Stuck fermentation

matthewpakula · Apr 10, 2013

My last five beers have missed their final gravity by 20 points. I used a yeast starter in my last two and still experienced the same problem. Temperature for both fermentation and pitching were between 68-72 and I can't figure out the problem. I tried using champagne yeast and safale 05ans nothing is helping. Help me save my beers.

kapbrew13 · Apr 10, 2013

What would are you using to read gravity? Extract or all grain brewing.

matthewpakula · Apr 10, 2013

All grain recipes were brewed and a refractometer was used to measure OG.

DerekJ · Apr 10, 2013

Are you using the refractometer to measure your FG too?

kapbrew13 · Apr 10, 2013

matthewpakula said:
All grain recipes were brewed and a refractometer was used to measure OG.

That's a problem maybe. I learned a refractometer is no good after fermentation. Alcohol will mess up the light. I use a refrac pre fermentation and hydrometer post fermentation.
First few brews in said ,, I messed up. These are low alcohol brews. They say, I'm trashed from your brews. I say sorry after a few months when I learned my mistake.

ChrisL_ · Apr 10, 2013

What temperature are you using for your mash? Too high a temp can lead to unfermentable sugars.

matthewpakula · Apr 11, 2013

ChrisL_ said:
What temperature are you using for your mash? Too high a temp can lead to unfermentable sugars.

I mash at 152-154.

Yooper · Apr 11, 2013

matthewpakula said:
I mash at 152-154.

I'd check that your hydrometer reads 1.000 in water, and make sure to not use the refractometer for the readings for FG.

ChrisL_ · Apr 11, 2013

matthewpakula said:
I mash at 152-154.

The mash range is fine. As Yooper says, I would try to verify your hydrometer. I would also double check your thermometer against another if you can as well or follow the steps on this link.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7289526_test-meat-thermometer.html
I seem to hear over and over again on the beer podcasts I listen to about how often thermometers need to be checked/callibrated.

heathcom · Apr 12, 2013

I had two thermometers 10 degrees off, mashing too high causing not to hit FG. Got a digital thermo now all is good.

Stuck fermentation

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