Stuck fermentation help!

[browniebuck]

Hi everyone. I brewed a Goose Island Bourbon County Stout clone recently. Starting gravity was 1.132. I pitched a one gallon starter of Mangrove Jack Liberty Bell yeast. After 10 days it had stalled out at 1.058. I built up a 2 liter starter of a French Saison yeast I had in my yeast bank. After 24 hours there hasn't been any activity and the gravity reads the same 1.058. Any advice on what my next step should be? Is there a yeast that could finish this beer down into the 1.020-1.030 range? Will I have to dilute? I'd really appreciate any help you can give. Thanks!

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

1.132 - 1.058 is already nearly 10% so I'm only guessing that most of the yeast has either been crippled or killed by that much booze. What was your estimated FG? I would either pitch some WY3787 (Trappist High Gravity) which says it can go to 11-12% or throw some Brett (8-12%) and bugs in there and see what happens. Cheers!

 

[bracconiere]

Is there a yeast that could finish this beer down into the 1.020-1.030 range?

turbo yeast will get it to about 16%, they distillers will get to 20% but i never got it too.....if you go for turbo make sure it's "UREA FREE" otherwise it will make your brew taste like urine.....urea free will just make it taste like chalk....

 

[balrog]

That's, um, quite the choice -- you can have either urine or chalk -- however to decide?

 

[bracconiere]

That's, um, quite the choice -- you can have either urine or chalk -- however to decide?

i definitly prefer the chalk....this is what i've been using for my 9% ciders....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Pack-Hig...=1537883251784bee8fc42c9946f69cde1e151a44a793

edit: the chalk flavor is earthy, urine is kinda sharp, and off putting.....


edit #2: all i know, urea free turbo ain't that bad.....

 

[browniebuck]

1.132 - 1.058 is already nearly 10% so I'm only guessing that most of the yeast has either been crippled or killed by that much booze. What was your estimated FG? I would either pitch some WY3787 (Trappist High Gravity) which says it can go to 11-12% or throw some Brett (8-12%) and bugs in there and see what happens. Cheers!

The recipe was looking at a FG of 1.030. I'd feel a lot better if I can get the FG down into the mid 1.030's

 

[marc1]

The recipe was looking at a FG of 1.030. I'd feel a lot better if I can get the FG down into the mid 1.030's

Just to rule out the easy stuff, are you measuring with a hydrometer?

 

[Stand]

Can you warm it up?

 

[Maxkling]

What was the recipes OG?

 

[smata67]

I've had poor results pitching either a fresh starter at krausen or dry yeasts to address stuck fermentations of high gravity beers. So try this. Scoop out as much of the trub as you can from this stalled batch. I use a ladle with an extension. Alternatively, you can just transfer the beer to another container and get at the trub. Wash it to end up with as much second generation yeast from this batch as you can. 200mL at least. Make a starter with this yeast. I have done 1L starters with success. Too large a starter and you start diluting your batch. And you may have to do this twice. If you have a stir plate and a refractometer, the starter is ready when Brix drops to around 5 (a 1.040 starter will begin at around Brix of 9-10). This should happen 10-12 hours in. Boil 4oz of sugar in some water, pitch this in with the starter. I did this twice to a batch that had gotten stuck at 1.039 and took it down 8 points each time to 1.022, saving the day. The reason why this works so well is that yeasts tend to perform better the second go around having acclimatized to the batch and you are also pitching a hefty population.

 

[apache_brew]

I don't have first have hand experience, but maybe you could siphon off a percentage of your batch and experiment with an enzyme like White Labs Ultra Ferm ( amyloglucosidase ). Mix up your yeast cake into suspension and see if a dosed amount of enzyme will break down some sugars for your existing yeast to consume them. If it works, scale up the dosage for the rest of the batch (or maybe just pour the test batch in and see where it goes). If it doesn't, then it's only a portion lost.

 

[browniebuck]

Can you warm it up?

Yes. I wrapped a heating pad around the bucket and raised the temp to 85F for three days. I didn't register any change in gravity. Tried pitching a saison yeast.

 

[browniebuck]

What was the recipes OG?

1.132

 

[browniebuck]

Just to rule out the easy stuff, are you measuring with a hydrometer?

Yes.