Resurrect A Stalled Bock

[Big John]

Hi all,

I have searched the forums for my dilema and have learned a bit here and there but am unsure how the following approach would go.

The story so far...

Started with a ESB Bock (yeast W34/70)
Did a 1 litre starter with some dex & yeast for 1/2 hour prior to pitch
Pitched with ice cube
Set fermenter under the house which is approx 13 degrees overnight

Nothing happened - suprise - from what I've read now, I think I should probably have created a starter with malt & given it some proper time to activate at a reasonable temp (20 degrees?)

I brought the fermentation temp to 20 and stirred it like crazy hoping that that would wake the yeast
No luck

My plan to save my Bock...

I have a Safbrew WB-06 yeast (11.5g) so i was thinking to drain 1 litre of my bock into a bottle and pitch the safbrew in that - wait for a day or 2 and then pitch that back in the fermenter. I am thinking this way cos I don't have any malt for a starter (only dex)
Easy peazy starter - or is it?

Worries i have:
1) mixing the yeast types
WB-06 is a wheat yeast & i hope that the W34/70 was a dud or is dead
Is this a big no-no or just a clever experiment which will probably work?

2) using the Bock as a starter
Is this just being lazy or clever? (I suspect the latter)

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

BJ

 

[rclemmett]

How much dex did you put in with the water for the starter?

Are you sure it hasn't started? How long has it been? Have you taken gravity readings?

Fermentation starting is a race between the yeast and bacteria.... Two days with no yeast in your wort is not a good idea.

 

[Big John]

How much dex did you put in with the water for the starter?

Are you sure it hasn't started? How long has it been? Have you taken gravity readings?

Fermentation starting is a race between the yeast and bacteria.... Two days with no yeast in your wort is not a good idea.

All good questions - appologies for the missing info

Starter dex was 30 grams for 1 litre
Has been 6 days since pitching (3 days at 20 degrees to try and kick start it)
Gravity start was 1.082
Now is 1.054!!!!! - which i have only now just taken and which is a big surprise

The reason why i thought it was stalled was because there was absolutely no action or crauzen (spelling?)
Allways check the gravity - Ok I know the mantra but never thought I'd fall for it...

Now i'm not sure it is has stopped or properly restarted so the best plan is to wait for a few more days and take another reading...

At the moment it is smelling fruity - not sure if this is good or bad.

Newbie mistake - funny, you read and read and read but when it comes to things not going to plan or trying new things you can forget the basic rules.

Thanks

BJ

 

[rclemmett]

All good questions - appologies for the missing info

Starter dex was 30 grams for 1 litre
Has been 6 days since pitching (3 days at 20 degrees to try and kick start it)
Gravity start was 1.082
Now is 1.054!!!!! - which i have only now just taken and which is a big surprise

The reason why i thought it was stalled was because there was absolutely no action or crauzen (spelling?)
Allways check the gravity - Ok I know the mantra but never thought I'd fall for it...

Now i'm not sure it is has stopped or properly restarted so the best plan is to wait for a few more days and take another reading...

At the moment it is smelling fruity - not sure if this is good or bad.

Newbie mistake - funny, you read and read and read but when it comes to things not going to plan or trying new things you can forget the basic rules.

Thanks

BJ

1082.......... Holly crap... What were the ingredients? Did you only pitch one packet of yeast?

 

[Big John]

1082.......... Holly crap... What were the ingredients? Did you only pitch one packet of yeast?

Figured since it is a speciality beer that that was as it was supposed to be

ESB Bock is a 3 litre can and instructs you to only make it up to 15 litres

 

[rclemmett]

Figured since it is a speciality beer that that was as it was supposed to be

ESB Bock is a 3 litre can and instructs you to only make it up to 15 litres

I'd say there was a fair bit of malt in the tap for the reading of 1082. 3kg of malt in 15L should come out about 1067. Either way I'd say one pack at that gravity and 13C is underpitching. Adding more yeast or leaving it is a dilemma.... Far to complex a situation for my brain at the moment... I would leave it and see if it finishes as adding more yeast may be a waste.

 

[blackbock]

This sounds like a classic case of underpitching at lower temperature.

To avoid the same problem with a similar beer, pitch more yeast (preferably three packs at 1.067.)
You could have made a starter, but one litre is too small, and never use dextrose for a starter, it can lead to stalled fermentations, which you definitely don't want with a big beer.

Definitely don't put in the WB06 either, that would be a crying shame.

If you haven't seen any action within two days of pitching something is wrong and you need to add viable yeast. RDWHAHB, it will work out fine if you keep it sealed and don't keep opening it.

 

[newbud]

hey big john, I have just started a draught esb. let us all know how this one goes after all the mishaps!! i have only done a handful of brews myself and its funny how the easy stuff catches us all out.
I was reading the tin and was interested in the bock 15ltrs? must be flavour packed
. I have heard great reviews of these esb tins, cant wait!!!!!

 

[Big John]

hey big john, I have just started a draught esb. let us all know how this one goes after all the mishaps!! i have only done a handful of brews myself and its funny how the easy stuff catches us all out.
I was reading the tin and was interested in the bock 15ltrs? must be flavour packed
. I have heard great reviews of these esb tins, cant wait!!!!!

Update to the Bock saga.

In the end I left it be (at 18 degrees) for 3 weeks and then bottled it in Champagne bottles. My plan is to leave it for 2 - 3 months but as you know it is hard to resist having a taste.

After 3 weeks in the bottle, I had a taster last night and it was very nice. My beer pallet is slowly developing (i can't drink VB anymore) but even i can see that this is going to be special. Hopefully will mature well.

Goes to show that the mantra of patience & trust (in the beer) will fix most concerns about fermentation in the end. As with all things in life, it is one thing to know what you should do but another one to actually do it.

Regarding ESB, I love their Wheat beer and have also got a Extra Special Stout & Hoegarden in bottles waiting to mature. It is my preferred Kit supplier at the moment.

 

[Mcstretch]

Hi there.

What do you mean when you say you can't drink VB anymore?

I'm surprised you have a pallet left after drinking that stuff its chemical warfare.

cheers,