Below 1.020 SG

[DougmanXL]

Hey guys,
I'm just wondering if anyone else is having difficulty getting Briess's Sorghum LME to ferment below 1.020 (on beers with a OG around 1.050/1.060). I've done about 5 beers so far with it, and all of them stalled at 1.020. I've tried using yeast nutrient, pitching directly into the beer, starting the yeast with the nutrient & some wort (at 105F), letting it sit for 15m, then pitching (i was surprised that this didnt work), & using very new malt extract. Adding more yeast when racking worked good, but it tasted yeasty... I've had this happen with Nottingham, Safale US-05, and US-04... My apartment is about 68-75F usually.

Is their malt extract designed specifically not to go below 1.020? I've heard of this problem before, but the different things i've tried have not worked (except for adding more yeast). Has anyone else had this problem? Would a wort aerator pump help (im just shaking/stirring the wort for a minute)?

 

[spaced]

I don't know what one I'm using (it's repackaged in Australia). But I've got no problem getting the FG down. Can you write down one of your recipes step by step so I can have a look at it?

 

[Trollby]

My GF Pils did fine

OG = 1.056 @ 66*F
FG = 1.010 @ 66*F

 

[DougmanXL]

Ok, one of them was this exact recipe actually... just bottled it yesterday.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f78/gluten-free-pumpkin-spice-ale-147707/
My OG was 1.060, and FG was 1.020.
I started the yeast with some aerated warm wort (~100F) in a bowl, let it sit for 15m, then pitched, and aerated that by swirling it for 1/2 a minute. My apartment is around 68-75F usually, and im pretty sure it didnt get infected or anything (tasted fine). I did use actual pumpkin (later on in his recipe) and squash, 1lb of each, roasted as he described; so there was a lot of junk in there. But it did bubble away pretty good for the first 2 weeks.

 

[KAMMEE]

Check your hydrometer. Put it in 60 degree water and it should read 1.000. If it reads higher your hydrometer is off and that could be the problem.

 

[DougmanXL]

Just tested it, and the hydrometer does read 1.000 with water.

 

[Trollby]

How long are you letting the beer go before done?

Are you doing a yeast starter or just dry pitching?

How well are you aerating?

I did mine with S-23 and lagered it at 50*F for 3 weeks, I dry pitched mine and aerated the crap out of it

--- edit ---
Did you use yeast nutrients?

 

[DougmanXL]

Usually I warm some dechlorinated water to 105F in a bowl, aerate it, add yeast, wait 15m, then when the wort is the right temp I aerate it and pour in the bowl of yeast. I used 1 tsp of yeast nutrient in the recipe at 0m (end of boil). I Primary fermented for 2 weeks and its been in the secondary for 1 week. With the pumpkin I just bottled it at 1.020.

The reason I thought it might be the syrup, is I once bought some Briess 60DE syrup, and that batch went perfectly to a FG of 1.010 with the same method ive been using all along. Every other batch i've done was Briess 45DE, and they seem to get stuck at 1.020. I thought the only difference was colour between 45DE and 60DE!

I also have an IPA stuck @ 1.020 (for 6 days) in a secondary. Im gonna give it a few more days, and i might bottle it anyway.

 

[DKershner]

Briess Sorghum is 75% fermentable or so. So, a beer that starts at 1.080 with all sorghum should land on 1.020. Anything below that should go farther.

A stuck ferment is usually a yeast or fermentation process problem, not a fermentable issue.

Lay off the yeast nutrient, Sorghum by itself has enough.

Since you detailed most other aspects, what are you fermenting in?

My other thought is perhaps you are getting some pent up CO2 in the wort that is actually physically lifting the hydrometer. I know that happens sometimes.

Does your beer taste too sweet? 1.020 should taste noticably sweet.

 

[PurpleJeepXJ]

Sounds like either your starter is too small or your yeast just simply cant go that low because they are worn out.

 

[DougmanXL]

Thanks for the help and information guys, I'll try your suggestions (bigger starter, no yeast nutrient). I don't think my brews were very carbonated, or very sweet, though I will check for that next time. I'm doing primary in a 6g pail and secondary in a 5 or 6g carboy.

 

[DKershner]

Thanks for the help and information guys, I'll try your suggestions (bigger starter, no yeast nutrient). I don't think my brews were very carbonated, or very sweet, though I will check for that next time. I'm doing primary in a 6g pail and secondary in a 5 or 6g carboy.

The CO2 holding up the hydrometer doesnt take much. If you drop the hydro in and see bubbles rise, you got it. Not even actually carbonated usually, just the leftover CO2 from fermentation in the wort.

 

[DougmanXL]

If I do see this next time, what should I do about it to get a better reading?

 

[Trollby]

If I do see this next time, what should I do about it to get a better reading?

I spin the bulb a few times and sometimes let the bulb rest in for a while and spin again if it looks "bubbly"

 

[DougmanXL]

Hey guys,
I have another question... for my last few brews, I've been using a crushed campden tablet to dechlorinate my water (heavily chlorinated city water). I usually toss that into 5G of water when I start the stove for the boil. Usually I only do a half-size wort, and add the rest of the water after the boil to help cool the wort, so is it possible that the sodium metabisulphate might not all be dissolving, and the excess may be damaging the yeast?
I found the city water info here http://www.peelregion.ca/pw/water/quality/reports/2005/miss-bram-bol-faq1.htm#param
http://www.peelregion.ca/pw/water/quality/reports/2006/pdf/lakeview.pdf
A quick look tells me the chlorine is probably around 1.5mg/L, and chloramines are .15mg/L

 

[DKershner]

I've only used sulphite in wine, but are you leaving it for a day or two before adding yeast? I always wait a day or two before adding yeast in wine.

 

[DougmanXL]

I usually only wait an hour after adding the crushed campden tablet, though I do stir it a fair bit... hmmm. I think this time I'll use distilled water.

 

[DKershner]

I usually only wait an hour after adding the crushed campden tablet, though I do stir it a fair bit... hmmm. I think this time I'll use distilled water.

Everything I can find says 24hrs is the general rule.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14302

 

[DougmanXL]

Ok, I'm doing that right now for my next beer, also im doing a 1gal starter. Heh, I have yet another question... I just bottled a 2xIPA, it was one of the ones that got stuck at 1.018, but I bottled it anyway. I LOVE the flavour, but after a week theres been almost no carbonation, it hissed a tad when I opened the bottle but there were no bubbles in the glass at all... with my previous batches they were carbonated pretty good within 3-5 days! If I leave it for a few weeks, is it possible that it will carbonate? Or am I going to have to wait for my keg setup, and then force-carbonate them in a keg?

Also, thanks for the help man.

 

[DKershner]

Bigger the beer, bigger the bottle, longer it takes. 3 weeks is a good rule.