it 's best to get to that limit asap.

 

[conspiccus]

UPDATE: after adding a bit of the AA and GA, I have checked the gravity (31/08/2020) now about 2 and a half weeks from my original post and the gravity is reading 1.002! So a massive decrease and I plan to leave it in another few weeks. Looks like we were right about this issue, but I am wondering what effect this will have on the final taste of the beer? It smells and tastes very alcoholic and the ABV calculator comes in at 8%. Thoughts?

 

[dmtaylor]

You answered your own question. Alcohol. And, it will be very thin and watery, no body, and head retention might be poor or non-existent. As I said previously, use less enzyme than you think you need.

 

[passedpawn]

You answered your own question. Alcohol. And, it will be very thin and watery, no body, and head retention might be poor or non-existent. As I said previously, use less enzyme than you think you need.

The problem was using ANY gluco. That is why it finished so low. I don't want to get into a war over this, but the alpha amylase enzymes won't ferment that far, regardless of how much is used.

Apparent Attenuation limit:

• Alpha: 80-85%.
• Gluco: 90-95%.

 

[passedpawn]

UPDATE: after adding a bit of the AA and GA, I have checked the gravity (31/08/2020) now about 2 and a half weeks from my original post and the gravity is reading 1.002! So a massive decrease and I plan to leave it in another few weeks. Looks like we were right about this issue, but I am wondering what effect this will have on the final taste of the beer? It smells and tastes very alcoholic and the ABV calculator comes in at 8%. Thoughts?

Maybe you'll like it. I made a belgian beer once that was so alcoholic, it was like drinking some type of fuel. Gah. But a buddy of mine loved it (and drank it all in a hurry). Most people, though, consider high-ABV low-body beers to be difficult to drink.

 

[conspiccus]

The problem was using ANY gluco. That is why it finished so low. I don't want to get into a war over this, but the alpha amylase enzymes won't ferment that far, regardless of how much is used.

Apparent Attenuation limit:

• Alpha: 80-85%.
• Gluco: 90-95%.

Would alpha alone have worked in the fermentation stage? As I said in an earlier post, some places on the internet claimed it would and others said it wouldn't. I guess what I should have done was waited a few weeks after adding the AA and taken a gravity before adding the gluco to see what effect each had individually. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[conspiccus]

Maybe you'll like it. I made a belgian beer once that was so alcoholic, it was like drinking some type of fuel. Gah. But a buddy of mine loved it (and drank it all in a hurry). Most people, though, consider high-ABV low-body beers to be difficult to drink.

Based on the small taste I had from my gravity sample, I have a feeling it will be difficult to drink. Will bottle anyway and see -- it was a small(ish) batch so not too much beer wasted but I am keen to try this brew again the right way because the rye came through really well

 

[passedpawn]

Would alpha alone have worked in the fermentation stage? As I said in an earlier post, some places on the internet claimed it would and others said it wouldn't. I guess what I should have done was waited a few weeks after adding the AA and taken a gravity before adding the gluco to see what effect each had individually. Oh well, live and learn.

Alpha alone PROBABLY would have been perfect. As I've said too many times, it's exactly what is in barley already and is the normal enzyme for making beer. However, for reasons that elude me, there are stories here where it did not help a stuck fermentation.

IMO, if you have a stuck fermentation and add alpha enzymes and additional yeast, this will correct the problem 100% of the time and result in a drinkable beer. But that's theory according to me

 

[Beermeister32]

It works.