Annoying...Stopped at 1.035

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peas_and_corn

I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I cannot mash that
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OK, Ok. Now, 10 days ago I started my IPA. It has an SG of 1055 and the next day it was going off like a rocket. The next couple of days it fermented like crazy. however... after about 4 days it stopped at 1035 and it won't start again!!

I've tried rousing the yeast by rocking the fermenter on tuesday, wednesday and thursday, but it has done nothing.

The pitching termperature was a bit high when I pitched it (about 27), which I guessed was the cause of the quick initial fermentation. Could this also be a reason behind its stopping so early??
 
Did you use all malt or a mix of malt and sugar?

Often all malt beers will attenuate higher but not at that level.

It's unlikely fermentation is unfinished if it went like mad initially.

If you're using the hydrometer in the tube, you might be getting sediment from, and around the tap, in that solution, which will give a higher reading.

If using the tube always release the tap slowly so you don't get sediment in the tube.

I never use the tube, always plonk the hydrometer in the fermenter.

Try that and see how you go.

I'd bottle it anyway.

Cheers,

Ten Beers
 
How was your aeration before pitching?


Ten Beers said:
I never use the tube, always plonk the hydrometer in the fermenter.
[post="86398"][/post]​

:ph34r:
 
Hey Peas and korn,
Just editted your topic title, the term 'annoying' isn't really discriptive enough.
For instance i though this thread might be about ken :lol: just joking.


You could rack it off to another vessel take the yeast from the bottom and make a new starter with fresh wort, pitch when its active. Or you could rehydrate some notingham or any dry yeast and pitch that.

As to half arsed theorys on what went wrong its hard to say without knowing if your yeast was in prime condition or not and wether your airation was up to scratch. The yeast may have gone mad fermenting for a few hours and the very sudden change in conditions over those few hours shocked the yeast...like i said its a half arsed theory not knowing really what you have done.
The fact that you pitched at 27c tells me its more than likely you don't go to great trouble to make sure everything is perfect and chances are what has happened is a combination of many things not quite done proberly.

Anyway here's hoping your not stuck with a batch of sryup. :beerbang:
Jayse
 
OK now...

Jayse- yeah, my title isn't too descriptive, but I haven't had much sleep recently (I think I've had 1 hour sleep since yesterday).

I pitched at 27 degrees because I wanted the temp to go down, but it was taking a long time. It was 11.30pm and my parents wanted to go to sleep. I took my chances. I am normally quite accurate and picky with my temperatures.

Murray- I go crazy aerating when filling the fermenter. I use a container of cold water to cool it down a bit and I pour a bit, shake the container like crazy then pour a bit more etc. I also splashed the wort like mad with the mixing spoon. However, if it wasn't aerated properly, I doubt it would have done the initial fermentation that quick.

Ten Beers- This was a partial. Quite a simple recipe; I used Coopers IPA kit, 1.5kg traditional malt, 100g brown sugar, filled to 16L.

I do not use a hydrometer any more for the reasons you gave. I have a refractometer, which is a brilliant piece of equipment that all HBers should have to make their life easier.



Yeah, I'll probably rack to secondary on sunday and pitch new yeast; maybe it wasn't that fit and all the activity at the beginning has tired it out.
 
my advice:
move out
get some sleep
turn the stereo up
fill the loungeroom full of fermenters
:)
 
OK, I have done a starter and it's going along nicely and I'll throw it into the wort tomorrow. Seems like it's going to work out
 
peas_and_korn said:
Seems like it's going to work out
[post="87326"][/post]​

don't speak to soon <_<

generally stuck ferments don't always end that rosey.

gallows pole
Jayse
 
peas_and_korn said:
Yeah, but let's be optimists for now, shall we? Times like this are rare
[post="87329"][/post]​

OK good call.

I have it on good authority bonzo is beating his drum for it right now
Jayse
 
how did u do/get the 1035 reading.

If it was done with the refractometer - u have to compensate for teh alcohol present - this affects the refraction - promash can do this for you.

Hope this helps
 
PnK

You could just get the demo version of promash and use that. Can't use all the features, but the refractometer compensation is on there. :)

Cheers
Stuart
 

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