Trouble with a dark strong

[Brew-boy]

I made a Belgian Dark Strong 3 weeks ago and it came out fine at 1.103. I pitched 2 vials of WLP530 into a 2000ml starter and grew it on the stir plate. This thing was fermenting like crazy and very hard. Pitched at 68 and kept it there until fermentation started to slow down then raised the temp slowly to 72f. Well I thought it was done with no signs after 3 weeks but my gravity is only 1.054, This sucks plus I found out when I cold crashed it the damn thing suck all my star san out of my blow off bottle back into the carboy. I was pissed off so bad I dumped it. I have only dumped 2 batches in my life and were both Belgian and high gravity. Am I band from making high gravity Belgians? I made a 1.093 RIS and had no problems. Yes my yeast was fresh by the date if anyone wanted to know.

 

[korndog]

I made a Belgian Dark Strong 3 weeks ago and it came out fine at 1.103. I pitched 2 vials of WLP530 into a 2000ml starter and grew it on the stir plate. This thing was fermenting like crazy and very hard. Pitched at 68 and kept it there until fermentation started to slow down then raised the temp slowly to 72f. Well I thought it was done with no signs after 3 weeks but my gravity is only 1.054, This sucks plus I found out when I cold crashed it the damn thing suck all my star san out of my blow off bottle back into the carboy. I was pissed off so bad I dumped it. I have only dumped 2 batches in my life and were both Belgian and high gravity. Am I band from making high gravity Belgians? I made a 1.093 RIS and had no problems. Yes my yeast was fresh by the date if anyone wanted to know.

Bummer. What was your mash temperature? Did you oxygenate well?

 

[Brew-boy]

150f and yes I always use pure O2. Maybe I will try it again with more yeast.

 

[korndog]

150f and yes I always use pure O2. Maybe I will try it again with more yeast.

If you doubled up two vials, you should have had enough yeast for that gravity. Weird.

 

[the_bird]

Wait, you dumped it because a little bit of Star San got in there? That's absolutely NOT a reason to dump a beer, a little Star San's not going to hurt anything. Sucks about the stuck ferment. You can ramp a beer higher than 72° after a while, if the yeast aren't reproducing anymore you aren't really at risk of developing any fusels. That's the first thing I would have done when it seemed to be stuck.

 

[Brew-boy]

No I was planning on drinking it with the star san in it. But I had cold crashed it for two days and it was only at 1.054 when I checked before kegging. I never had luck with warming it back up. It had been sitting at 72F for over the last week of fermentation.

 

[RLinNH]

No I was planning on drinking it with the star san in it. But I had cold crashed it for two days and it was only at 1.054 when I checked before kegging. I never had luck with warming it back up. It had been sitting at 72F for over the last week of fermentation.

Wierd is right. Personally, I take my Belgians up to 76 SLOWLY to fully get all the Fruity flavors from the yeast. My finishing gravity is usually right around 1.010. Are you sure about your temps? Maybe your thermometer is broken? I don't know my fellow Home Brewing friend. Just throwing it out there...

 

[Brew-boy]

Thanks RL, I have a more beer two stage temp control and a ferm warp and had it my fridge out in the garage. I will give it a try again and see what happens.

 

[henrychinaski]

man that's weird. i've had trouble with strong belgians not finishing out, but never that badly. i doubt that it was the yeast, from the sound of things, but for the next one why don't you try wyeast 3787. i've had great results with it.
as far as the star san goes, maybe it's time to take mosher's advice and use vodka for your airlocks...

 

[seanhagerty]

B3 says on their website that yeast needs fermaidK added 24-48 hours after fermentation starts. I am in the same situation...two vials into a two liter starter. I hope this work out. I oxygenated and used servo and added the extra nutrient on day three.

Sean