Stuck fermentation? WLP004 Irish ale

[andrewmaixner]

Style: Dry Stout (13A)
Boil Size: 7.16 gal Style Guide: BJCP 2008
Color: 32.7 SRM Equipment: Andrew's 5Gal Batch (15Gal/70L) - AG
Bitterness: 36.4 IBUs Boil Time: 60 min
Est OG: 1.047 (11.6° P) Mash Profile: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Est FG: 1.012 SG (3.2° P) Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage
ABV: 4.5%

10.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60 min) Misc 2
1.00 tbsp PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60 min) Misc 3
5 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (2.5 SRM) Grain 4
2 lbs Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 5
1 lbs Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM) Grain 6
2 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 7
2.0 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.0%] - Boil 60 min Hops 8

1 pkgs Irish Ale Yeast (White Labs #WLP004) Yeast 9

Notes:
OG 11/8/14 1.052 5.7 gallons wort. 5.5 into fermenter.
mash ended up being 90 minutes in the 152-153F range, then 10 min at 165F.
Pitched the yeast vial at 65F, as I did not yet have equipment for a starter -- I now do have that equipment.

It appears to have stalled at 1.023 and has stayed there for 12 days now.
Rising the temperature to 70F for a week, and agitation, did not restart the fermentation.
What are the options to get the gravity down?
Should I harvest some yeast from the bottom and build up a starter to re-pitch?
Or would it be better/easier to make a starter with some US-05 I have sitting around and pitch that at high krausen?

 

[andrewmaixner]

Well regardless, it still hadn't moved so I kegged it and am carbing. It doesn't taste sweet like a 1.022 gravity of mostly sugar should, so it must have been mash temperature issues.

 

[captwalt]

I use 004 quite alot and its always been pretty consistant for me. I reuse it a lot as well and once it did poop out on me way too high but I figured it was because it was a 9 or 10 generation. It is not the greatest attenuating yeast to begin with but 22 from 52 is high. if it doesnt taste sweet or feel heavier I might question the integrity of my hydrometer