Stuck fermentation?

[Fonk]

So I'm brewing this extract recipe kit, a chocolate milk stout from Northern Brewer. I used Safale S-04 dry yeast. The fermentation kicked off fast and furious, but seemed to more or less be over after a few days, as I wasn't really getting any more bubbles coming through the lock and the krausen had completely dropped down. I've read that doesn't necessarily mean it's fully done, though, so just leave it alone... After two weeks I transfer to the secondary, and I take a gravity reading at that time: 1.022 (OG was 1.051). I throw the cacao nibs in the secondary as the recipe called for and let 'er sit. Now, about 10 days later, I took a new reading, and it's still at 1.022... I also sampled, and it tastes good enough for a milk stout, though the cacao nibs haven't seemed to add much flavor, but it's looking like this is going to be my FG, and it seems a bit high yet, as this will leave me with 3.81% ABV. Not the end of the world, but not what I was expecting... My question is: should I just accept this is it, or should I maybe try to re-kickstart additional fermentation by adding in some more yeast (like maybe a 1/2 packet of additional S-04)? Thoughts?

 

[flars]

Your milk stout is probably done fermenting. The recipe contains a pound of lactose which is not fermentable. This will add about 8 or 9 gravity points to a 5 gallon brew.

Take you specific gravity readings before racking to the secondary vessel if you continue to use a secondary. Any potential problems with a fermentation have a better chance of being solved if the beer is still on the yeast cake.

 

[Fonk]

Your milk stout is probably done fermenting. The recipe contains a pound of lactose which is not fermentable. This will add about 8 or 9 gravity points to a 5 gallon brew.

Take you specific gravity readings before racking to the secondary vessel if you continue to use a secondary. Any potential problems with a fermentation have a better chance of being solved if the beer is still on the yeast cake.

OK, thanks. I wonder if I maybe should have just left it in the primary longer, though there didn't seem to be much activity happening there anymore either. I know you have to add those gravity points with lactose, but you gotta do that with OG, too, so I still end up in pretty much the same place (at least in this case) with the low ABV. No big deal, but I was just expecting a bit more. Thanks for your input.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I have some ideas:
Did you actually check the OG yourself ... right before pitching the yeast? (Changes in volume during the boil and if you add water after the boil can affect the sugar concentration, changing the gravity.)
Did you adjust for temperature according the the specification on your hydrometer? (for both OG and FG. fluid density changes with temperature. hydrometers are usually calibrated to 68F or 59F.)
Did you use the same hydrometer to measure the FG? (Sometimes hydrometer calibration can be off)
Any temperature swings with your fermenting beer, outside the ideal range for your yeast? (too warm or too cold can cause them to stall)
No crazy smells indicating infection?
Basic stuff; forgive me... Did you aerate before pitching the yeast? Did you rehydrate the yeast? Did you pitch at the correct temperature? (it's widely accepted that healthy yeast work harder)

Also there's no harm in letting it sit longer in the fermenter. Might allow some more of the chocolate flavor to extract into the beer

HTH

 

[johnwpowell]

Just to check. Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[Fonk]

I have some ideas:
Did you actually check the OG yourself ... right before pitching the yeast? (Changes in volume during the boil and if you add water after the boil can affect the sugar concentration, changing the gravity.)
Did you adjust for temperature according the the specification on your hydrometer? (for both OG and FG. fluid density changes with temperature. hydrometers are usually calibrated to 68F or 59F.)
Did you use the same hydrometer to measure the FG? (Sometimes hydrometer calibration can be off)
Any temperature swings with your fermenting beer, outside the ideal range for your yeast? (too warm or too cold can cause them to stall)
No crazy smells indicating infection?
Basic stuff; forgive me... Did you aerate before pitching the yeast? Did you rehydrate the yeast? Did you pitch at the correct temperature? (it's widely accepted that healthy yeast work harder)

Also there's no harm in letting it sit longer in the fermenter. Might allow some more of the chocolate flavor to extract into the beer

HTH

I did check myself, right before pitching yeast. I didn't note the temperature, so can't remember what it was, but if memory serves, I believe it was right around 68-70 degrees. Using the same hydrometer for all readings... I didn't rehydrate before pitching, just pitched directly to the wort (as I've done in past). I haven't noticed any crazy smells, no, and a quick sample tasted OK (though not as chocolate-y as I expected, as I said).

Yeah, maybe I just need to let it sit a bit longer.

Thanks,
R

 

[Fonk]

Just to check. Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer?

Hydrometer.