unfinished fermentation?

[Boek]

My og was 1.051 after two weeks in primary I bottled it today. The fg was 1.031. Used s04 I think. It fermented at about 73 degrees. What happened?

 

[TsunamiBeer]

Pitch temperature? Type of beer? Maybe it wasn't done yet. Did you check FG for three days with no change?

Instructions that come with them are notoriously short on fermentation times.

 

[onthekeg]

Watch for bottle bombs!

 

[Boek]

Pitch temp was 70ish. It is my first ag, an amber ale. Nope, didn't check fg until half of them were bottled. Two weeks isnt long enough? Did the yeast die? Will it carbonate? Will the bottles blow? Suggestions?

The taste is quite good, sweet like candy, but quite good.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

If it's sweet, and the gravity is that high, it was probably stuck. You will have bottle bombs too. I'd suggest refrigerating them in about a week. In the future, check the gravity a few days before you bottle, and then on the day that you bottle. If the numbers don't match, wait a couple more days and try again until you have two readings the same.

Also, your temp was a little high. That's not your problem here, but you may have some off flavors.

 

[Boek]

Thanks. So how did it get stuck? What do you do if it gets stuck? How do you prevent it?

I did not rehydrate the yeast, just sprinkled it. Does that make a difference?

 

[JeffoC6]

Thanks. So how did it get stuck? What do you do if it gets stuck? How do you prevent it?

I did not rehydrate the yeast, just sprinkled it. Does that make a difference?

Curious to know the answer to this question as well...Thanks all.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

The yeast will sometimes "fall asleep", causing a stuck fermentation. A few factors can cause this, temp fluctuations, lack of O2, and lack of nutrients are common causes. Sometimes, all that's needed is a good shake of the fermenter. Or, sometimes yeast energizer is needed. To prevent it, make sure you have good temp control, oxygenate the wort prior to pitching, and pitch the appropriate cell count.

As for the dry yeast, I just sprinkle on the top like you did. If I use a liquid yeast, I always do a starter. I'd do 2 packs if it's a big beer, like 1.080 or higher.

 

[beerman0001]

What was you mash temp?

 

[unionrdr]

I think you just bottled it to soon,likely due to instructions. I've only had one beer finish that quick. Most more like 3-4 weeks.

 

[beerman0001]

I think you just bottled it to soon,likely due to instructions. I've only had one beer finish that quick. Most more like 3-4 weeks.

After two weeks in primary at 73deg it should be done.

 

[Revvy]

Why did you even bother bottling if fermentation wasn't complete? Why didn't you ask us about stuck fermentations or what to do BEFORE you bottled? You should never move to another step, if the previous step is complete? I would prepare for some bottle bomb action.

Next time make sure fermentation is complete before you move on. That's why you take a grav reading before you bottle.

 

[unionrdr]

Not without a starter or plenty of re-hydrated yeast. The cooper's OS lager I got with my micro brew kit was the only one to finish & clear in 12 days flat. The rest I used starters,re-hydrated,etc,& they took about 3 weeks to jit FG & clear. And 73F is a tad high,so another 3-5 days is good to settle out & cklean up.

 

[beerman0001]

3 weeks to hit fg?? I understand to clear and settle out.

 

[unionrdr]

It's far more common to take 3 weeks or so to finish. Unless you have good temp control & use pitch rate calculators,more expensive liquid yeast to make starters,etc. More added expense. My wife used US-05 once,& it took just as long as the cooper's ale yeast I re-hydrated.

 

[beerman0001]

I use us 05 in a 1.064 wort at 62 deg and it takes 7 days to hit fg. When do you take your first hydro reading?

 

[unionrdr]

Hers was like 1.046 & I checked it at 2 weeks. I believe it was 19C. I aerate to where I get 3-5" of thick foam as well. But I doubt a 1.064 wort will be done in 7 days with 11g of yeast. My Burton ale was 1.065 & got 28g of yeast,& those last couple points took a heck of a lot longer than that.

 

[beerman0001]

Hers was like 1.046 & I checked it at 2 weeks. I believe it was 19C. I aerate to where I get 3-5" of thick foam as well. But I doubt a 1.064 wort will be done in 7 days with 11g of yeast. My Burton ale was 1.065 & got 28g of yeast,& those last couple points took a heck of a lot longer than that.

Look at yoopers dfh60 clone she has it done and dry hoping at day 10.

 

[beerman0001]

at 73 deg you see many post on here that there beer reached fg in 3 days

 

[beerman0001]

I guess everybody has their own experiences when brewing. I bet the last few points of difference was more do to a change in temperature then anything else.

 

[hector]

I'm an Extract brewer and I use Safale S-04 .

I had stuck fermentation by my previous two batches . I always rehydrate the dry yeast , so it does not make any difference as you didn't do that .

S-04 has a high flocculation ( Sedimentation = high ) and it ferments fast for the first 5 days and then goes to sleep , however , it continues

fermenting but with a much slower speed .

This was my observation by previous batches , although the wort was always aerated well before pitching and I controlled the fermentation

temperature very well .

Your fermentation temp. is not too high , as it's still in the temperature range of S-04 , so don't worry about off flavors , but I think that

will probably lead to more fruity taste in the Beer .

Besides , I've never had bottle bombs with my previous stuck batches .

And just as Info :

I recently brewed a new Extract batch and used Safale S-04 again . After 5 days fermenting at 70 F , I brought up the temp. to 74 F and roused gently the yeast cake two times per day until the 10th day and then cooled it to 70 F and let it sit at that temperature .

Today is the 22nd day and I'm going to keep it for 6 more days and then I'll bottle it .

I did it so this time to see if that would make any difference . I mean , to see if the F.G. would reach below 1.020 .

O.G. = 1.052

Hector

 

[Yooper]

Can we all be a little more polite, and stop with any snide remarks?

Thanks.

The only time I'd say a beer isn't finished in two weeks is if I grossly underpitched the yeast, or it's been stuck. It's usually more like 5 days to hit FG.

 

[hector]

It's usually more like 5 days to hit FG.

My previous Beers never reached the desired F.G. in 5 days , although I had pitched enough rehydrated dry yeast .

Hector

 

[beerman0001]

I'm still trying to help the op out. Need to know what his recipe was?

 

[Boek]

What was you mash temp?

about 155.

 

[Boek]

Why did you even bother bottling if fermentation wasn't complete? Why didn't you ask us about stuck fermentations or what to do BEFORE you bottled?

Because I don't know what I'm doing. (First time bottling ever).

 

[Boek]

I use us 05 in a 1.064 wort at 62 deg and it takes 7 days to hit fg. When do you take your first hydro reading?

Just before putting it in the fermenter. It was 1.059.

 

[beerman0001]

about 155.

155 is not bad. What was your grail bill?

 

[Boek]

Can we all be a little more polite, and stop with any snide remarks?

Thanks.

The only time I'd say a beer isn't finished in two weeks is if I grossly underpitched the yeast, or it's been stuck. It's usually more like 5 days to hit FG.

Generally speaking, shouldn't one packet of dry yeast be sufficient for a not too huge 5 gallon batch?

 

[Boek]

I'm still trying to help the op out. Need to know what his recipe was?

It was an Amber Ale with about 10#s of grain. Got about 75% efficiency.

 

[beerman0001]

how much of what kind of grains?

 

[beerman0001]

Oh forgot to ask what temp was the wort when you pitched the yeast?

 

[onthekeg]

It depends on your caramel malt, but even with a ton of that, I think your beer wasn't done. When it warms up those bottles will blow sky high, and I hope you are no where near when they do. I would put them all in a rubbermaid container in the basement and wear snowmobile clothes to put them in the fridge as needed.

Or, just dump them back into a fermenter now. I don't want you hurt.

 

[beerman0001]

It depends on your caramel malt, but even with a ton of that, I think your beer wasn't done. When it warms up those bottles will blow sky high, and I hope you are no where near when they do. I would put them all in a rubbermaid container in the basement and wear snowmobile clothes to put them in the fridge as needed.

Or, just dump them back into a fermenter now. I don't want you hurt.

he used s04 at 73 deg for two weeks this yeast is a beast!! I am trying to figure out how it could not be done.

 

[iaefebs]

I'm curious as to what you are using to check gravity. Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[hector]

he used s04 at 73 deg for two weeks this yeast is a beast!! I am trying to figure out how it could not be done.

I also experienced that by my previous three batches .

They all did not reach the desired F.G. even after 3 Weeks .

Hector

 

[Yooper]

Generally speaking, shouldn't one packet of dry yeast be sufficient for a not too huge 5 gallon batch?

Yes one 11 gram package should be adequate for a 5 gallon batch.

I'm not sure what the problem here is, but it is NOT "not giving it enough time". It's stuck for some reason, and it could be mash temp, grain bill, something in the water, stressed yeast, and so on. It's a puzzle, that's for sure!

 

[Yooper]

I also experienced that by my previous three batches .

They all did not reach the desired F.G. even after 3 Weeks .

Hector

Then there is a problem, whether it is recipe related, technique, or yeast health. A well made regular strength ale should be at FG within about 5 days if properly pitched. There is no reason it should take more than about 10 days total, even for "bigger" beers.

 

[hector]

A well made regular strength ale should be at FG within about 5 days if properly pitched.

This problem - " The curse of 1.020 " - has been discussed long enough and many members shared their experiences .

Some of them repitch and the others bring up the temperature a few degrees and rouse the yeast cake .

I also roused the yeast cake by my batch which is still sitting in the Primary and want to see if it would make any difference .

The strain which I use is healthy . The lag time is always less than 10 Hours . It is always kept in the refrigerator .

But , it was always stuck somewhere between 1.030 and 1.020 .

My Recipe is very simple . I used light DME , distilled water and bittering Hops for my previous batches .

For the existing batch , I used light DME , steeping grains , bottled spring water and bittering Hops .

Hector

 

[Yooper]

This problem - " The curse of 1.020 " - has been discussed long enough and many members shared their experiences .

Some of them repitch and the others bring up the temperature a few degrees and rouse the yeast cake .

I also roused the yeast cake by my batch which is still sitting in the Primary and want to see if it would make any difference .

The strain which I use is healthy . It is always kept in the refrigerator . My Recipe is very simple . I used light DME , distilled water and bittering Hops for my previous batches .

For the existing batch , I used light DME , steeping grains , bottled spring water and bittering Hops .

Hector

But, it's still at FG- which is 1.020. It didn't take weeks to get there.

That's my point- you may not really have wanted that particular FG, but if the SG doesn't move for at least three days, it IS at FG. It doesn't take more than a few days to ferment, if the proper amount of yeast is pitched and the beer is made properly.