US-05 stuck fermentation @ 65F?

[Jayhem]

Anyone ever had Chico strain (US-05) yeast get stuck at perfect temperatures?

No idea how this happened but I have an Amber IPA (OG: 1.062) that is 12% Munich and 10% Crystal/Cara and after 18 days in primary @ 65F it just stopped fermenting and would not clear at all. I checked the gravity before dry hopping and it was 1.019. I expect it to finish at 1.012.

I pitched a healthy 1.0 liter starter per 5 gallon fermenter per yeastcalc from harvested yeast. I have never had a problem with my starter yeast and I used harvested slurry (with a starter) from previous batches following Mr. Malty and Yeastcalc to estimate cell counts.

After dry hopping I brought it up to 72F and swirled the fermenter and wouldn't you know, it has been bubbling a lot for the past 3 days. I'm not sure if the dry hop is causing all the off-gassing but I'm definitely seeing bubbles coming out of the yeast cake so something is happening!

I will update this with FG in about 1 week.

 

[Brewrifle]

There is no reason to do a yeast starter with dry yeast, only a re-hydration is required. Did you aerate your wort before pitching?

 

[Jayhem]

There is no reason to do a yeast starter with dry yeast, only a re-hydration is required. Did you aerate your wort before pitching?

Perhaps I didn't state that this was not dry yeast. I was using harvested US-05 slurry from a previous batch. Yeast was only 1 month old, starter was very successful, I have used harvested yeast on the past 10 or so batches with great success. I use Mr. Malty and Yeastcalc.com to estimate cell numbers and I usually over pitch. This yeast was 4th generation harvested yeast. I retire it after the 4th generation as it starts to attenuate too much!

I aerate by violently shaking the carboy several times during the transfer of cooled wort before pitching my yeast starter.

 

[stpug]

As you're aware, you did everything as you should have. I guess this has to get chalked up as a 'blip' in the trend - an outlier. Very odd indeed.

You didn't by chance accidentally mash way hotter than you thought, did you?

 

[BigFloyd]

What you already did by raising it up and swirling ought to get the job done.

Hope it finishes well and turns out tasty.

 

[Jayhem]

As you're aware, you did everything as you should have. I guess this has to get chalked up as a 'blip' in the trend - an outlier. Very odd indeed.

You didn't by chance accidentally mash way hotter than you thought, did you?

Unless my dial thermometer is no longer accurate I mashed at about 154F (looking for more body in this amber IPA).

What you already did by raising it up and swirling ought to get the job done.

Hope it finishes well and turns out tasty.

Thanks, I'm thinking it will finish out! This was one expensive IPA, loaded with Amarillo, Citra and Simcoe hops!