Grav @ 1022 And Fermentation Has Stopped.

[chrs24]

Hi Guys,

I pitched my brew over 2 weeks ago, normally I leave my beer out in the garage on a heat pad (temp sits between 18-24 degrees throughout the day). Since Thursday last week, my gravity has been sitting on 1022 and I'm expecting a FG of 1012. Probably not a wise decision in this cold Melbourne weather, but is it possible the yeast has just died?

I used a Morgans Amber Ale can + kit yeast, 1kg lme, 150g lactose, 200g caramalt and some hops.

It smells really good, exactly what I was expecting, but I'm worried it won't have the body taste to match.

Any chance of saving this?

Thanks.

 

[thesunsettree]

Hi Guys,

I pitched my brew over 2 weeks ago, normally I leave my beer out in the garage on a heat pad (temp sits between 18-24 degrees throughout the day). Since Thursday last week, my gravity has been sitting on 1022 and I'm expecting a FG of 1012. Probably not a wise decision in this cold Melbourne weather, but is it possible the yeast has just died?

I used a Morgans Amber Ale can + kit yeast, 1kg lme, 150g lactose, 200g caramalt and some hops.

It smells really good, exactly what I was expecting, but I'm worried it won't have the body taste to match.

Any chance of saving this?

Thanks.

Are you clearing the tap of sediment before you collect you sample for the hydro reading?

 

[chrs24]

I normally half fill the tube, chuck it and then use the next fill as my reading. Would that be clean enough?

 

[thesunsettree]

I normally half fill the tube, chuck it and then use the next fill as my reading. Would that be clean enough?

Yes it would. So sorry not sure why your reading is still high

 

[manticle]

1022 seems to be the magic number.

Your yeast is not likely to have died but more likely stalled.

It can be roused. First you need to work out if it really has stalled or if it has actually finished. Then if it has stalled you need to rouse it.

Tips found here: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...showarticle=130

 

[CosmicBertie]

1022 seems to be the magic number.

Your yeast is not likely to have died but more likely stalled.

It can be roused. First you need to work out if it really has stalled or if it has actually finished. Then if it has stalled you need to rouse it.

Tips found here: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...showarticle=130

All good points there.


Just to add, my first brew (Cascade kit can with Brew Enhancer) finished at 1.015 when everything else said 1.005. My LHB shop said it was probably high due to the Brew Enhancer (i forget which one it was now). So you could be ok.

One other thing you could do is download the My_Kit___Extract_Beer_Designer_V3.0a.XLS spreadsheet (AKA Ians spreadsheet) from this website, punch in all the ingredients and see what it calculates the FG as.

Good luck!

CB

 

[chrs24]

I designed the brew in that spreadsheet, said starting grav should be 1042 which it was, final should be 1012.

I've brought it inside (warm it up just a little) and given it a slight swirl, after 24 hours still no change.

 

[[email protected]]

Easy question,

Lactose is unfermentable, I'm guessing you added it to add sweetness to the brew. If you use it the final gravity will rise. Also LME will leave quite a lot of sugar unfermented compared to brew enhancers with dextrine. 1.022 is not an unreasonable final gravity for your recipe. I'm guessing you wanted something quite full bodied given the lactose, well you got it. Taste it and see if it's too sweet. But I would still check to make sure it hasn't stalled. You don't want bottle bombs.

 

[bum]

1.022 is not an unreasonable final gravity for your recipe.

:huh:

I love you, AHB.

 

[chrs24]

I'll try the stubbie test in the link above tonight and see how that goes. If everything looks OK, I'll make up 1 bottle and see the results.

 

[raven19]

Have you got a second fermentor? You could rack it to secondary, leaving a few litres behind, then give that a good swirl to rouse up the yeast in the trub, then continue to rack this thick slurry into the secondary vessel also.

This worked a treat for me with a lager recently that was being a pain and not dropping to where it should have been...

 

[chrs24]

I haven't, but they're cheap to pick up another one. Will pitching a new hydrated yeast be the worst thing in the world to do?

 

[manticle]

No but try the other things first.

 

[chrs24]

So the fermenter has been inside and sitting at a constant 22 degrees now for 3 days and it hasn't changed from 1022. I left the stubbie on the heat pad aswell so around 22 degrees for that too and after 3 days with a few shakes per day and it hasn't changed from 1022 either.

 

[mwd]

Bottle it. Suggest using PET bottles then you can check one after a week to see if it is hard. With your recipe I would say 1.022 is quite a reasonable FG.

My last brew actually stopped dead at 1.022 carbed up perfectly but has a slightly sweetish taste but still drinkable.

The stubbie test is the best indicator that you have reached final gravity.

 

[mwd]

Do not post when you have had a phew

Bottle in PET for safety you never can be sure yeast can do some sneaky things. When I bottle in glass I also bottle one or a few in PET for ease in determining the carbonation level and pressures.