stuck fermentation (repitch?)

[Owly055]

I have a brew that seems to be "stuck". I don't have a controlled temperature environment for fermentation, and the temp dropped shortly after it reached high krausen, Things began to slow down, and the yeast flocculated. My SG is 1.040 which seems way too high. I'm looking for 1.020-025. I pitched a good starter top cropped a week earlier from another brew, and if anything over pitched. It's been stationary for well over a week. Yeast is USA-05. OG was 1.068.

I'm debating repitching. While I don't have a problem with 4%, my concern is with the bottle conditioning...... My mashing process control leaves a lot to be desired, but I don't think mash temps exceeded my target enough to bring the attenuation down this low. I actually have stayed well within the target temp range for USA-05.

One would think with that much residual gravity, the yeast should "re-ignite".......but it hasn't.

Should I repitch '05? Or should I assume that my mash was screwed up (too high), and if so pitch a Brett that can gobble up maltodextrins? The flavor is a bit too sweet, and I'd like to burn off some of that off................but I don't want a really dry ale. This is a SMASH with RedX and Amarillo.

Suggestions??


H.W.

 

[Double_D]

Can you move it to a warmer part of your house and rouse the yeast? I've had good results doing that in the past. If you're not comfortable stirring your fermenting wort you could just carefully transfer it and the flocculated yeast to a new sanitized vessel.

 

[BigFloyd]

+1 on warming to about 70*F and trying to rouse what you already have, which is lots and lots of yeast cells. After warming, use a sanitized plastic or metal spoon and very gently work that yeast cake up off the bottom (no splashing). Then let it sit for a whole week at 70 before taking the next reading.

You are using a hydrometer and not an uncorrected refractometer to get that reading I hope. After alcohol is present, refract readings are off unless you use correction software.

 

[Owly055]

+1 on warming to about 70*F and trying to rouse what you already have, which is lots and lots of yeast cells. After warming, use a sanitized plastic or metal spoon and very gently work that yeast cake up off the bottom (no splashing). Then let it sit for a whole week at 70 before taking the next reading.

You are using a hydrometer and not an uncorrected refractometer to get that reading I hope. After alcohol is present, refract readings are off unless you use correction software.

I use a refractometer......but I also have a hydrometer and have tested with that. I know what to expect from the refractometer as far a what the final gravity should be. I have two, one measures brix and potential alcohol, and the other measures brix and SG.

There is no warmer temperature here........ I allow the temp to float, and always have, I'm not comfortable in constant uniform temps. My thermostat sets a lower limit in the low 50's, and I don't have AC..........don't need it here where temps rarely go over 80.
I'm going to have to set up a temp controlled fermentation chamber of some sort eventually.
In summer months, my pump house runs a steady 60F...... If I had a yeast that liked that temp, I could use it during the summer...........


H.W.

 

[BigFloyd]

I use a refractometer......but I also have a hydrometer and have tested with that. I know what to expect from the refractometer as far a what the final gravity should be. I have two, one measures brix and potential alcohol, and the other measures brix and SG.

There is no warmer temperature here........ I allow the temp to float, and always have, I'm not comfortable in constant uniform temps. My thermostat sets a lower limit in the low 50's, and I don't have AC..........don't need it here where temps rarely go over 80.
I'm going to have to set up a temp controlled fermentation chamber of some sort eventually.
In summer months, my pump house runs a steady 60F...... If I had a yeast that liked that temp, I could use it during the summer...........


H.W.

OK. I'm not entirely sure what you're saying that your FG reading is. Is the 1.040 an uncorrected refractometer reading? If so, it's likely pretty far off. I took a couple of samples from a batch to see how much. Hydro = 1.017 Refract = 1.035

In a steady 60*F place, Nottingham dry ale yeast would ferment just fine. I've used it as low as 55*F (beer temp). I do ramp it up into the mid-60's after it begins to slow down.

 

[Yooper]

I use a refractometer......but I also have a hydrometer and have tested with that. I know what to expect from the refractometer as far a what the final gravity should be. I have two, one measures brix and potential alcohol, and the other measures brix and SG.

There is no warmer temperature here........ I allow the temp to float, and always have, I'm not comfortable in constant uniform temps. My thermostat sets a lower limit in the low 50's, and I don't have AC..........don't need it here where temps rarely go over 80.
I'm going to have to set up a temp controlled fermentation chamber of some sort eventually.
In summer months, my pump house runs a steady 60F...... If I had a yeast that liked that temp, I could use it during the summer...........


H.W.

What's the actual hydrometer reading, and is it reading 1.000 in plain water?

 

[Owly055]

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas............. I took the suggestion of transferring to secondary, and stirring up the settled yeast. It seems to have awakened the fermentation.

I do note a significant difference between hydrometer and refractometer readings.......not quite sure how to correct, though I don't think it really makes a difference as I rely on the OG and FG from the refractometer, and know what values to expect. It's all relative after all, The hydrometer takes most of a pint........... which is not a good thing when your batch is 2.5 gallons..........and I'm not enthusiastic about drinking flat beer. Where does one find a correction chart? My refractometers read in SG, Brix, and Potential.


H.W.

 

[helibrewer]

Try this refractometer calculator site, it's pretty accurate for correcting fermented beer.

http://seanterrill.com/2012/01/06/refractometer-calculator/

EDIT: Based on your starting OG your FG (1.020) refractometer should be around 10 Brix