Stuck Fermentation Belgian Golden Strong

[Normans54]

Hey everybody,

I have a problem. I have a stuck fermentation (I know that there are about 500 threads on this topic, but I was hoping for a more tailor made answer). I brewed a Golden Strong Ale with a starting gravity of 1.080 about 3 1/2 weeks ago. I aerated my wort using a spray aerator head on the end of my chiller. After cooling it overnight to pitching temp, I pitched a 2 liter starter of Wyeast's 3522 Ardennes yeast that I made using a stir plate (after being cold crashed and decanted). I had a few days of decent fermentation, but it stalled out at around 1.035. I shook the carboy twice and raised the fermentation temperature from 72 to 74 degrees which got the gravity to drop to about 1.024, but I am still about 10-13 points off. What can I do and what should I do to avoid this next time? Thanks for the help!

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Many Belgian yeasts like to stall out. Warming it up a couple of degrees may not have been enough. You might try adding some yeast energizer, give it a swirl and warm up to 78F. If that doesn't work, you can try pitching some 3711. I've used that on a stuck Belgian with good results.

 

[Komodo]

What was your mash temp? How are you managing fermentor temp? Did you do a sugar addition, if so when?

 

[d3track]

Hydrometer or refractometer

 

[Normans54]

What was your mash temp? How are you managing fermentor temp? Did you do a sugar addition, if so when?

I did a 3 step mash:
133 for 10 min
145 for 40 min
154 for 20 min

I am controlling fermentation tempeature by using a ranco temperature controller hooked up to a mini fridge. I added table sugar at flameout.

 

[Normans54]

Hydrometer or refractometer

Hydrometer

 

[d3track]

Hydrometer

Did it stall again at 1.024 or is it just going slow?
If it stalled and it were me, I'd do one of 2things: swirl (not shake) to get the yeast up, and ramp to like 76-78. At thin point I don't think you'll be adding any off flavor so from high temps, see if that works.

OR

Take a shot at blending. Brew a similar ibu beer at lower OG, and go for DRY - low mash temp, sugar, all the way.

 

[Komodo]

I agree with d3track. Swirl, and crank up heat for a day or two. Flavors are established, I've had some Belgian yeasts in the 85f range for some time.

Next time consider letting initial ferment die down, usually in about 3 days, then boil your sugar for ~5 minutes with a little water. Add this to the fermentor. Your yeast will have chewed through the harder bits then, and the sugar will be like desert. If you add it at boil, the yeast will eat the simple sugars first and then sometimes get slow or give up before it's all done.

I wonder if doing a minor sugar addition, plus swirl and ramp would do it? Of course you don't want to mess up your original recipe, but if it allows for it, do it.