Turtle Fermentation

[chapa]

Been in the carboy for 3 weeks now, it took OVER 48 hours to see a VEEERY minimal amount of activity, and then a stuck fermentation @ 1.022. The funny thing is though, the yeast is still moving around in there.

Unfortunately there is a very strong taste/odor that reminds me of my 1st extract that ended at 1.033!! Spicy(bad)malt kind of flavor and aroma. That batch was an imperial nut brown, this last brew is bordering porter/stout. The taste/smell is very overpowering, and has me worried. (Wish I was better at pin-pointing off-flavors)

I fermented low @ 63 (Wyeast 1968)for the first 2 weeks - then I wrapped it in heating blankets and got it to 70 for the last week. I also roused up the yeast and pitched a new pack of s-05. A week later, still stuck at 1.022, BUT the activity did pick up once it was warm, and it looked promising...didn't budge a bit.

Thought about amylase. Otherwise just letting it sit a few more weeks. I also wanted to use oak, bourbon and vanilla in half of the batch. Do you think this will cover up/blend with the off-flavor?

Here is my recipe, and possible culprits:

Slick Rick - Old Engine Oil Clone
10g Batch - (Start Vol - 12.6g)
150 Min Boil
SG: 1.062
IBU: 47.5
SRM: 28.6
Mashed 60min @ 155
66% Eff

70.34% Canadian 2-Row (18.5lb)
7.6 % Victory (to sub for Maris Otter-2lb)
17.11% Flaked Oats (4.5lb)
4.94% Roasted Barley (1.3lb)

2.5oz - East Kent Goldings @90min
2oz Williamette @10min
2oz Nugget @5min

WYeast 1968 ESB English Ale Yeast - Used Slurrys from Big Brown(previous Moose Drool clone) - Pitched around 65 degrees.

• I boiled for about 150 minutes, to get my gravity, but hop times were close.
• I mashed pretty high:155-156 - Seen other recipes at this temp, but maybe the amount of roasted/oats played a factor.
• I used the Wyeast 1968 slurry from a brew that I made a few months back. The original came out good, and didn't have any funky smells before I pitched it. Maybe a little sweet/fruity smell. No starter, just used what looked like more than enough slurry.
• I recirculated the boil kettle the entire time of the boil, and cool down. I hear about HSA, but the only way to get my BK to drain through the actual ball valve, is to make sure the trub doesn't settle at the bottom(it is recirculated through the hop bag)
• I initially fermented around 63 degrees, which may be slightly too low for Wyeast 1968.
• After 2 weeks, I brought it into my closet and wrapped it in a heating blanket and got it up to 70. Also pitched some new S-05(didn't rehydrate though)

What should I do with this otherwise BEAUTIFUL brew???

The sample before pitching yeast and fermenting was incredible. A little bitter, but smooth and roasty, almost like a chocolate milk because is was so silky.

If you want more info on the recipe origin click here.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[IrregularPulse]

What does your hydrometer read in a 60° sample of distilled water?

 

[chapa]

Last checked my hydrometer read .996-.998 at about 66 degrees. So its probably a little MORE than 1.022.

 

[RM-MN]

If you can see the yeast moving, it's doing something. I'd try to just wait it out. Do you have a hot date and this beer was planned to be part of the celebration? If not, start another just to keep yourself busy while this one does its thing.

 

[chapa]

If you can see the yeast moving, it's doing something. I'd try to just wait it out. Do you have a hot date and this beer was planned to be part of the celebration? If not, start another just to keep yourself busy while this one does its thing.

Not at all. That was the plan, to just wait it out. I was just hoping to get some insight/ideas in the meantime, and I doubt I'll get to brew another batch very soon, so I'm just getting anxious to keg one up, and start oaking the other. I don't care if the FG is high, as long as it tastes good!! Which right now it doesn't! Usually once its mostly fermented I can get a pretty good idea of what its going to taste like, I just really hope it pulls through, but I'm losing hope!

 

[chapa]

Is it possible that because I fermented so low for 2 weeks, that even though I warmed it up for the last week or so, it needs even more time to finish getting rid of the diacetyl, because of the cold initial fermentation? I just at least thought it would have dropped a few points.

Do you think that diacetyl is the smell/flavor I'm getting? It's like old spicy malt.

I just don't know where I could have gone wrong-my only real assumption, is that it was from the yeast, but it fermented the other batch fine, and was split between 2 water bottles.

 

[cheezydemon3]

NEVER WORRY ABOUT SMELLS.

Great beer sometimes smells horrible during fermentation.

RDSTFUADAHB

Relax being the point.

Slow and low is best, and even if the FG is a little high, how does it taste???????

I could care less about the FG if it tastes good.

 

[chapa]

NEVER WORRY ABOUT SMELLS.

Great beer sometimes smells horrible during fermentation.

RDSTFUADAHB

Relax being the point.

Slow and low is best, and even if the FG is a little high, how does it taste???????

I could care less about the FG if it tastes good.

Tastes like it smells...pretty bad. That's the bummer. Its already been almost 4 weeks, this saturday, but the first 2 were at 63, which I've read may be a little low for Wyeast ESB 1985, or similar strands. That's why my concern is growing. If I was in mid-fermentation, I wouldn't be so worried.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Bottle or keg it. Great beer sometimes TASTES horrible too in the fermenter.

Bitterness really doesn't come out until carbed, and definitely changes the overall flavor.

 

[chapa]

What's crazy...is almost a month later, I kept the heating blanket consistent, and got the temp up to about 74 and the whole carboy is cloudy again and bubbling pretty heavily-the airlock is going every 5 seconds. I REALLY hope it makes a dent in the gravity and/or at LEAST makes it taste good!!! Oh it would be such a relief!!

 

[chapa]

So its now been just over a month, and I've really been keeping the heat consistent. I'm now hitting closer to 75 degrees, but I'm almost getting a full fermentation again! This is just crazy! Before, the smaller carboy(right) was going nuts, now the bigger one is(left). Airlock is bubbling every 2-3 seconds and you can see the yeast dancing on the top, and actually creating a krausen. This is definitely not the healthiest fermentation, but hopefully it will come out good in the end!

I am slightly concerned with the high fermentation temp. I assume the important part is I fermented at 63 for the first few weeks, but does anybody think 75 is too hot at this point?

Anybody else had a crazy fermentation like this...where you're still going after a month?!?!

 

[cheezydemon3]

I never found turtles to be that fermentable.

 

[chapa]

You must mash LOOONG time, grasshoppa

 

[bearsphan]

Wyeast's site says the temperature range is 64-72F. Fermenting at higher temps (70-74F) will lead to a fruity taste. Personally, I would drop the temp to 70F and let it sit as long as it needs. As they say, it's done when it's done which is not necessarily when we want it to be done.

 

[chapa]

I'm down to about 1.015!! I can't believe it...after this last rouse and extra heat, it seemed to finally bring it down.

Still tastes and smells kind of bad, but hopefully if I leave it on the yeast another week or so, it will actually come around(assuming its diacetyl)-I'm going to bring a sample to the brew meet this weekend and see if I can confirm the flavor-and hopefully get some reassurance. I guess that will decipher if I brew a "d@mn porter" this weekend, in spite of this batch!

As I taste it, I don't really get the off-flavor unless I breath it in or out. Very possible butter taste-sticks to my tongue. It's also kind of silky from the oats.