More problems with fermentation

[mortong]

I posted a question about this batch (Alaskan Amber clone) earlier.

When I rechecked my gravity, it was at 1.040 (OG was ~1.050), so I must have misread it the first time I checked. This was after letting it ferment for about 10 days.

I pitched some more yeast (Windsor dry yeast) after allowing it to rehydrate.

I just checked it after two days (it had bubbled a few times during that time), and saw that the beer is clearing really well - there's no yeast on top, not much cloudiness, and most yeast has flocculated.

It also doesn't show signs of a second "primary" fermentation (I'm not sure whether or not to expect this).

I'm going to check the gravity when I get home from work, but I was wondering, aside from repitching yeast and trying to resuspend the yeast already there, what can I try to unstick the fermentation?

Thanks for your help.

[hemogoblin]

Did you aerate the wort enough? Is it possibly too cold where you're keeping it? When I use dry yeast it's usually done w/ primary in two days or less ...

In your situation I'd swirl it around and wait a few more days. Then bottle it and hope for the best. My first-ever batch was sluggish like this and still came out pretty decent ...

[ray m]

Check all the things hemogoblin said....I'm willing to bet that one or more of those variables are what's fouling up the works. Just don't throw in the towel on this batch yet....just give it a little more time and I'm sure all will be fine.
P.S. As far as the temperature is concerned---make sure your temp. area is @ 70* or so. That way, if the reason for your woes is too cold of a temperature, 70* should be enough to get things jump started again. Agitate your fermenter, too, as mentioned before.

[mortong]

Other than a few days (before the repitching), the temp range has stayed in the safe zone for the yeast. A few times before repitch it got too high, then cold (90degree days, 55degree nights).

I've since moved the fermenter, though, and another batch in the same location is doing fine.

I think I aerated pretty well. But one question - should I re-aerate before I repitch more yeast?

I've tried swirling it around to try to resuspend the yeast in the beer/wort. I figure I'll retest the gravity tonight or tomorrow and see where to go from there.

The batch tastes REALLY good, just not very alcoholic, so I don't plan on tossing it. I'd just like it to finish out fermenting a bit more.

It looks like my other batch will finish before this one (even though I started it a week later). Any thoughts on pouring the unfinished beer over the yeast cake (from the secondary) of the finsihed beer (it uses a different type of yeast - wyeast 1098).

[YamahaXS]

Once fermentation has started DO NOT re-aerate. This will oxidize your beer.

Keep it warm enough, or cool enough, and wait it out.

[mortong]

The brew is down to 1.030 now, and has almost completely cleared. There is no sign of fermentation at all, in fact, the beer is VERY clear now.

Should I bottle a weak beer or keep trying? I don't want to end up with some burst bottles.

[YamahaXS]

If this is an extract beer, then I definitely would wait it out. I would also try pitching some quality liquid yeast.

If this is an all grain beer, then I suppose its possibly you have a beer full of unfermentables. But I would still pitch some high quality yeast.

[mortong]

Thanks for your help everyone. I'll give it a try with liquid and let you know how it turns out.

Edit - My other (more recent batch) is done fermenting - 1.014 - right in the middle of the goal fg. I'm transferring to secondary tonight. =)

[mortong]

I just wanted to let you all know how this batch turned out.

It's been bottled since October 13, and the FG was 1.026. Still pretty high, but someone (I can't find the post), said that they think I may have made the OG too high (it was my first batch in years, and I forgot to take a gravity reading).

I think his estimate of about 1.080 OG was correct, because the beer tastes a lot like a winter warmer.

The first few bottles were VERY malty and you could feel an alcohol warmth.

It's mellowed a bit now, and it's fairly well balanced with the hops. The alcohol warmth also seems to have subsided a bit.

All in all this turned out to be a pretty good beer - not perfect, but very drinkable.

I can taste a little bit of tannins in it - not overwhelming, but it's there if you're looking for it. I was putting the specialty grains into the pot from cold until it boiled. I've since started steeping the specialty grains at 150-170, so at least I've learned to remedy that problem. I think I'll adjust this recipe and try it again - to perfect it. It's good enough that when I run out (soon) I'll want more. Hopefully the next batch is that much closer to my "perfect" beer.

Thanks everyone.
Geoff

[ray m]

I'm glad everything turned out Ok, Mortong....as I've said many times before, I think it is really hard to completely screw up a batch to the point that it has to be pitched. A lot of times ust a little extra time & TLC is all that's needed.

Drink Hearty, y'all!!!!!

Ray

[b3s]

another trick i learned from tweek...if your fermentation gets stuck, instead of re-pitching, get some yeast hulls from your LHBS and pitch those...gives your existing yeast new bodies.

another thing i do is swirl it around a lot.

however, if you're down to 1030 and you suspect your OG reading was off, you may be good enough...worst case scenario? weaker, but maltier beer! nothing wrong with that in my book.

[BeerBelly]

I pitched some more yeast (Windsor dry yeast) after allowing it to rehydrate.

I made a Pale Bock Ale kit from Austin Homebrew. It had the Windsor yeast by DanStar, I made a 1/2 gallon starter after 24 hours it stopped. The gravity was 1.040 after 24 hours. I stirred it but that didnt help. After 3 days I racked it to a secondary and checked the gravity 1.028 with no visible fermentation.

I also made a Cream Ale kit at the same time, it is fermenting great. It is bubbling away.

Is it possible that this type of yeast ferments fast?

[mortong]

It's possible that it does, because I've had quick fermentations with this yeast in most other batches. I've switched to Safale S-04 as my primary dry yeast, though - I've had more consisten results.

I guess this thread lacks some details in my brewing - there were about three different threads about this batch.

This batch sat in my fermenters (3 total) for a month. It took a month before the SG leveled out at 1.026. So in this case it was very slow.

I added a total of 3 yeast strains to it: Windsor British originally, Windsor British repitch , Wyeast 1098 British Ale (harvested from a brown ale), and finally Safale S-04.

It's turned out to be one of my favorite brews - I think the three types of yeast only added to the flavor in the end. I just downed 4 before checking this board. I'm going to be sad when they're gone. =/