1030 Bock

[Dave70]

I've had my Bock doing it's thing in the fermenter for two weeks now and all appeared to be going fine. Last night I took a sample, smells fine, tastes fine - malty and a little sweet, but after taking a hydro reading I was suprised to see it hovering at about 1030.
(supposed to finish around 1018).
The recipe was prety much lifted from Brewing classic styles, so nothing out of the ordinary.
Now my brew day was a little on the rushed side and I neglected to take an OG, so I don't have a starting point - so well done me, but here are the facts.

Fermented (ing) at 10 deg throughout with S-23.

I even chilled the sample to try and drop some of the yeast ect out of suspension, but still no change, still a mighty 1030 this morning.

So is this just the way it is with big largers or is something amiss? I was thinking of winding the temp up to 12 deg or maby popping in another yeast if things dont change in the next day or two.

What would you do?

cheers

 

[jbirbeck]

I've had my Bock doing it's thing in the fermenter for two weeks now and all appeared to be going fine. Last night I took a sample, smells fine, tastes fine - malty and a little sweet, but after taking a hydro reading I was suprised to see it hovering at about 1030.
(supposed to finish around 1018).
The recipe was prety much lifted from Brewing classic styles, so nothing out of the ordinary.
Now my brew day was a little on the rushed side and I neglected to take an OG, so I don't have a starting point - so well done me, but here are the facts.

Fermented (ing) at 10 deg throughout with S-23.

I even chilled the sample to try and drop some of the yeast ect out of suspension, but still no change, still a mighty 1030 this morning.

So is this just the way it is with big largers or is something amiss? I was thinking of winding the temp up to 12 deg or maby popping in another yeast if things dont change in the next day or two.

What would you do?

cheers

mash temp, recipe? what were you expecting as the OG?

I'd be expecting it to get down a bit lower regardless but... I'd warm it up for a couple of days to mid to high teens with a bit of a rouse to see if that finishes it off, if not at least its cleared up any diacetyl. If it doesn't drop, try pitching a bit of neutral yeast but I'm not a fan of doing that myself.

 

[Dave70]

mash temp, recipe? what were you expecting as the OG?

I'd be expecting it to get down a bit lower regardless but... I'd warm it up for a couple of days to mid to high teens with a bit of a rouse to see if that finishes it off, if not at least its cleared up any diacetyl. If it doesn't drop, try pitching a bit of neutral yeast but I'm not a fan of doing that myself.

Mashed at 67 deg for 60, OG should have been 1070.

 

[Snow]

What size starter did you use?

 

[jbirbeck]

Mashed at 67 deg for 60, OG should have been 1070.

for me that mash temp is too high to expect it to drop too low, others may disagree but I've found pushing temps over 65 will result in a higher FG and with a big bock would be too high. First time I did one at that temp it stopped at 1020, maybe I have a dodgy thermometer. I'd recommend mashing a bock a bit lower, even sub 65, and longer.

to sort the current one out warm it up for a couple of days to finish it off, pitch some of the same yeast but build a little starter to get it jumping before it goes in. did you have a starter to begin with given its a big beer?

 

[Dave70]

What size starter did you use?

Aerated wort with an airstone and erm....sprinkled the packet on top...

 

[Kingy]

with a gravity that high 2 maybe 3 packets of yeast should be used. my first high gravity bock went from 1080 to 1034 and stalled. I only used 1 packet that time.
I also mash my bocks at 64 now.
I have one fermenting now, i was going to use liquid yeast but my supplier was out of all the good bock yeast. I used 22 grams of swiss lager yeast and an old out of date yeast as well,its dropping nicely.

 

[Snow]

Aerated wort with an airstone and erm....sprinkled the packet on top...

There's your problem. A high gravity bock fermented at 10c needs AT LEAST 2 packets. I personally would never pitch a lager without doing a starter first.

My recommendation would be to make a starter with another packet of the same yeast and pitch again, fermenting a bit higher (say 12-15C) for a few days, then finish off at 20C for a week.

- Snow

 

[rclemmett]

Dry pitching into a high gravity wort isn't a good idea, you should re-hydrate first when you're getting that high.

 

[Kingy]

not sure about this, maybe someone could add something here.
ive often thought that if the final gravity is up around 1030 and should be lower. Would it be fine adding some dextrose at this time be ok.
As i think it would raise attenuation and end up with a bit stronger beer (as planned) . And possibly not as sweet?
But doing this, would it ferment back down to what it seemed stuck on (1030) or would it go lower than that?
just thoughts,