Biere de Garde Stuck at 1.030

[remi]

Hi all,

I put down a BDG Gavroche-like beer 10 days ago, fermentables as follows:

Wey Munich 64%
Wey Pilsner 16%
White sugar 10% (boil)
Light Muscovado sugar 10% (boil)

Mashed at 63C, (confirmed dial temp with digital stick temp), OG 1.076 (a few points over due to better than expected mash efficiency).

Pitched Wyeast 3725-PC (Biere de Garde) smack-pack dated May 2012. Built up the smack pack into a 4L starter over 2 days beforehand, with impressive fermentation of the starter after a sluggish start.

Oxygenated wort as usual etc etc.

Went off like a rocket by the next morning- have never seen such epic blow-off tube bubbling (60L conical), and continued to go bananas for 3 days, at temps of 21-23C. Things then slowed down, and I took the first reading at day 6 of fermentation...1.036, much to my surprise. The temp had dropped to 19C, so I tried to get things going with a vigorous shake of the fermenter, and got the temps back up into the low 20's. Another 4 days have passed- still at 1.032 today (Day 10 of fermentation).

So- seems I may have a problem, and I can't see this yeast getting things down below 1.010, which is where I'm aiming. My reading about this yeast, is that it is usually a vigorous fermentor, and doesn't tend to stall ordinarily.

Should I persist with agitation, temperature management and more time, or is time to bail and pitch another yeast (was thinking a couple of packets of Nottingham to finish things off).

Advice/ suggestions welcome...


Remi

 

[manticle]

Fast ferment test to see what is a realistic expectation.

Racking may help. If you pitch new yeast, make sure it is an active starter.

I presume you are either using a hydrometer that you know works or are correcting for alcohol with a refrac?

 

[remi]

Thanks Manticle,

Using a hydrometer, although my taste-buds also suffice at 1.032...

Can't decide on whether to dump the crud out of the bottom of the conical at this stage.

 

[Bitches Brew]

Remi,
I haven't worked with this strain before, but I find that a number of the belgian strains go gang-busters for the first 3-7 days and then do their work slowly over the next few weeks. With my BGSAs and trippels I often go from 1.070ish to 1.020 in the first 5-6 days and then it takes another 2 weeks (depending on the temp) to get it to drop down under 1.010. I would wait at least another week. I have left my BGSAs on lees for 6 weeks without any off flavours. The yeast seem to be fine for this length of time. If in a week you see no shift in your gravity then you could re-pitch. At least this way you give your original brew a chance. Best of luck!

 

[super_simian]

If it stays stuck, or you're on a timeline - whack in a sachet of Belle Saison. It's a monster. It might get lower than the Wyeast 'though. I keep getting 83-88% attenuation from it.

 

[iralosavic]

Or wlp099, which is alleged to have alcohol tolerance of 25% and is reasonably nuetral. As super_simian says, you are likely to end up with a slightly drier/more alcoholic result than you may have been expecting, but if it really is stalled at 1.030, it won't be drinkable, so I'd be pretty happy with a lower terminal gravity than anticipated.

 

[remi]

An update on this one,

After all of your advice I left it another week, kept it at 21C and roused it a few times, managed to get it down another few points, but only to 1.028.

So I pitched 2 packets of Belle Saison (rehydrated according to instructions etc etc). Dropped down to 1.012, but as I've been away for the last week the temp had dropped to 13C, so the yeast has only been active for a week or so of the last fortnight.

Things are tasting good, no signs of infection etc after almost 5 weeks of fermentation, but at 1.012 it is still a bit sweet for what I was hoping for. Should I get it back to low 20's temps and give it another week to get below 1.010 somewhere, or is it best to call it day?

Appreciate advice having not used Belle Saison before.


Remi

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I have had this happen before, if its not 26C its not going to finish !
It loves the heat, mine ended great.
Nev

 

[remi]

Final update,

After another week at around 25C, it has dropped to 1.006/7.

Still tastes quite sweet, but this is probably the rummy alcohol- type sweetness which I guess will settle somewhat with conditioning.

My feeling is to start chilling/ conditioning now- as I guess at 1.006 it's done, any thoughts?

Remi

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Yes I think its done, does take a good long 6 months plus lagering to come up great.
Nev