Big Beer Fementation Seems To Be Stuck

[SergeMarx]

Hi all,

i know this is a topic that probably gets covered daily, but it's always nice to present one's specific problem to the knowing masses.

I have brewed up an all extract high gravity beer - 1.090 OG. All DME, plus golden syrup, hops, coriander and orange. I pitched rehydrated Brewferm dry yeast (from Trappist kit - 1 Packet thereof) and after six days of good activity fermentation ceased at 1.032, and there it has stayed for a good four days now. I've racked off to a secondary and the brew is nice and clear, but on tasting it's very sweet - I'm fairly sure there's more sugar for the yeasties to much up.

So, if it's indeed stuck, and racking has produced a clear beer I'm doubting whether adding any more sugar would make any difference (ie, wouldn't carbonate it) - Which leaves me with the option of adding more yeast I'm guessing, but the internet being what it is, it's difficult to find a straight answer on whether this is the right solution.

So, any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Serge

 

[tiprya]

Welcome to the forum!

I wouldn't think about bottling until at least 2 weeks with a big beer like that. No problems with leaving it longer (except your patience ).

It is worrying that it seems to have stalled - give it some more time and temperature (stay below 28-30).

If after a few more days it hasn't dropped any more, you could think about another yeast packet.

I would have thought a beer like that would ferment to around 1.025 - so you've got a few points to go for sure.

 

[manticle]

Firstly read this: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showarticle=130 for advice on what to do with a possibly stuck fermentation. As you hopefully guage from the article, you need to determine whether or not your fermentation is actually stuck or just finished high.

There is a good chance that your brew, with its high gravity, unfermentables and possibly underpitched yeast is finished but best to make sure.

Add to that, the key to a good Belgian is a dry finish.

Next time, keep it a bit simpler - belgians are deceptively simple considering their complex flavours. I know when I first started trying to make extract dubbels, I threw everything + the kitchen sink to try and get the complexities - what i got was an over sweet, full on mess instead.

Sugar is used in many Belgian brews, coriander and orange generally in wits (which are much less than 1090 OG) and golden syrup rarely if ever (not at all to my knowledge but there are a million belgian beers/breweries out there).

Pale extract, some wheat extract, some sugar or candi syrup, coriander and orange zest and something like wyeast forbidden fruit yeast to hit something along the realms of hoegaarden. Swap out the coriander and orange for some dark sugar syrup and use wyeast 3787 for a crack at a decent extract dubbel or use enough pale extract to hit 1060 + enough pale sugar to push that to 1080 and 1388 for a belgain golden strong along the lines of duvel.

Noble hops and styrian goldings as your hop choice.

 

[SergeMarx]

Thanks for the replies, appreciate it

@manticle - some good tips there, will keep in mind for my next one. This was kind of thrown together from what was in the cupboard - I had the brewferm yeast left over, plenty of DME and I'd read that Golden Syrup is a simple sugar and oft used as sub for Belgian Candi, so, into the mix! Well, it was fun and random anyway.

Some good advice on the FAQ, will try a few suggestions from there.

thanks again