Ginger Beer scratch brew with stuck fermentation

[All.Hopped.Up]

I brewed a ginger beer from scratch on 24th of November using the following recipe based off this thread (http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/30492-ginger-beer-recipe-scratch-brew-no-kit/page-15#entry1245433):

2kg fresh ginger
4 cinnamon sticks
3 fresh chillies (diced with seeds in)
1kg dark brown sugar
1kg brown sugar
1kg local ironbark honey
The juice and zest of 5 small limes
The juice and zest of 5 small lemons
Yeast nutrient (added last 10 mins of boil)
1 hour boil
I packet of US05 pitched @ 18 degrees
OG. 1.046
The fermentation has been really slow and it seems to have stalled out at 1.022 after 11 days in the fermenter @ 18 degrees. I was hoping to get a higher abv than 3% so any advice on how to rouse the yeast would be appreciated.

I have just reset the temp control the 21 degrees to give the yeast a wake up call but I am unsure if I should try and pitch more yeast or nutrient this late in the game?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mutaneer]

I'd start with a gentle stir and another 100g of dissolved sugar just to wake it all up.
My scratch ginger-beer went through various stages of activity and then slowing right down, a swirl of the fermenter was enough to get a bit more activity immediately

I learned to gently swirl the fermenter after a "vigorous stirring" incident..
that made it bubble up and overflow out the top of my fermenter and all through my brew-cupboard (spare bedroom wardrobe.. )

 

[All.Hopped.Up]

I'd start with a gentle stir and another 100g of dissolved sugar just to wake it all up.
My scratch ginger-beer went through various stages of activity and then slowing right down, a swirl of the fermenter was enough to get a bit more activity immediately

I learned to gently swirl the fermenter after a "vigorous stirring" incident..
that made it bubble up and overflow out the top of my fermenter and all through my brew-cupboard (spare bedroom wardrobe.. )

When you say a gentle stir, do you mean to stir up the yeast cake or just to gently swirl the liquid on top?

Do you think it would be better to use sugar or some DME?
Mmmm ginger flavoured wardrobe. What did your ginger beers FG finish up at?

 

[Mutaneer]

The "incident" was caused by totally disturbing the yeast cake, so don;t do that first up.
a gentle stir (5-6 circles) about 1/3 the way down has been sufficient to loosen enough settled yeast and get it going again.

my last scratch batches have been nothing but ginger root and a mix of brown and white sugars, so they have finished right down around .098