Fermentation Stopped Fg 1.024?

[gjhansford]

I brewed an English Ale on Saturday and fermented it with Windsor Yeast. The OG was 1.050 and the yeast started working quickly as Windsor does ... and afer 3 days it stopped ... again as Windsor does. But my FG is 1.024. I've made lots of English Ales with Windsor and while it doesn't ferment down as far as say S-05, it usualy does better than this. Any idea why?

 

[bradsbrew]

What was your grain bill GHHB ?

Brad

 

[manticle]

Stuck?

Have you tried the many methods of rousing?

 

[haysie]

Any idea why?

Probably unhappy you didn pitch enough?

 

[rclemmett]

Last beer I made with Windsor went from 1046 to 1016.... 1024 isn't out of the question..... Grain bill and mash temps?

 

[gjhansford]

What was your grain bill GHHB ?

Brad

The brew was a 40 litre partial with the AG bill being:

4.15kg Maris Otter
0.50kg Crystal
0.30kg Aromatic
0.20kg Acidualted (to brng the Ph down)
0.05kg Chocolate

Mashed for 90 minutes at between 68 and 65
Added 3.0kg Morgans LME to bring up the OG in the last 15 minutes of a 60 minute boil
Final volume was 24 litres
Added 16 litres water to make up the 40 litres at 1.050
Yeast added when the temp was 20C

And yes I've tried rousing it witha couple of hours of airation with the air stone ... and I've even given it a shot of the S-05 last night but tonight it's still flat as a tack and no change in the SG.

25g of Windsor used.

That's answered all the post replies to date ... thanks guys.

 

[rclemmett]

My last one I mashed at 64 - 62C and it finished at 1016.... I have never calibrated my thermometer though.... It could well be done.



I would let it sit a little longer though.

 

[rclemmett]

And yes I've tried rousing it witha couple of hours of airation with the air stone ... and I've even given it a shot of the S-05 last night but tonight it's still flat as a tack and no change in the SG.

I'm surprised that wouldn't have got it going. You didn't pitch the 05 dry right?

 

[manticle]

My only guess is the LME. My experience of liquids is that they make full attenuation difficult and 3 kgs on top of everything else might do it.

 

[Smashin]

I've just had a similar experience with 1338, stalling at 1.024 (edit O.G 1.050), i ruled out the usual suspects i.e.

-initial yeast heath
-pitch qty
-pitch temp
-aeration
-fermentability of wort
-nutrients
-temp control
-love and best wishes


i roused several times, last time with lid off to add o2 and re-stimulate the metabolic cycle. all to no avail.

in the end i sprinkled my ol failthfull t-58 on top (no stir) to save what was left. Fermentation restarted within an hr and next day BAMN 1.016 then 1.012 then 1.010.

Still cant explain what happened, but at least the beer is safe. Bo-Yaa!! - i've heard its a great yeast but once bitten....

 

[bradsbrew]

I'm thinking with a large amount of less fermentables and a high end mash temp it may be finished but it was only 5 days ago leave it another week. What was the ferment temp??

Brad

EDIT=You could try adding some more fermentables to start activity again if it wont go any lower.

 

[Ross]

Mashed for 90 minutes at between 68 and 65
Added 3.0kg Morgans LME to bring up the OG in the last 15 minutes of a 60 minute boil

And yes I've tried rousing it witha couple of hours of airation with the air stone ... and I've even given it a shot of the S-05 last night but tonight it's still flat as a tack and no change in the SG.

25g of Windsor used.

You mashed in at 68c - I'm not surprised its stopped where it has, especially with 3kg of Morgans LME that doesn't tend to ferment out to well either.
I'm really worried about your couple of hours aeration of a finished brew - A HUGE NO NO. your beer if drinkable is likely to have a very short shelf life, as it's probably oxidised to the hilt.

sorry, but no good news to give - just fingers crossed for you.

cheers Ross

 

[manticle]

What's an air stone? Forgive the ignorance.

 

[gjhansford]

You mashed in at 68c - I'm not surprised its stopped where it has, especially with 3kg of Morgans LME that doesn't tend to ferment out to well either.
I'm really worried about your couple of hours aeration of a finished brew - A HUGE NO NO. your beer if drinkable is likely to have a very short shelf life, as it's probably oxidised to the hilt.

sorry, but no good news to give - just fingers crossed for you.

cheers Ross

Thanks Ross ... and everyone else ... you guys are great ... helpful and not ribbing me ... I've learnt heaps.

I see from your recipies on your CB website that you tend to mash at lower temps ... I'll give that a go next time.

As for this brew I'll leave it until Saturday, transfer it to secondary for a week, make another 20kg brew with the S-05 in the meantime and blend them into 3 kegs the following weekend.

 

[gjhansford]

What's an air stone? Forgive the ignorance.

have a look here:

http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=896

 

[manticle]

Ok. So it's for carbonating or oxygenating pre-fermented wort? Generally not for rousing stalled ferments I would guess.

As per Ross - high mash temp and too much liquid malt. When you say 'between 65 and 68' how close was it to either?

You understand that a degree or so either way has a large effect on fermentability of wort? Low end is dry and fermentable, high end is sweet and less so (and sometimes fuller bodied but that can be achieved in other ways too).