Problems fermenting a stout

[Cummy]

Hi, I put down a kit and kilo stout using us04 yeast. OG was 1046. I fermented at 20degrees. After about two weeks it was at 1020 and appeared to have stalled. I raised the temp to 22 degrees and gave the fermentor a swirl a few times a day. Left it a week and still no change. I then poured in another two packs of kit yeast I had laying around and I week later still no change. It's now been a month. Any ideas?

 

[Yob]

An active starter is often more use than just sprinkling more dry yeast at it.

Oh, and S04 (despite what others say) is a shitful, lazy yeast and one I don't allow on the property.

 

[aussiebrewer]

You got it yob. us04 is lazy. But many people still use it. I'd suggest you give it a bit of a taste. If it is still sweet you can try a starter and more yeast. But if you have had the bucket open already to add more yeast and there is no active fermentation. I'd suggest when you taste it you will Notice an infection. So dump it and Start again

 

[tj2204]

I'm using s04 for probably the last time at the moment, I've got it down to 1018 through swirling the fermenter once a day to keep the yeast suspended, the brew is supposed to finish at 1013-15 so I'm hoping I can baby it over the line.

As others have said, it is a dog of a yeast, I'd bottle it and drink. The last stout I did was also with s04 and stopped right on 1020, tastes great but should have dropped a few more points.

 

[Vini2ton]

What does it taste like? As said, that's often a solid way of sorting these issues. Odd that 14 gms of kit yeast yeast didn't move it. If ok, bottle it and shandy it with a dry beer when people come over. Once had an O4 finish at 1.018. Only used it a few of times. There's much better yeasts available for us to use.

 

[Brew Forky]

If it tastes OK I'd bottle it. 1.020 isn't too bad for a stout and it sounds done and dusted.

I used s04 a few brews back on a American Amber for something different. It got to 1.013 without a hitch with a 66c mash.

 

[panzerd18]

I like the higher finishing gravity in ales. Its nice and thick and a little sweet.

If the yeast is done at 1.020 its done.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Interesting I feel better hearing this. Tried S-04 with a Black Rock Golden Ale and something else, dismally finished at 1.020 both times and never carbonated
properly in the bottle either.
Blamed the yeast and never used it again. -_-

 

[aussiebrewer]

Strange the responses though. The disclaimer for US04 is about 75% attenuation. So even a 1046 as in this case should finish about 1011 right?

 

[panzerd18]

I don't think the yeast care about some disclaimer someone has written. They stop eating when they have had enough. Give them a hand by raising the temperature towards the end to help them finish off.

 

[mwd]

All my K&K stouts finished fairly high around 1.018 and I used US05 mostly and they were never sweet. Toucans tended to be at 1.020 or even a little higher.

 

[Ditchnbeer]

Where did you source the yeast? Its shelf age will have a play too. Always obtain yeast from a store with high turn over so you have a great chance of having relatively new, healthy yeast. Hopefully stored in fridge in the store.
And did you hydrate before pitching? Sprinkling the yeast into warm water (in a santised jar of course) for 15 mins before pitching gives the kick start they need before work.
If a brewer is after a few more points these sorta things can assist the beer fully fermenting out.

 

[Cummy]

Cracked a bottle tonight and it turned out pretty nice. Looks like I might have to try another. Cheers for the responses.