Sleeping Ale?

[brettule]

I've got the Muttons Premium Smuglers Ale in the fermentor, pitched at 24 degrees and put it inside a powered off fridge. I've maintained around 18 dgrees (sometimes a little higher, sometimes a little lower) as the constant temp. Day two I could hear the airlock going and it's now been 12 days since I pitched. I took a hydrometer reading today which read 1022 (at 19 degrees) still a long way off the kit's quoted 1014 final desired gravity.

I would have thought it would be ready to rock and roll by now, could I be doing something wrong or should I just wait a couple more weeks?

It smells fantastic and has a very bitter taste at the moment.

 

[The Big Burper]

I've got the Muttons Premium Smuglers Ale in the fermentor, pitched at 24 degrees and put it inside a powered off fridge. I've maintained around 18 dgrees (sometimes a little higher, sometimes a little lower) as the constant temp. Day two I could hear the airlock going and it's now been 12 days since I pitched. I took a hydrometer reading today which read 1022 (at 19 degrees) still a long way off the kit's quoted 1014 final desired gravity.

I would have thought it would be ready to rock and roll by now, could I be doing something wrong or should I just wait a couple more weeks?

It smells fantastic and has a very bitter taste at the moment.

Hello dere,

That seems a bit high for a completed ferment, but the bible says constant SG over 3 days means fermentation is most likely to be complete.

Give it time, take daily readings and be patient. Any extra malt in the brew, or did you just add dex?

cheers
Dave

 

[pint of lager]

Over the last week or so we have had a string of exactly the same problem. Have a read of the answers in those threads.

Faulty hydrometer, poor temperature control, a recipe high in malt extract, maltodextrin and crystal will all contribute to a high fg. Brewing to 20 litres can be another source of problem. Incorrect use of sanitisers or lack of rinsing of cleaners is another. Poor yeast health will cause sluggish ferment.

Also, at least one other of the problem brews was based on a Muntons IPA. So definitely go have a read.

 

[pint of lager]

Could you please post the entire recipe, or is the Muntons premium range an all malt extract brew? What was your starting volume. Did you rehydrate the yeast?

12 days at 18-20 degrees, it should well and truely be finished.

 

[brettule]

Muttons premium is an all malt brew, very simple really, just two tins to empty into the fermenter, water and the yeast, nothing else. Two days ago I took another reading and it had not changed. I turned up the heat and have had it at around 24 degrees for the past 24 hours and it's moved slightly to 1020. I guess I'll maintain this higher temp for a few days and see the results.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Muttons premium is an all malt brew, very simple really, just two tins to empty into the fermenter, water and the yeast, nothing else. Two days ago I took another reading and it had not changed. I turned up the heat and have had it at around 24 degrees for the past 24 hours and it's moved slightly to 1020. I guess I'll maintain this higher temp for a few days and see the results.

We had a discussion about the Muntons kit yeast a while back with those who used it saying they regulalrly got "stuck" fermenation at the 1020 level. Some added champagne yeast to drive the OG down. When I made up a Smugglers Ale I used Wyeast London ESB yeast and it got down to around 1012. I'll try and find that thread and see what esle was said.

Edit : The thread wasn't here in AHB but in Jim's Brew - a UK beer site. They added a dry beer enzyme, not champagne yeast as there consensus is that the supplied yeast provided is good but is too little supplied - really needed a big big starter to work properly. The yeast is tired. They were also happy to suggest racking to secondary, put the secondary in storage and suggested two things - revitallise the yeast and add wort back to complete or leave in long storage and let the yeast slowly eat its way through the remaining sugars. Then condition again for a long time before drinking.

Beer Enzyme - never heard of it. Anyone any ideas ?

 

[brettprevans]

i did a muntons smuggler and had the same issue. left it for a while longer than you then bottled. it was sweet as for ages. I recon its a weak yeast issue. I think those muntons premuim packs sit on the shelf for too long (as they are abour $45) and the yeast is then old. maybe jchuck anoother pack of yeast in.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Beer Enzyme - never heard of it. Anyone any ideas ?

maybe chuck another pack of yeast in.

Quick check of things tells me what Poms call beer enzyme could be what we call yeast nutrients. Never had anything to do with yeast nutrients - can they be added after fermentation to revive a flagging yeast. Ony heard talk of adding when pitching yeast.

Edit : "sound of penny dropping .." don't you use enzymes to produce low carb beer to dry it out .. more reseaech needed ...

If you are convinced the yeast is flagging, what sort of yeast should you add to get the SG down to the desired level. That's where I have read about using champagne yeast but remember cautions it will be too success and drive the FG down too low.

 

[brettule]

I'll leave it for a couple more days at a nice warm temp and see if it's actually stuck or not. This is only my 3rd brew so I'm a complete novice at this and need things kept simple while I get up to speed. Pitching yeast again sounds like a simple way out, I've got a couple of packs of yeast lying around; Muntons Active Brewing yeast and a no name packet with Premium Brewing Yeast 7G printed on it. Should I use one of these?

 

[brettprevans]

another pack of muntons yeast if its been looked after (ie kept in cool place, not too old).

 

[brendanos]

Enzymes are available (such as Modiferm) from some AHB sponsers, which work (like the enzymes in the mash) to break down long chain sugars into simpler, more fermentable sugars in the fermenter. These products can be used to make very dry or "low carb", or to generally make a wort more fermentable.

 

[brettule]

another pack of muntons yeast if its been looked after (ie kept in cool place, not too old).

Ok, I've taken my 3rd reading in a row and it's stuck at 1020. I've bought a new Muntons premium gold yeast with the intention of pitching again. What's the technique? Lift the lid, sprinkle in at 19 degrees and then maintain that temp till the reading is 1014 or less? I don't need to raise the temp to activate it or anything do I?

Also, I think perhaps I let the temp drop below 18 too often which probably contibuted to the yeast getting stuck, it's also made it quite bitter from my few samples. I've just wired up a fridgemate thermostat to my heat mat so I shouldn't have problems maintaining a set temp anymore. Should I adjust the temp a little higer to get out of the bitterness on this second pitch or leave it at the prescribed 18-20 degrees?

 

[brettule]

3 days ago I pitched the 2nd run of yeast at 22 degrees. I've been maintaining that temp since and I've taken a reading of 1018 today.