Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity - stuck fermentation?

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user 225792

Twisted Mustache Brewing
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I brewed a Patersbier with an OG of 11.5 Brix (~ 1.046). Pitched Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity yeast from a 1600ml starter (2 packets of yeast). It has been 2.5 weeks since pitching, and the gravity is at 8 Brix (~ 1.019). I have brewed this beer before with this yeast, and it finished in 5 days. Been fermenting at 66-68 degrees F. Is this a stuck fermentation? Please advise if so and how to get it to move along to finish. Thanks!
 
Swirl the fermentor and raise temps if possible. Maybe set it on a heat pad if you don't have a chamber.
 
fwiw, I use 3787 for a Trappist ale that's become a favorite here, and its OG is typically 1.065, and it finishes around 1.012.
I start the yeast at 67°F wort temperature then raise it 1°F per day until it gets to 72°F where I leave it for the rest of fermentation.

By the end of the third day the beer will usually have gotten within a couple points of FG, and shortly thereafter it really starts reeking as the yeast start cleaning up after themselves. That's where the fabulous flavors arise.

So I'd say jump the temperature up to at least 70°F and see what happens.
The recommended range is 64-78°F so you have plenty of headroom left...

Cheers!
 
There's a good thread on this yeast somewhere on here, and the message on that thread was to make sure you raise the temp to get it to finish.
 
I have taken WY3787 all the way to 86F without any off-flavors. I would strongly recommend raising it at least 5-10F to encourage it to finish. The Westmalle strain is a behemoth when treated with care -- it is not unusual to see 85%+ attenuation. It can be frustrating when it stalls, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
 
I use a refractometer, and a refractometer calculator to correct for the alcohol. 10 days ago, I adjusted the temp of the fermentation chamber to be at 71 degrees F, and the gravity dropped a little, then gently stirred the yeast 3 days ago. The temp adjustment lowered the gravity a bit, and the stirring did too, but not much. No off flavors. Still stuck at 7.2 Brix (1.016). Not sure what to do - should I raise the temp higher, or pitch some more of the same yeast from a starter? It is fermenting next to a NE IPA with London Ale III, which is stuck too, and I'm not sure about that beer taking any higher temp. It did not go over 150 degrees F in the mash either. Please advise. Thanks!
 
I have taken WY3787 all the way to 86F without any off-flavors. I would strongly recommend raising it at least 5-10F to encourage it to finish. The Westmalle strain is a behemoth when treated with care -- it is not unusual to see 85%+ attenuation. It can be frustrating when it stalls, but the rewards are well worth the effort.

Not to highjack this thread but I wanted to comment on my first and only experience with WY3787.

I used WY3787 on my first Dubbel a couple months ago. I let it sit on my basement floor (concrete) and the room temp was 68 degrees. I had four local brewers sample it and they said it had "Solvent" and "Astringency". I thought this yeast liked temps in this range (high 60's +/-) but they thought it might be due to fermenting too high. The other thing I thought that might have contributed to this was using RO water and forgetting to add any minerals to the mash. Rookie mistake trying to brew in a rush.
 
Give the fermentor a swirl, gently stir it (without oxidizing the beer) let it sit at 70F for a couple of days. But since you already did that I suppose it's done.

If you're really unsure about it being stuck or not: rack a bit of brew into a bottle add some yeast with some yeast nutrients. If nothing happens your fermentation is done.

If not: rack it into a secondary and re-inoculate with fresh yeast, but don't just add the yeast to the brew. Take a little bit of your brew add some dry extract or whatever you use to make your starter and add the yeast to that.
This is a last resort tho! If the beer is done and you add new yeast to it the yeast will just die, creating possible off-flavors, it will not produce CO and the brew will be vulnerable to infections.


I would take a 2L starter next time, just to be sure.
 
Not to highjack this thread but I wanted to comment on my first and only experience with WY3787.

I used WY3787 on my first Dubbel a couple months ago. I let it sit on my basement floor (concrete) and the room temp was 68 degrees. I had four local brewers sample it and they said it had "Solvent" and "Astringency". I thought this yeast liked temps in this range (high 60's +/-) but they thought it might be due to fermenting too high. The other thing I thought that might have contributed to this was using RO water and forgetting to add any minerals to the mash. Rookie mistake trying to brew in a rush.

I have used 3787 many, many times. I love it for tripel. I always start it at 63F and hold it there for at least 4-5 days. Then raise the temp to finish before dropping it to clear. Solvent I can see from high temps, but astringent makes no sense in regard to temp. I think the lack of mineral addition and pH adjustment is responsible for that.
 
I have used 3787 many, many times. I love it for tripel. I always start it at 63F and hold it there for at least 4-5 days. Then raise the temp to finish before dropping it to clear. Solvent I can see from high temps, but astringent makes no sense in regard to temp. I think the lack of mineral addition and pH adjustment is responsible for that.


I just started cold crashing a Belgian blond with this strain. 1.065 pitched at 20 c for 5 days then ramp to 24 c.

It took off like a rocket but was still only 1.030 after the first 5 days. Slowly chugged down to 1.010 but took 14 days to do so. Granted, I under pitched from a 1 L starter of fairly expired yeast.

I would say that if you are at 1.016 you likely are at FG and unlikely to restart fermentation by pitching anything else at this point (save Brett etc).

Did your recipe have anything to keep the FG a bit high (not that 1.016 is that high...)?

Under pitch? Lack of oxygenation?
 
... It is fermenting next to a NE IPA with London Ale III, which is stuck too, and I'm not sure about that beer taking any higher temp. It did not go over 150 degrees F in the mash either.

If you have 2 beers that are "stuck", what are the chances your thermometer used while mashing is off?
 
If you have a stuck fermentation with 3787 then you may have a process issue. I've never gotten less than 85% AA with 3787.
 
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