Problem Brew

[djackal]

I put down a brew last week that was to be my first AG that became a mini mash of sorts. I've used a Coopers mexican cervesa kit with around 20l wort from a AG that went wrong (had trouble keeping mash temp in good range for one.)

My OG was 1.032 which was what my recipe stated but it has stopped fermenting at 1.020 instead of 1.008. I'm not sure if I should tip this or what?

Any advice? Cheers

 

[goatherder]

How's your ferment temperature? Raising the temperature a little might help get the yeast back into action, provided your temperature isn't in the upper ranges already.

Try giving the fermenter a bit of a shake to try and rouse the yeast a bit.

If all else fails, pitch a new yeast into it.

don't chuck it unless it's obviously infected. It might turn out great, you never know.

 

[Trent]

Djackal
Need a bit more info before you can get a definitive answer on this one. Like, if you used a coopers cerveza kit to boost this 20L wort, what amount of grain did you use? What temp was it mashed at, and what kind of yeast did you use? I would assume a kit in 20L would end up around about 1032 or so, so I am not too sure what effect the grain would have had.
Did you mash in a mash tun, if so, what type?
What temp was it sitting at for the hour (or range of temps).
What kind of yeast did you use?
If it was a liquid yeast, did you aerate well before pitching?
If it was a dried yeast, did you rehydrate before pitching?
What was the grain that you mashed? If it was dark malts, or similar, it may not have had the diastatic power to convert itself.
What temp have you been fermenting at (seeings as we are in winter, and all). It may be too cold for the yeast.
1020 seems to be the magic number for stuck ferments, it may come good, DONT tip it out. Not yet, anyway. I would expect a 1032 beer to drop to 1007, or possibly lower in the case of a "mexican" kit providing the bulk of fermentables.
If you answer the above questions, we may be able to help you a bit more
All the best
Trent

 

[djackal]

Djackal
Need a bit more info before you can get a definitive answer on this one. Like, if you used a coopers cerveza kit to boost this 20L wort, what amount of grain did you use? What temp was it mashed at, and what kind of yeast did you use? I would assume a kit in 20L would end up around about 1032 or so, so I am not too sure what effect the grain would have had.
Did you mash in a mash tun, if so, what type?
What temp was it sitting at for the hour (or range of temps).
What kind of yeast did you use?
If it was a liquid yeast, did you aerate well before pitching?
If it was a dried yeast, did you rehydrate before pitching?
What was the grain that you mashed? If it was dark malts, or similar, it may not have had the diastatic power to convert itself.
What temp have you been fermenting at (seeings as we are in winter, and all). It may be too cold for the yeast.
1020 seems to be the magic number for stuck ferments, it may come good, DONT tip it out. Not yet, anyway. I would expect a 1032 beer to drop to 1007, or possibly lower in the case of a "mexican" kit providing the bulk of fermentables.
If you answer the above questions, we may be able to help you a bit more
All the best
Trent

Total volume was 45l using dry yeast(weihenstefaner safel 32/66?). ferment TEmp is around 18c. There was activity in fermentor for a couple of days (though not crazy like some brews)
Grain was pilsner malt (3kg), flaiked maize(250g)and rice hulls(200g) done in a plastic bucket (electrbrim that tripped my house so couldn't use). MAsh temp fell from 65 down to 55, had to raise temp in a psudo decoction type manner...very bad!!

 

[djackal]

bump.
so any ideas? I think I'll put the beer into some unused kegs and see what happens.

Is the high gravity reading a problem in itself?

 

[Jase]

bump.
so any ideas? I think I'll put the beer into some unused kegs and see what happens.

Is the high gravity reading a problem in itself?

Try giving the fermenter a bit of a shake to try and rouse the yeast a bit.

If all else fails, pitch a new yeast into it.

djackel,

I would agree with what goatherder has already mentioned.

Have you tried this? If not, I would definitely try this first.

Cheers,
Jase

 

[mika]

1020, that magic number again..seems brews just soemtimes stop here. Extra temp could help, someone on here somewhere suggested it was due to CO2 saturation of the wort basically suffocating the yeast. Only way to test this theory would be to pull the lid off and try wafting the CO2 (which is heavier than air) up and out of the fermenter. How you do that without infecting the brew...a little more difficult :unsure:
A high finishing gravity ain't that bad, the SNPA I did that stopped at 1020 was kegged, and it was getting better towards the end...probably should have bottled it
You may end up with some residual sweetness in the beer and it will just taste "green"