Zurich Yeast Woes

[jman300sd]

So....about 5 1/2 weeks ago I made starter with WLP885. It took about week and a 1/2 to finish at 50 degree temps. It was at that time that I turned it loose on a 1.070 maibock at 47 degree temps (it has stayed at this temp since). After about two weeks it hit 1.040. After about three weeks it hit 1.035. Since then I've been trying to shake the bucket a bit each day to rouse the yeast. I measure it today after 4 weeks in the fermenter and it's at 1.032. It's not going anywhere it seems. I am at a loss. It tastes good right now,but it needs to finish (too sweet). Not sure what to do? Raise the temp? Rouse the yeast more?

.......or do I add yeast? Just finished fermenting a Vienna lager that went from 1.060 to 1.010 in a week at 47 degrees. Should I add some of this yeast to finish the Maibock? How much if so?

 

[jman300sd]

Anyone?

 

[VaBrewer]

You could try sanitizing a long handled spoon and slowly stir to rouse the yeast cake back in suspension. Don't stir fast so you don't oxidize. See if that helps.

You could add more of the same strain, or if your not planning on harvesting you could add from your other beer you were mentioning.

Just my .02

 

[zeno27]

Personally I'd raise the temperature and carefully rouse the yeast. White Labs says the optimum temp is 50-55 F so that's where I'd try to get it. But your Vienna lager yeast is an excellent fallback option.

 

[jman300sd]

Thanks Guys. I'm gonna stir things up just a bit and raise the temp to 55. My problem with the temperature is that fridge temp control doesnt seem to get that warm. It gets up to about 47 max. So I'm gonna uplug the fridge for a day and only run it a few hours at a time to see If I can hold it about 50-55 for a week or so. Will report back.

I would like to harvest the yeast to do a samichlaus clone later in the year, but after the way it is behaving I am not so sure. How big a starter do I need to make? I thought one gallon would be fine.

 

[TimTrone]

I made a 9 abv doppelbock with the Zurich, and had some of the same problems. I think I just started too cool. After temps were raised to 55 for a week it finished at the desired fg

 

[smakudwn]

I had the same problems with that yeast. I had to warm it up to about 66 ish and wait for it to kick in again, my Baltic porter went from 1.091 to 1.022. I was happy with that and racked over to lager it.

 

[TimTrone]

I had the same problems with that yeast. I had to warm it up to about 66 ish and wait for it to kick in again, my Baltic porter went from 1.091 to 1.022. I was happy with that and racked over to lager it.

I've been wanting to do a Baltic with this yeast. How did it turn out?

 

[smakudwn]

I've been wanting to do a Baltic with this yeast. How did it turn out?

Don't know yet, just put it in to lager 2 days ago. With all the trouble getting the yeast to finish, I would be surprised if it turns out well. I had it stick at 1.035 for a week after 4 weeks in the ferm chamber, that is when I took it out of the chamber and just let it sit at 66 in my basement. I actually forgot about it and a couple of days later I looked in on it and it was bubbling again. I then put it back in the chamber and dropped it back to 55 ish. 1 week later i check the gravity and it was 1.022, 775 attenuation was good enough for me so I racked over and started lagering it. What was weird was fermentation started about the 24-36 hour mark but just stalled out. I stepped up a starter for this 3 times to the I think 300-400 billion cells it was supposed to have. Aerated with O2 for 2 min. Not sure why it stalled out. Glad I saw it start back up or I was going to pitch some different yeast in it.

 

[jman300sd]

Its finally fermenting again. I've got the bucket at about 55 degrees and I stirred it up about 2 days ago. Ill check on it in about a week to see if its down in the 1.012 range. Its a little tricky given that I have to keep turning the fridge on and off to hold the right temp. This yeast is a PITA.....not sure I wanna deal with it again, but lets see how the finished product turns out. I may eat my words. With a 1.070 OG its gonna have to lager a very long time.

Tomorrow it will be 5 weeks in the fermenter.

 

[onthekeg]

I would leave the fridge off for the rest of the fermentation. If it gets a little warmer now its a good thing.

 

[jman300sd]

I'm assuming to get rid of the diacetyl? I want this to be a fairly clean beer....you don't think ill get any off flavors from warmer temps (60-65)? With the amount of time invested I don't want to take a chance

 

[onthekeg]

Most of the fermentation is complete so warming it up will help it finish. It won't have any off flavors as if it fermented too warm to begin with.