Stuck fermentation...after a year

[gnaztee]

Okay, this may be an odd one. January 2015 I brewed a Belgian Tripel style that came in at around 1.075 OG. After 40 days on primary, racked to secondary...and then let it go.

Getting ready to move, so figured I'd better try to bottle. Gravity now reads 1.040. It's sweet, for sure. I figured I'd have to give it a bit more yeast with priming sugar (DME) when I bottled. Now I have questions:

If I add yeast and priming sugar, will the high gravity give me bottle bombs?

How much does priming DME add to a gravity reading for 4.5 gallons or so?

Is there any way in hell of restarting the fermentation?

I'm not worried about the final alcohol, it tastes good. But I don't want exploders.

Thanks for any help!

 

[ruger988]

Recipe, mash temps, etc...? I find it hard to believe that NOTHING found its way into that beer in over a year to finish fermenting it. Unless its in some sort of sealed/pressurized vessel?

Bottling at that gravity is a BAD idea IMO no matter what.

 

[gnaztee]

Recipe was a Piraat clone, partial mash, except I used dark candi sugar instead of clear. Recipe gravity was 1.101 down to 1.020. I am at 1.075 down to 1.040. I had a boiling spillover so no idea how much extract sugar it cost me. Then lost a 1/2 gallon or so when I screwed up racking process. Fermented at 70-75 for first few months, then forgot about it, but no real temp extremes.

I also have in notes that carboy already had separation when I took OG reading. I was really early in learning process.

 

[gnaztee]

Just had an airlock on it, but stayed in closet the entire time.

 

[Yooper]

Just had an airlock on it, but stayed in closet the entire time.

And you're using a hydrometer that reads 1.000 in water, and NOT a refractometer?

 

[gnaztee]

Don't know what that is, but no, hydrometer for sure.

 

[mongoose33]

Are you sure there are no carbonation bubbles on the hydrometer that would cause it to float higher in the cylinder?

And Yooper has a good idea--have you checked the hydrometer to make sure it reads 1.00 in water?

 

[gnaztee]

Just tested and yes, reads 1.000 in water.

 

[gnaztee]

I don't think the readings are off, unless the priming sugar I added makes a real difference.

I guess I really just need to know what you guys think my options are for a next step.

 

[IchLiebeBier]

I think I'd add some more of the original yeast, or something with a neutral flavor, like EC-1118. Don't add any new sugar until you bottle...after the yeast gets your FG down.

Note though, if you use a different yeast, it could attenuate more and drive the FG down a bit further than you want for the recipe, making it a bit drier than you wanted.

 

[McKnuckle]

Given that it's a Tripel, it's supposed to be dry... and at 1.040 its SG is higher than a typical yeast starter! I think I'd consider racking off about 1/2 gallon and pitching a package of fresh yeast, probably the original strain. See if it goes anywhere. If not, the beer must be devoid of fermentable sugar (high mash temp?). If yes, you can then pitch it into the full volume of beer after the growth phase completes.

 

[CJ-3]

1.075down to 1.040 does sound like it's way too high. Without knowing the recipe and your mash temps I would say it's not done.
Adding yeast and bottling a 1.040 may indeed give you bottle bombs. If after a year of being ignored it doesn't taste funky consider yourself lucky - i am assuming the airlock dried out.
If it were me I would pitch fresh yeast and get the gravity down.

 

[gnaztee]

Okay, thanks for the replies everyone. I'll pitch more yeast in the next day or two and see what it does. Any tips for getting this going in the 1/2 gallon?

 

[CJ-3]

Okay, thanks for the replies everyone. I'll pitch more yeast in the next day or two and see what it does. Any tips for getting this going in the 1/2 gallon?

If you use liquid yeast just use the half gallon as a starter.
If you use dry yeast just sprinkle it in.

 

[gnaztee]

So, pitched into a half gallon on Sunday and nothing yet. Temp is right at 70...too low? Temp dropping a bit at night. Any ideas to jump start or turbo charge?

 

[eddiewould]

Add some Brett and wait.

 

[gnaztee]

I have fermentation again!

Took a couple of tries. After trying liquid yeast in a half gallon and getting nothing, I made a starter from a dry pack. After 24 hours rolling I dumped that into the half gallon. Two days later that was ripping along. Dumped into full bucket and after two more days it's bubbling along. Hopefully it can get to the finish line. Thanks everyone!