I hope you can help. I'm fairly new to AG with only 5 brews under my belt. I seem to have trouble getting my AG's to ferment out (never had a problem with kits). My past batches (all pilsner/lagers) stopped at around FG 1020. The current batch I have on the go has stopped at FG 1030.
I initially thought the proplem may be airation, and after reading the many threads on this issue I am now absolutely confused. This is what I have done so far....
After the wort was cooled I transfered it to the fermenter letting it splash. I also have drilled holes into the tube to act as a venturi. I then put the lid on and shook the sh*t out of it. I then added the yeast (Wyeast Pilsner Urquel Smack Pac) Left it out overnight to get yeast working (air lock was bubbling) and then put it in the fridge @12 degrees. It went OK for about a week and then stopped. I took it out of the fridge and let it warm up to 20 degrees and again shook the sh*t out of it. It bubbled weakly for another day and stopped again. I left it for a week back in the fridge and then let it warm up again to 20 degrees and threw a packet of Saflager yeast into it. Left it overnight and it again started to bubble again weakly. Back into the fridge again at 12 degrees.
So, it is now 3 weeks down the track it has stopped again, and the gravity is now 1028. What do I do? Is it ruined? Can I get it stated again? If so, how? What am I doing wrong?
I initially thought the proplem may be airation, and after reading the many threads on this issue I am now absolutely confused. This is what I have done so far....
After the wort was cooled I transfered it to the fermenter letting it splash. I also have drilled holes into the tube to act as a venturi. I then put the lid on and shook the sh*t out of it. I then added the yeast (Wyeast Pilsner Urquel Smack Pac) Left it out overnight to get yeast working (air lock was bubbling) and then put it in the fridge @12 degrees. It went OK for about a week and then stopped. I took it out of the fridge and let it warm up to 20 degrees and again shook the sh*t out of it. It bubbled weakly for another day and stopped again. I left it for a week back in the fridge and then let it warm up again to 20 degrees and threw a packet of Saflager yeast into it. Left it overnight and it again started to bubble again weakly. Back into the fridge again at 12 degrees.
So, it is now 3 weeks down the track it has stopped again, and the gravity is now 1028. What do I do? Is it ruined? Can I get it stated again? If so, how? What am I doing wrong?