Not Reaching Correct Gravity

[melinda]

G'day Men,

I've got a brew that has an OG of 1048. This is what the recipe said it should come out at. After 1 week, it now reads 1020 and hasn't moved for the last 2 days. The recipe states it should have a FG of 1013. I have my brew (60 L) in a temperature controlled fridge and use good yeast. This has happened a couple of times. Should I add more yeast? I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong!

Cheers in advance,

Cadbury

 

[Yob]

Recipe?

what were the mash temps?

 

[manticle]

You need to yell really loudly at your yeast early in the mornings.

Lazy teenagers.

 

[kelbygreen]

was it US05?? I bought 3 packs one day and all stalled at 1020, dont ask me why as I rehydrated them all and I aerated the wort and all was set at 18.5c. I had used US05 for a year or so before hand with no stalling and 3 in a row from the same batch I guess maybe it was that batch. One did kick back in and went down to 1.016 it was meant to finish at 1.012 though.

 

[melinda]

Yes it was US05. Maybe I should try another yeast?
Thanks

 

[doon]

What are you using for measurement refrac or hydro

 

[jbowers]

Also, how much us05 did you use?

 

[manticle]

In my experience, a week to get to 1020 isn't that big a deal. Swirl the fermenter gently and warm it up a few degrees.

Not a big worry unless it stays there for another week.

 

[RdeVjun]

what were the mash temps?

Exactly. US05 may be recalcitrant on the very odd occasion (as per kelby) but if you mashed really high it could well be done. This is the All Grain section, so presume you've mashed it, tell us about that and perhaps also what you've done to verify the accuracy of your thermometer!

 

[np1962]

Also, how much us05 did you use?

+1
I'd be thinking along these lines.
Underpitched = underattenuation.

 

[katzke]

+1
I'd be thinking along these lines.
Underpitched = underattenuation.

You must be getting some odd yeast. Every time I have used US-05 it has kicked off and worked like a beast. Are some shops still selling repacks or is it all Fermentis packets?

 

[Truman42]

I pitched a US05 into a 1.062 wort and feremented at 20C and a week later it had dropped to 1.018. I must have scored some really good hardworking yeast..

 

[globe]

Hey all have just had something similar happen,my og gravity reached higher than the expected by 7 points.
now it has stalled after a d rest and of course a crash chill. when i checked the gr it was stuck at 1032 at 6C. I ramped
the temp up to 20C again and pitched 1 pack of us05.no action but there is a white film on the top of the wort
HELP!!! What can I do if anything to save this brew?

I pitched a US05 into a 1.062 wort and feremented at 20C and a week later it had dropped to 1.018. I must have scored some really good hardworking yeast..

 

[going down a hill]

Hey all have just had something similar happen,my og gravity reached higher than the expected by 7 points.
now it has stalled after a d rest and of course a crash chill. when i checked the gr it was stuck at 1032 at 6C. I ramped
the temp up to 20C again and pitched 1 pack of us05.no action but there is a white film on the top of the wort
HELP!!! What can I do if anything to save this brew?

Take another reading in a few days, there is a big chance that the white film is krausen and that is the yeast kicking in.

BTW you don't crash chill until the brew has finished fermenting, not half way through fermentation.

 

[globe]

I know that about crash chilling but after 10 days of brewing at 20C i thought it was done!
but for next time I know not to guess these things bottle arent cool you should see my wrist
from a previous bottle explosion.

cheers for the tip.

Take another reading in a few days, there is a big chance that the white film is krausen and that is the yeast kicking in.

BTW you don't crash chill until the brew has finished fermenting, not half way through fermentation.

 

[Yob]

You didnt check it was finished after your previous experience?

Let the good doctor know you will be calling in again soon

 

[glenwal]

you should see my wrist
from a previous bottle explosion.

Um, so you were injured from previously bottling too early but that didn't make you think twice about assuming it was finished vs checking with a hydro.


10 days isn't very long. You want at least a week AFTER it reaches FG, which in its self can take a week or two.

Also a bit confused since you are talking about a d rest after brewing with US-05 of 20deg for 10 days - unless i'm missing something really obvious here?

 

[globe]

ok ok i didnt mean to start a war!
i'll be checking the gravity from now on.

by the way does anyone have a good oktoberfest recipe?

Um, so you were injured from previously bottling too early but that didn't make you think twice about assuming it was finished vs checking with a hydro.


10 days isn't very long. You want at least a week AFTER it reaches FG, which in its self can take a week or two.

Also a bit confused since you are talking about a d rest after brewing with US-05 of 20deg for 10 days - unless i'm missing something really obvious here?

 

[bignath]

Also a bit confused since you are talking about a d rest after brewing with US-05 of 20deg for 10 days - unless i'm missing something really obvious here?

Nothing all that out of the ordinary. Lots of brewers get diacetyl with us05 and therefore do a rest. I get it when fermenting between 18 and 20 with it. After the rest its a clean neutral yeast, but i do often need to rest it. Particularly with a lightly hopped recipe.