I'm brewing a quad for the 1st time. Here's my issue: I started wit a 1.077 wort. fremed with Wyeast Trappist High Gravity down to about 1.035. Added sugar to 1.041, pitched Forbidden Fruit and let it go to 1.015. Transferred to secondary. Added sugar to 1.021, pitched Belgian Ardennes but am getting nothing. I realize I wouldn't get anything vigorous, but there's nothing for several days now. Any ideas? Shound I repitch same yeast? Diferent one? Ardennes should tolerate that alcohol I believe. Thanks for any help.
No ferm in Quad
- Thread starter ytbrew
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Did you pitch a starter at high kraeusen? At that high of alcohol, this may be necessary to restart fermentation.
You wasted a lot of yeast adding more, and likely changed some of the flavors. How long has this been fermenting, and what temperature is it fermenting at? How about your recipe too so we can tell where it is likely to finish at? Wyeast Trappist High Gravity starts fast and blows off a ton, then slows down and chugs along slowly. It needs warmer temps (75-80) late in fermentation to finish too. A 1.077 quad will likely take 4 weeks to finish fermenting for most people, and would take a large starter and oxygenation.
+1. adding a smackpack of those other yeasts that late was just a waste of money. their counts were very insignificant compared to the starting yeast and likely added very lil. the high grav would've and likely did it all by itself. are you just watching the airlock or have you actually checked gravity to see if it dropped more?
The multiple yeasts and are part of the plan for flavors from the competing differing yeasts. Basically following the format of Allagash Four outlined in Brew Like a Monk. I ran this situation past Wyeast and someone in the lab told me to rack off, oxygenate, let sit for at least 30min, and rack back on the small cake in the fermentor. I'll try it, I guess I have nothing to lose. If it does nothing I guess I can repitch with a starter.
So, how about more information so we can help you? Recipe, mashing temps/procedures, fermentation temperature, how long the beer has been fermenting, oxygenation?
It was an extract brew.
Steeped:
1lb Aromatic
1lb Wheat
1/2lb Spec B
9.15lbs Pils Extract
1-1/2lb clear candy sugar
Wyeast 3787 - 2 pkg.
Fermed at 72deg to 1.035 / about 5 days
added 1/2lb Beet Syrup & 1/2lb invert sugar (raise 6 pts)
pitched Wyeast 3463
Fermed to 1.015 @ 72deg. / rest @ ferm temp for 1 week more
Transferred to secondary, Add Beet & invert again (raise 6 pts to 1.021)
pitch Wyeast 3522 dropped 1 pt to 1.020 and stopped. Been 10 days/ no movement
Steeped:
1lb Aromatic
1lb Wheat
1/2lb Spec B
9.15lbs Pils Extract
1-1/2lb clear candy sugar
Wyeast 3787 - 2 pkg.
Fermed at 72deg to 1.035 / about 5 days
added 1/2lb Beet Syrup & 1/2lb invert sugar (raise 6 pts)
pitched Wyeast 3463
Fermed to 1.015 @ 72deg. / rest @ ferm temp for 1 week more
Transferred to secondary, Add Beet & invert again (raise 6 pts to 1.021)
pitch Wyeast 3522 dropped 1 pt to 1.020 and stopped. Been 10 days/ no movement
Well, you are pitching fresh yeast in a hostile environment, so don't expect much from the added yeast, particularly with no starter.
You also have lots of unfermentables in the grist with steeped aromatic, wheat, and Special B which won't convert along with the extract that has crystal malt in it. You're probably lucky you got it as low as 1.020 with that, since you have at least 12 points of unfermentable starches from the grains and more from the extract too.
You're at 22 days of fermentation, and bigger beers can take a long time, particularly with imperfect conditions.
Heat it up to 80 for a week and see if you can get more fermentation, and give up when you have a stable gravity for 3 days after that.
You also have lots of unfermentables in the grist with steeped aromatic, wheat, and Special B which won't convert along with the extract that has crystal malt in it. You're probably lucky you got it as low as 1.020 with that, since you have at least 12 points of unfermentable starches from the grains and more from the extract too.
You're at 22 days of fermentation, and bigger beers can take a long time, particularly with imperfect conditions.
Heat it up to 80 for a week and see if you can get more fermentation, and give up when you have a stable gravity for 3 days after that.
how did you steep those grains (i.e. how much water, what temp, how long)? looks like this was meant to be a PM as aromatic & wheat have enough enzymes to convert. was this topped off?
also, how did you calculate the 6pt addition? 1lb of those sugars would've added more than 6 points if this was 5gals
also, how did you calculate the 6pt addition? 1lb of those sugars would've added more than 6 points if this was 5gals
The grains were steeped in 2 gal of water for 45 min at 150, then slowly (20 min) raised to 170 and removed. What is PM? I calculated the amount of sugars by adding the amount to the current gravity for a 5 gal batch on BeerSmith software till I got the 6 pt change. Seemed right to me, but I know I've got a heck of a lot to learn about this. I dove into this one a bit blindly.
