Stuck Fermentation! Help!!

[BucksBrew]

Hello all!

I have a Golden Ale cloned like a Pilsner Urquell Lager.

The problem is SG was 1.05, 2 weeks later the gravity was at 1.0245, which means alc. content is 2.67%. I added dry yeast and it came down to 1.024, brings alc. % up to 2.73, Big yippee!

Question is, I have it in my heater room at 76 degrees after adding a pack of dry yeast.

Should I add the yeast, keep in heater room then move to air conditioned area of 72 degrees after a day or so?

Any help would be appreciated! I can't stand that I blew 2 out of 5 batches so far! One my fault, this one not sure yet!

[wortchillergoal]

I would try rousing the yeast that is already in there first as opposed to adding more yeast. I don't pay to much attention to the temp. of the room as long as it is not to cool so that the yeast might go dormant.

[YamahaXS]

recipe? yeast type?


racking to a carboy might reactivate it for you.

[BucksBrew]

The beer is in the secondary now. I racked 5-6 days after I pitched the yeast.

First the ferment got stuck. Then I tested and tasted it, it tasted watery and cidery. Now it just tastes watery.

I'm thinking of dry hopping in the keg to give it some flavor after I try to get the ferment back on course.

I did stir with a racking cane to re suspend the yeast. Maybe I'll do this again.

Is too much yeast a problem? I would think not since it should settle to the bottom of the keg.

Golden Ale Recipe

Our lightly colored American version of a Czech Pilsner sets a higher standard for Golden Ales. Unlike many, ours is crisp, clean, and refreshing while maintaining full-bodied, real ale flavor.

Ingredients
8 lb. Alexander's Pale Malt Extract
1 lb. Weyermann Cara-Helles Malt 9° L
½ lb. De Wolf Cosyns Carapils Malt 7.7° L
1 oz. Perle Hops (Bittering)
½ oz. Czech Saaz Hops (Finishing)
Wyeast # 1056 XL American Ale

[paul84043]

If it just tastes watery and not excessively sweet, I would begin to wonder about your hydrometer. You should still be able to taste the malt at that gravity, it should almost taste like it does when you prime it for bottling.

I had a nut brown with an oktoberfest yeast that sat for three weeks trying to carbonate. I finally gave up and pulled them out of the refrigerator and just put them on the shelf in the basement with the rest.
Two weeks later, you could tell a nut brown by the champagne like pop when you open one of those babies....the slightly warmer temp really kicked it in the rear and got it carbonated.

[BucksBrew]

I'm gonna check the Gravity every 2-3 days, stir the sediment up and see how it goes. I'm just wondering if I should get it back to around 72 degrees or leave it at the current 76?

[MmmBeer]

I have an IPA that seems to be stuck, or maybe im just worrying too much. Need to taste it. Anyways it roiled and boiled and had one hell of a primary fermentation. then after about 3 days it dropped down to next to nothing. Racked it to secondary and it's not even noticeably bubbling. Haven't checked the gravity since it's been in secondary but i should... could the fermentation be over that fast? I used the vial of pitchable yeast, my first time, is this typical? I'll taste it tonight and see whats up.

[paul84043]

Yes, it could be done that fast. It's not unusual for it not to bubble noticeable in the secondary. That doesn't mean int's "done" though, just finished with the active portion of the fermentation. Gravity reading will really tell you what's going on. I'd give it a couple of weeks.
Are you dry hopping it in the secondary? I highly recommend it for an IPA.

[MmmBeer]

A-ha. Yes I am dry hopping with 1/4 oz chinook and 1/2 oz saaz. Cool I will take the hydro reading. And I hope it is finishes in less than 1 week and a half cause I am moving.

[MmmBeer]

One last question: does racking from the primary slow down fermentation? It seems the advice for folks using a one stage ferment are told to ferment for not over 13 days or so, where the 2ndary seems to take 2+ weeks. Is this cause it slows it down? Am I misunderstanding something.?

[barley ben]

the secondary doesnt slow the fermenting, it just gives your batch time to condition. when you rack to a secondary, you leave as much of the trub behind as possible. if you use the single fermentation and leave it sit too long the trub can cause off flavors after a while and the used yeast can start too die and break down when there is no more fermentables to consume.

[MmmBeer]

I think it's stuck. I never took the og (cause I forgot) but the fg has been at 0.018 for the past 3 days. I started out with 7.5 lbs of fermentables, I wonder if it's done.... Still tastes sweet. But beer-like. Ugh, I have no yeast hulls and no additional yeast lyin around. I moved the fermenter to a warm room, hopefully that will help... I don't want to blow up bottles.

[YamahaXS]

Mmmbeer;

Patience is a virtue and will be rewarded with everlasting beer!


.018 isn't that high. could be done. or mostly done. let it sit age and mellow!

in the mean time, you can come over and drink some of my latest pale ale. :)

[MmmBeer]

Point taken. And I will take up your offer, my batch of witbier has almost expired! maybe tha's why my patience is thin, I don't like beer gaps.

[MagTheGrate]

Without knowing the OG it's hard to tell if it's done. if your beer started at 1.060 and is now at 1.018 that's about 70% attenuation, which is normal for lots of yeasts.

Being a golden ale I'm doubtfull it started as high as 1.060, but I tend to have OG's that high and ending at 18-20 isn't completely out of line.

EDIT: doh! it was the ipa being talked about that was at 1.018, not the golden ale.

the ipa i have in my carboy right now started at 1.065, so maybe it really is done at 1.018.