Stuck fermentation and re-pitch

[SaisonMan]

I'm brewing a Tank 7 clone and have hit the dreaded 3724 stall. Gravity started at 1.079 and has been stuck at 1.024 for about 10 days. I need the fermenter for another beer, so I pitched half a sachet of US-05, hoping that would be enough to get it down. After 48 hours, there's maybe a bubble a minute in the blowoff jar, and the gravity is still at 1.024.

I haven't done a re-pitch before. I guess I was expecting something to be happening because there was so little to go in terms of gravity. Was that a mistaken belief? Should it take longer because I didn't re-pitch that much? Should I have pitched more? Should I stop asking myself questions and just sit tight?

 

[odie]

well..what is target FG? what temperature? how much unfermentables? recipe and process specifics might help us guess the problem.

 

[SaisonMan]

Here's the recipe:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/edit/1562623

The target FG says 1.017, but that's based on Wyeast's projection of 78 percent attenuation. I was expecting with this saison yeast that it would go much lower than that. Was I wrong?

 

[mac_1103]

The link doesn't work for me.

The target FG says 1.017, but that's based on Wyeast's projection of 78 percent attenuation. I was expecting with this saison yeast that it would go much lower than that. Was I wrong?

While it is a bit hard to wrap the brain around the idea of a diastatic yeast that only attenuates 76-80% I would still be inclined to err on the side of believing the manufacturer. Have you tried warming it up?

 

[Whisky River]

Did you pitch the US-05 dry or make a starter?

I’m a big fan of using dry yeast but I think when pitching into partially fermented wort I would make a starter to prevent the yeast from having to go through their growth phase in a somewhat inhospitable environment. Pitching a viable starter would ensure the yeast are awake and ready to go to work, eliminating one more variable.

 

[SaisonMan]

The link doesn't work for me.

While it is a bit hard to wrap the brain around the idea of a diastatic yeast that only attenuates 76-80% I would still be inclined to err on the side of believing the manufacturer. Have you tried warming it u

The link doesn't work for me.

While it is a bit hard to wrap the brain around the idea of a diastatic yeast that only attenuates 76-80% I would still be inclined to err on the side of believing the manufacturer. Have you tried warming it up?

Yes. I fermented at 90F for quite awhile. I guess I've been conditioned to think that saison yeast attenuates in a big way.

 

[SaisonMan]

Did you pitch the US-05 dry or make a starter?

I’m a big fan of using dry yeast but I think when pitching into partially fermented wort I would make a starter to prevent the yeast from having to go through their growth phase in a somewhat inhospitable environment. Pitching a viable starter would ensure the yeast are awake and ready to go to work, eliminating one more variable.

Pitched it dry. Maybe that's it.

 

[mac_1103]

Obligatory "how are you measuring gravity?" question.

 

[SaisonMan]

Tilt is trying to decide between 1.023 and 1.024. Hydrometer says 1.020.

 

[day_trippr]

Making a starter (even with dry yeast) and pitching it at high-krausen or slightly after in the hope the yeast have developed an alcohol tolerance should provide the best shot at restarting fermentation. A direct pitch seems much less likely to succeed...

Cheers!

 

[SaisonMan]

Making a starter (even with dry yeast) and pitching it at high-krausen or slightly after in the hope the yeast have developed an alcohol tolerance should provide the best shot at restarting fermentation. A direct pitch seems much less likely to succeed...

Cheers!

Should I make a starter with a new packet of US-05, or will the half packet I have left be enough?

 

[day_trippr]

I'd have warmed it up and waited it out and let the inevitable 3724 thing happen...but I understand you want this batch out of the way, so I'd take the full pack and make a starter of it, let it get to the "rampage" phase, and pitch it and see what happens...

Cheers!

 

[SaisonMan]

I'd have warmed it up and waited it out and let the inevitable 3724 thing happen...but I understand you want this batch out of the way, so I'd take the full pack and make a starter of it, let it get to the "rampage" phase, and pitch it and see what happens...

Cheers!

FWIW, I had struck out on being able to order a couple other saison strains, so I chose 3724, forgetting its reputation for stalling. Oh, well.

 

[mac_1103]

FWIW, I had struck out on being able to order a couple other saison strains, so I chose 3724, forgetting its reputation for stalling. Oh, well.

A bit embarrassing for someone with your username, no?

 

[SaisonMan]

A bit embarrassing for someone with your username, no?

Indeed. The irony is that I’m not sure why I picked the name. I like a lot of different beers. I must have been drinking a saison at the time and was inspired. But of the 40 or so batches I’ve made, I think four have been saisons.

 

[RM-MN]

Quick solution. Buy another fermenter. Bucket fermenters are cheap and they work well. For instance:
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/translucent-nb-6-5-gallon-bucket
https://labelpeelers.com/equipment/...cket/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20152976385

Better solution, buy 2 bucket fermenters. Now you can have 3 batches fermenting.

 

[MikeCo]

Fermentis BE-134 would also be a good option to help finish it. I've never had that saison yeast stall.

 

[SaisonMan]

Update: Made a starter out of a pack of US-05 and pitched it three days ago. Basically, there's not much activity, a bubble every 10 seconds or so, and gravity has dropped marginally to 1.020.

I want to free up the conical to have temperature control to make a lager. I've thought about transferring the saison to a bucket fermenter and letting it ride out fermentation in that, but I'm concerned about introducing oxidation. Should I be?

 

[IslandLizard]

I want to free up the conical to have temperature control to make a lager. I've thought about transferring the saison to a bucket fermenter and letting it ride out fermentation in that, but I'm concerned about introducing oxidation. Should I be?

Do you have kegs? If so, do a closed transfer into 1 or 2 of them and make sure you get some yeast with it. Then let them ride in a warm place for a few more weeks.

I've kept a few "kegged" Saisons like that in a spare/warm (read: broken) refrigerator for a month or longer trying to chip a few more points off. In some cases it worked, others didn't budge, but tasted wonderful for what they were at 1.008-1.010 or so. One had turned into a delicious juicy pineapple "Saison" at around 8% ABV.

 

[SaisonMan]

I kegged this a few days ago, burst carbed it and ... it tastes great. Tart and peppery with enough dryness for my taste. The FG was 1.017, which makes it 8.1% ABV, close enough to Tank 7's 8.5% ABV. If I had been patient with the yeast, it probably would have gotten me to 1.010 (at least), which would be 9.1%. My liver doesn't need that. I haven't seen Tank 7 in stores where I live, but I'm guessing it's much dryer than mine. This exercise in impatience has made me realize that I don't need a Saison that's as dry as Death Valley. This one's really enjoyable, and I might just do it the same way next time. Thank you for all your help and suggestions.