Stuck Fermentation

[msinning]

Hey guys,
Brewed a Saison with an SG 0f 1.054. Its currently at 1.031 after three weeks in the primary. It's a 5 gallon all grain batch and temp was holding steady at 70F. Used the Wyeast Belgian Saison strain, should I be patient or try to repitch more yeast to get it going again? Thanks.

 

[botigol]

Bump the temperature up and wait. Some people talk about taking this yeast into the 90s in order to get it to finish.

 

[flars]

The temp range for WY 3724 is 70-95°F. I would warm the fermentor 5°F, and then gently stir the yeast with a long sanitized spoon. Wait a week after rousing the yeast to measure for results.

 

[mkeckjr]

Further, this yeast strain is well-known for its tendency to slow down mid-fermentation, and even sometimes stop, then restart many days/weeks later. As said previously, you can certainly warm it up to the 80s, and even to 90 F, but the key is be patient, and don't take it off the yeast. Just wait, and it will finish up.

 

[WoodlandBrew]

You can rouse the yeast without introducing any contamination risk by swirling or rocking the bucket. If it were my I would try to get the yeast back into suspension and move it to a warmer spot in the house. I wouldn't repitch yeast.

Here is a top ten list of things to try:
http://www.woodlandbrew.com/2012/11/top-ten-ways-to-restart-fermentation.html

And reasons why it may have stopped early:
http://www.woodlandbrew.com/2012/11/top-ten-reasons-why-your-final-gravity.html

 

[msinning]

Thanks, hopefully will get it going again .

 

[BowAholic]

Thanks, hopefully will get it going again .

well...??? How did it turn out?

 

[msinning]

So unfortunately at the time I had originally posted I had already transferred to the secondary, stupid me. I reconstituted and pitched us-05 and fermentation pic ked up again, its now subsiding so I'll do gravity and taste test soon.

 

[BigFloyd]

Just to be sure, please tell me that the 1.031 in the original post wasn't an uncorrected refractometer reading.

It wouldn't be the first time someone had a reading in that range making them believe they have a "stuck fermentation" when they in fact don't.

 

[msinning]

It was a corrected refractometer reading

 

[Calder]

It was a corrected refractometer reading

Just making sure, because some folks don't know that FG refractometer readings are not accurate. You used a tool to correct for the alcohol effects on the refractometer reading.

 

[msinning]

Yeah, I compensated for the alcohol effects and the temp was 68° which is what I have the refractometer calibrated for. Going to get a reading again tomorrow after the secondary fermentation with us-05