So my latest batch I went big and made a 1.105 sg triple ipa. I made a 2.5l starter and it fermented like crazy for about a week then just about stopped. I checked the gravity and found 1.055 and it stayed there for 2 more weeks. I went to my local brew store and they suggested I add some champagne yeast because of the high alcohol. Do I did and it's been almost a week and it only dropped to 1.053. What should I do?
Stuck fermentation
- Thread starter dan_man
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
Why do HB stores recommend Champagne yeast for stuck beers. This is the second such story in a couple of weeks.
The initial yeast will have fermented all the simple sugars, and champagne yeast can't work on the more complex sugars.
More of a problem is that champagne yeast is a killer yeast; it will kill most ale yeasts. So the original yeast is done with, and adding any new ale yeast will have problems with the champagne yeast still around.
You can toss in some Bret and put it in the corner for 6 to 12 months. Brett does not have any problems with champagne yeast.
The initial yeast will have fermented all the simple sugars, and champagne yeast can't work on the more complex sugars.
More of a problem is that champagne yeast is a killer yeast; it will kill most ale yeasts. So the original yeast is done with, and adding any new ale yeast will have problems with the champagne yeast still around.
You can toss in some Bret and put it in the corner for 6 to 12 months. Brett does not have any problems with champagne yeast.
I used the norther brewers west cost radical red kit and I added 3lbs of golden dry malt and 4 lbs of corn sugar. I did a 3 gal boil I was only going to use 2 lbs of sugar but when I added the water I put to much so I used the whole 4 lbs bag. I ended up with a 6.5 gallon batch. Also the fermenter has been staying around 68*f
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
Piling on - have you run the refractometer through post ferment calcs? You might be want to check with a hydrometer also.
What temp did you mash at? It's possible there are a bunch of unfermentable sugars in your wort.
Assuming there wasn't a thermometer problem and your mash temp was in mid 150s or lower, you might try doing a starter of San Diego super yeast or wlp001 and pitching it after a day or two. You want the yeast to be active. I wouldn't put that on the stir plate though - the oxygenated wort may affect flavor.
The Brett is a good suggestion if a lot of your wort is unfermentable sugars ... Just be very careful about the profile of the one you choose.
What temp did you mash at? It's possible there are a bunch of unfermentable sugars in your wort.
Assuming there wasn't a thermometer problem and your mash temp was in mid 150s or lower, you might try doing a starter of San Diego super yeast or wlp001 and pitching it after a day or two. You want the yeast to be active. I wouldn't put that on the stir plate though - the oxygenated wort may affect flavor.
The Brett is a good suggestion if a lot of your wort is unfermentable sugars ... Just be very careful about the profile of the one you choose.
Sorry - you beat me to the reply. It looks like the yeast couldn't take the alcohol - I'd say pitch a good amount of active yeast that can per my previous comment.
Ok so I just checked it with my hydrometer and I'm sitting at a 1.020 right where I want to be thanks man.
I often ask that question when someone posts about a batch supposedly "stuck" at such a high SG. Glad you re-checked before taking any action. What you did is not uncommon for brewers who've just gotten a refractometer and are unaware that the presence of alcohol makes it read artificially high. There's correction software easily available.
Glad to see you got it figure out. Refractometers are great on brew day, but mine is packed away after the yeast gets pitched.
Yep. Not an uncommon tactic for high gravity brews.
Yep. Not an uncommon tactic for high gravity brews.
It will work fine. Champagne yeast is often added to big beers to help with priming. It is especially useful as it only eats the simple priming sugars and none of the more complex sugars.
