Stuck fermentation

[Hiphop]

Help! I’m having issues hitting my final gravity! This is brew number 6 in a row that I missed my final gravity by 0.010-0.015. My starting gravity is spot on every time and fermentation lasts a full healthy 1-2 weeks. I use healthy good yeast everytime and use a temperature controlled fridge for fermentation. I let the beers fully ferment plus a week, because I bottle, to make sure fermentation is completely over. I have even pitched a second yeast to try to kick start fermentation. I have used white labs, wyeast, and imperial yeast and still have the same problem. It’s not a huge issue but it’s the difference between 5% abv vs 3% abv. I have heard some people will add additional corn sugar during fermentation if the final gravity is not low enough. The problem I have with this is how would I calculate how much I need? I don’t want to turn what should be a 5% beer into a barley wine. Does anyone have any ideas on what is happening/what I can do?

 

[mongoose33]

Need more information. What kind of recipe, are you doing all-grain or extract, how do you oxygenate your wort, do you do a starter, how do you do that, etc.

For instance, maybe you're mashing too high a temp; that may create a lot of unfermentable sugars that means you'll simply not be able to get your gravity down.

Anyway, more info. As much as you reasonably can.

 

[Hiphop]

Need more information. What kind of recipe, are you doing all-grain or extract, how do you oxygenate your wort, do you do a starter, how do you do that, etc.

For instance, maybe you're mashing too high a temp; that may create a lot of unfermentable sugars that means you'll simply not be able to get your gravity down.

Anyway, more info. As much as you reasonably can.

100% all grain. Mash temp 100% spot on to recipe 148-152. Temp readings before, during and post mash. No change. Aquarium pump to air filter to stone in chilled wort. Vigorous bubbles in wort for about 5-10 min. Then a good shake to “stir” stuff up. Then pitch yeast. I don’t do a starter because lack of specific equipment to do it. I never wash and reuse yeast because of a bad past experience. I prefer the wyeast snack packs because I know the yeast is good if the packet inflates. I do one yeast pack per 5 gallons. I don’t do beers above 1.060 for the reason of having to do a starter or multiple yeast packs. Most recently a fat tire clone with OG 1.052 Current gravity x 4 weeks is 1.027. No bubbles in airlock for a week. Please any more questions I would happily answer. Thank you for your help

 

[day_trippr]

One would think at least one of those 6 batches would have hit the expected FG unless there was a fundamental issue in play.
Given the information so far I would correlate the mash thermometer against a reliable standard...

Cheers!

 

[mongoose33]

What fermentation temp for which yeast?

Two things that could be improved are doing a starter, and oxygenating the wort with O2 instead of air.

How long until you get bubbling after pitching? At what temp do you pitch, and what temp is the yeast when you do that?

 

[Hiphop]

Most common yeast I have been using has been the wyeast 1056. I purchase and use the yeast same day. Smack in store and pitch at 68-70 degrees roughly 3-4 hours later when done with brewing. Yeast at that time is usually 68-70 degrees when pitched. I use the bubbler for years without issue and regular cleaning so it doesn’t clog. I bubble 5 min minimum and up to 10 min. Is usually a 5 gallon batch in a 6.5 gallon bucket, 6.5 gallon carboy. I shake the carboy or bucket after I’m done with the air pump. I use 3 different thermometers on the mash. One that I build into the mash tun that is calibrated regularly, one that is old school glass with mercury that after testing freezing and boiling temps is accurate and one long stem dial thermometer I use in the brew which is calibrated regularly. When I say regularly I mean like once a month. I’m kinda OCD about my brewing stuff always cleaning, fixing, calibrating stuff. Any more questions or help please let me know.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Maybe I missed it, but how are you measuring final gravity?

 

[Hiphop]

Maybe I missed it, but how are you measuring final gravity?

I am using both a refractometer at 68 degrees calibrated everytime I brew (1-2 times a month with distilled water and a hydrometer to calculate original gravity and only the hydrometer to calculate the final gravity. A friend or the wife double checks my readings to confirm correct readings. A more experienced brewer once told me about the hydrometer is not accurate when alcohol is involved. I have been brewing for years without issue with same equipment.

 

[mongoose33]

What is your fermentation temp?

 

[GoeHaarden]

A more experienced brewer once told me about the hydrometer is not accurate when alcohol is involved

Probably a mind-fart while typing, but it's the refractometer that is not accurate once alcohol is present. It requires a calculation to obtain the FG, but again not all formulas are created equal and I just use my hydrometer for FG.

So, the hydrometer is accurate when alcohol is present...

 

[GoeHaarden]

Also, have you tried using dry yeast? I believe US-05 is the same strain as 1056 so maybe give it a try. You can avoid having to use a starter as 1 packet of dry yeast is enough for 5 gallons of a 1.055 brew. Whereas 1 pack of liquid yeast is not enough, but I don't think it's such an under pitch for that much under-attenuation. Worth a short tho...

 

[Hiphop]

Probably a mind-fart while typing, but it's the refractometer that is not accurate once alcohol is present. It requires a calculation to obtain the FG, but again not all formulas are created equal and I just use my hydrometer for FG.

So, the hydrometer is accurate when alcohol is present...

Your 100% right. Total mind fart. I ment refractometer wasn’t accurate with alcohol. I only use it for starting gravity because it doesn’t have brix measurement available which all formulas I can find online are saying

 

[Hiphop]

What is your fermentation temp?

Depends on the beer. Als at 66-70 depending on the beer. Lagers currently 52-56. I use a temperature controller and fridge for either the lager or ale

 

[Hiphop]

Also, have you tried using dry yeast? I believe US-05 is the same strain as 1056 so maybe give it a try. You can avoid having to use a starter as 1 packet of dry yeast is enough for 5 gallons of a 1.055 brew. Whereas 1 pack of liquid yeast is not enough, but I don't think it's such an under pitch for that much under-attenuation. Worth a short tho...

I have used the dry yeast in the past. Especially the us-05 strain but moved to imperial because of more active yeast cells or the wyeast for the smack pack effect so I know the yeast is good. I haven’t read anywhere about the wyeast or imperial yeast 1 package not being enough for a 5 gallon beer under 1.060. I have read that any stronger or any bigger size you would need more but it says on the package that it’s enough for a 5 gallon batch. I usually do 10 gallon batches and split into 2 different carboys. Maybe next round I will try a dry pack in one and a wyeast in the other

 

[bracconiere]

double check your thermometer for the mash?

i once was using a analog thermometer and it was out of whack. had issues with brewing couple batches.. now i use a digital one..

 

[Hiphop]

double check your thermometer for the mash?

i once was using a analog thermometer and it was out of whack. had issues with brewing couple batches.. now i use a digital one..

I regularly test and adjust all my thermometers to boiling and freezing temps. The problem I have with the digital thermometer is literally every time I buy and use one (5-6 different thermometers) the thermometers become inaccuracte. I even bought fancy one that hook up to Bluetooth and what not and if a certain part of the prob gets a little moisture in it the readings become way off. Like boiling water is now 485 degrees...I then have to “bake” the probes to the digital thermometers to dry out the moisture. So much easier to use dial thermometers or the old school glass ones

 

[bracconiere]

altitude? my water boils at 200f at 4500ft....

 

[Hiphop]

altitude? my water boils at 200f at 4500ft....

altitude? my water boils at 200f at 4500ft....

The was one of my mistakes that I corrected when first brewing. I live south of Denver at 6200 elevation. For a roaring boil, it’s 200 degrees. I check all my thermometers vs glass mercury vs digital one. Calibrated before ever brew. I super appreciate the thought though.

 

[bracconiere]

The was one of my mistakes that I corrected when first brewing. I live south of Denver at 6200 elevation. For a roaring boil, it’s 200 degrees. I check all my thermometers vs glass mercury vs digital one. Calibrated before ever brew. I super appreciate the thought though.

thanks for the friendly cuss out. just thought i'd check.

 

[Hiphop]

thanks for the friendly cuss out. just thought i'd check.

I’m so sorry!! I didn’t mean the double quote and for sure didn’t mean for it to feel like a cuss out! I super appreciate any help/advice

 

[ong]

It sure sounds like you’re not getting good conversion.

I would try going super basic with a SMaSH: just 10 lbs of base malt (Maris Otter or Golden Promise or something like that), 30 IBUs of hops in the boil, a few ounces steeped at 180°, and a packet of S-04 or US-05 (which will give you twice the viable cells of a packet of liquid yeast).

But really focusing on the mash, and keeping it in the 150° zone for a solid 80-90 minutes to ensure you’ve got good conversion.

 

[ong]

I’m so sorry!! I didn’t mean the double quote and for sure didn’t mean for it to feel like a cuss out! I super appreciate any help/advice

Hey, he called my IPA toilet wine, so he deserves whatever he gets!

 

[bracconiere]

Hey, he called my IPA toilet wine, so he deserves whatever he gets!

LOL

 

[bracconiere]

Had another thought. check the ph. i just had a stuck ferment too. it stopped at 1.006, even with gluco.

thought about checking myself, but ended up keggiing anyway.

i decided to test it out of the keg ph is 3.4, ale yeast don't like that low a ph. probably could have gotten it down to my usual 1.000 if i added some baking soda.

and yes i'd say i made a sour!

 

[Hiphop]

Had another thought. check the ph. i just had a stuck ferment too. it stopped at 1.006, even with gluco.

thought about checking myself, but ended up keggiing anyway.

i decided to test it out of the keg ph is 3.4, ale yeast don't like that low a ph. probably could have gotten it down to my usual 1.000 if i added some baking soda.

and yes i'd say i made a sour!

Does PH really have that much effect on final gravity? We switched from city water to well water about 6 months ago. It goes through our fancy filter for our house so I don’t notice a difference in taste in the water. I live south of Denver so the water I get is directly from run off. I have been to cheap/didn’t know that it effects the final beer product that much to do anything about it.

 

[bracconiere]

Does PH really have that much effect on final gravity? We switched from city water to well water about 6 months ago. It goes through our fancy filter for our house so I don’t notice a difference in taste in the water. I live south of Denver so the water I get is directly from run off. I have been to cheap/didn’t know that it effects the final beer product that much to do anything about it.

Do you have a meter, or test strips? Someone else would have to verify my thought.

My 1.006 'stuck' ferment i pulled one of the two kegs and dumped back in the bucket, added enough baking soda to get it to 4.5, and it's got active fermentation again. i'll report back tomorrow on the gravity. hopefully it will be 1.000 and i'll put it back in the keg. and do the same to the other keg.

It's all i got to drink right now!

 

[Hiphop]

I don’t have any ph testing equipment. I spent to much money on other brewing things this month but maybe Christmas.... Itwould be interesting to see if it effects the flavor of the beer at all? How did you calculate how much you need of the bicarbonate per gallon? To you is the risk of contamination worth the potential 1/2% ABV? I don’t feel like a sour coors clone would go over well

 

[bracconiere]

Well i hate to say it, but my ph attempt didn't solve me 1.006 FG. so disregard my statement.

But it got me curious as to if it's sour what the SG of Acetic acid is.. ~1.056, so maybe it's that...for me at least. you didn't say your beer was sour though.

sorry for the tangent.

 

[Hiphop]

I have yet to brew a sour beer for the fear of turning all my beers after that sour. The process doesn’t seem crazy hard but like I said before I don’t feel like certain beers turned sour would be desired by the masses

 

[bracconiere]

I have yet to brew a sour beer for the fear of turning all my beers after that sour. The process doesn’t seem crazy hard but like I said before I don’t feel like certain beers turned sour would be desired by the masses

probably right, not unless for cooking with!

Acetic acid 5% - vinegar 59 15 1.006

this might be my 'beer'....


maybe lactic acid, it says it's SG is 1.220