Same Problem With Us-05 Yeast - Stalled Again...

[Mitcho89]

Hey guys,

Got a rather lazy/simple brew going on. Brigalo Pilsner and BE1+250g dex using us-05 yeast. I just got myself a keg/c02 system so I wanted an easy batch to experiment with in kegs. This is the 3rd time I've had this problem, the yeast stalling at about 1016-20 with us-05. For the amount of fermentables in the BE1, I'd expect 1010 or lower. I guess going to kegs I don't have to worry about bottle bombs but it would still be nice to work out why this bloody yeast stalls all the time for me. I pitch it at about 22 then bring the temp down to 19-20 and let it sit there. At the moment it's at 24 just to try and bring things to life. It'll be 2 weeks on wednesday and it's at 1020 now.

Any information will be great. Thank you!

 

[pk.sax]

So, you've raised temps. I suspect given it a bit of a shake/swirl too. You could try carefully racking to a sanitary secondary. It will obviously give the yeasts a little more oxygen to play with. I've found US05 to be sluggish the one time I simply pitched the rehydrated dry yeast. Pitching washed slurry gave me no stalled fermentation so I am suspecting the yeast struggles to grow to an active fermentation cell count in plain old wort.

This is very narrow experience though, I've only used us05 twice, once out of the packet and once slurry, the slurry was in the fridge for a month but chomped my wort down in 4-5 days. The dry packet took forever at 1016.

 

[manticle]

I rarely have trouble with 05 but I'm pretty patient with my fermenting beer.

Do a fast ferment test to see where it should get to.
Read the articles section for articles on tips and tricks for stalled fermentation
Last resort pitch new yeast but make an active starter with it (ie don't just sprinkle dry yeast on top).

 

[praxis178]

So, you've raised temps. I suspect given it a bit of a shake/swirl too. You could try carefully racking to a sanitary secondary. It will obviously give the yeasts a little more oxygen to play with. I've found US05 to be sluggish the one time I simply pitched the rehydrated dry yeast. Pitching washed slurry gave me no stalled fermentation so I am suspecting the yeast struggles to grow to an active fermentation cell count in plain old wort.

This is very narrow experience though, I've only used us05 twice, once out of the packet and once slurry, the slurry was in the fridge for a month but chomped my wort down in 4-5 days. The dry packet took forever at 1016.

Yep I prefer to use slurry from a previous run with 05 if I have to use it. Otherwise I build a big starter (4L over 2-3days) crash chill it and decant the old wort and pitch the new slurry. Not as fast using an actual slurry but much better than just pitching the dry yeast....

As for getting it going again: rack to secondary and she should fire up again.

 

[ekul]

Why do kits and extract beers always stall? When i was making extract beers i reckon 20% of my beers would have stalled at 1018-1020. Since going AG i have not had this problem.

 

[Brewindo]

So, you've raised temps. I suspect given it a bit of a shake/swirl too. You could try carefully racking to a sanitary secondary. It will obviously give the yeasts a little more oxygen to play with. I've found US05 to be sluggish the one time I simply pitched the rehydrated dry yeast. Pitching washed slurry gave me no stalled fermentation so I am suspecting the yeast struggles to grow to an active fermentation cell count in plain old wort.

This is very narrow experience though, I've only used us05 twice, once out of the packet and once slurry, the slurry was in the fridge for a month but chomped my wort down in 4-5 days. The dry packet took forever at 1016.

Just fermented 2 batches with US-05. Goes like a champ. Both started at 1052ish and both finished at 1011ish at 17-18degs. Airlock activity slow to just a few blips within 4 days.

 

[manticle]

Extract brews (different from kits) are more likely to finish high as opposed to stalling. Something to do with free amino nitrogen (FAN) levels from beer addled slightly vague memory.

I never had trouble with kits but most extracts I did finished around 1016-1018 unless extra strong or containing unfermentables (had a cream stout finish at 1030 despite using every conceivable trick in the book - no bottle bombs but it took me a long time before I convinced myself she was done).

Almost every AG hits 1008-1012 regardless of mash temp. Again cream stouts are closer to 1020. Funny because my ciders with lactose still hit 1000 or so.

 

[pk.sax]

Yes, the dry pitch was a kit + extract can and the slurry was pitched into my first stovetop AG. Might have made all the darn difference.

PS: Manticle, none of the three ciders I made have hit 1000. Lowest I ever got was 1004, none of them were the same but same yeast. Actually,..... Demijohns are empty now.... Mmmmmmm, I and everybody I gave it really liked the cloudy apple cider, might make again

 

[wessmith]

Guys, Try adding some yeast nutrient to all your brews. You can never be sure what the maker of the kit wort did so try the nutrient. Sluggish ferments are usually a sign of a stressed yeast lacking something.

Wes

 

[dr K]

Guys, Try adding some yeast nutrient to all your brews. You can never be sure what the maker of the kit wort did so try the nutrient. Sluggish ferments are usually a sign of a stressed yeast lacking something.

Wes

Agree, kit malt base is usually low in FAN and nutrient usually contains DAP. I use yeast nutient in al my all grain brew, it decreases lag time, gives a healthier ferment and reduces the dread diacetyl
That being said what was your SG? Lets say you got 70% attenuation which is ok, do you really stall at 1016 or has the yeast finished. 1054 OG @ 70% = 1016 FG, even at 75% its up there at 1014. US05 is decribed by the manufacturer as having a medium FG..relax, you know the rest!!

K

 

[O'Henry]

+1, FAN levels, yeast nutrient, aeration and pitching amount.

For higher FAN levels, drop the amount of adjuncts. You could try doing a partial mash or even just steeping some crystals will help.
Yeast nutrient might help to get the cell count up.
Ensure the wort is well aerated before pitching. Almost impossible to over aerate in a HB set-up.
Ensure there is an adequate amount of yeast being pitched. Mr Malty is a good calculator for this.

 

[Mitcho89]

Alright guys I'm about to rip my hair out. I have a batch of amber ale using liquid amber malt and the other is a gold style of lager (using ale yeast I know) with a tin of lager malt. I used the same yeast, the Safbrew s-33 in both....pitched and stirred at 24C and let sink to 20C and both have f**king stopped at 1020. Fermentation kicked off lovely with a large crausen and good bubbling and then just...stopped. Surely I must be something wrong.... Could it be that I don't just sprinkle it on and leave the yeast, I completely mix it through the wart to aerate as much as possible. Should I have just sprinkled it ontop of the wart head?

 

[pk.sax]

dude, did you catch the tip about using yeast nutrient in all that above??

I suppose you could pitch half a sachet more in each with some sanitised nutrient now...

 

[Snow]

Alright guys I'll about to rip my hair out. I have a batch of amber ale using liquid amber malt and the other is a gold style of lager (using ale yeast I know) with a tin of lager malt. I used the same yeast, the Safbrew s-33 in both....pitched and stirred at 24C and let sink to 20C and both have f**king stopped at 1020. Surely there must be something wrong.... Could it be that I don't just sprinkle it on and leave the yeast, I completely mix it through the wart to aerate as much as possible. Should I have just sprinkled it ontop of the wart head?

You need to rehydrate the yeast before you pitch it. There's plenty of instructions on this here. If you MUST sprinkle it straight into the wort, don't stir it in as this allows the sugar to put too much osmotic pressure on the cell walls.

Also, how healthy is your yeast? Has it been stored in the fridge at the HB shop? It might be old and stressed....

Cheers - Snow

 

[Snow]

dude, did you catch the tip about using yeast nutrient in all that above??

I suppose you could pitch half a sachet more in each with some sanitised nutrient now...

Unless it's a highgravity wort, he won't need nutrient, using dry yeast.

Cheers - Snow.

 

[Mitcho89]

My local HB has all his yeast sitting in the fridge and it's never moved. When he gets it from his supplier, it's kept in a cold box for transportation. Sorry about the freak out, I just don't want to have to bin 70 bucks worth of beer! What's the go with this yeast nutrient?

 

[MrWombles]

[quote name='Thomas J.' date='Nov 6 2010, 02:33 PM' post='700737''

As for getting it going again: rack to secondary and she should fire up again.
[/quote]

Totally agree - When the yeast has a holiday, in the past I have racked it to a secondary and few days later all is good. You will hear both the pros and cons of racking into a secondary, but if your clean, this should solve the yeast resting.

 

[Mitcho89]

I double sterilize everything, first I do it in Sodium met, thorough rinse and then no-rinse. I just don't know why this problem keeps happening these days. So there is no difference between sprinkling and mixing?

 

[Mitcho89]

Ok guys sorry to double post but I'm going to rack it off and throw in a starter. It's about a liter with about 80-100grams of sugar in there. Fingers crossed......

 

[eamonnfoley]

Alkaline /chlorinated water could be playing a part in this too. Try using RO/distilled water with your extract beers. All the required minerals are contained within the malt extract. Also make sure you rehydrate the dry yeast preferably in spring water.