Stalled Ferment? Fg:1020

[Jacktar41]

Hi Guys,

long time lurker first time posting.

I mixed up a Coopers Real Ale and BE1 on 21 Sep but got a bit distracted and may have added too much hot water, the temp was sitting at 26 deg after 19-20 litres of cool water was added, I waited for a few hours for it to drop but was running out of time so I added the packet yeast.

Within the next 24 hours the krausen formed with 1/4 hitting the lid, for around 3 days the airlock was bubbling away fine then stopped, I waited till the 27th for first FG reading @ 1020 and second reading today @ 1020 (both readings taste/smell fine and produce a good head when filling the test vessel?) Thought both are a bit high so I plan on leaving it for another week?? The temp has been around 20 deg but we have had a cold night and I forgot to turn the heater on.

I have read that due to the initial high temp it may be a stuck ferment? gave the fermenter a bit of a gentle rock in an attempt to move some of the yeast back up into the body of the wort. I can see fine bubbles forming on the surface but i'm not sure if this is due to the movement of the fermenter.

Not sure if I leave it the extra week and take another FG reading and hope it has dropped or chuck another yeast in, I don't want to ditch the lot as it looks/smells and tastes fine so far. I'm bottling in glass so I am a bit worried about a batch of bombs.

The OG was 1041

This is my second training brew so any advice would be excellent at this stage of the learning curve.

 

[manticle]

No need to ditch and I'm not sure the initial temp will be the cause.


What is the current temp of the brew?

Try warming to 20 -22, swirl the fermenter gently to get yeast back into suspension.

If nothing happens, try racking to a new fermenter. Wait a few days.

If still nothing happens, rehydrate some more yeast then pitch it.

Keep temp around 18-20 after initial warming.

Watch and wait.

 

[peas_and_corn]

Are you using a hydrometer? Dissolved CO2 could be making it more buoyant, skewing your readings. Shake your sample a bit to get any CO2 out of it.

 

[Jacktar41]

No need to ditch and I'm not sure the initial temp will be the cause.


What is the current temp of the brew?

Try warming to 20 -22, swirl the fermenter gently to get yeast back into suspension.

If nothing happens, try racking to a new fermenter. Wait a few days.

If still nothing happens, rehydrate some more yeast then pitch it.

Keep temp around 18-20 after initial warming.

Watch and wait.

The current temp is 20, I'll wait a few days to see what happens, if I dont see a drop in OG will try racking to a new fermenter.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[manticle]

Swirl gently first. It may raise the yeast back into supsension.

 

[Screwtop]

Hi Guys,

long time lurker first time posting.

I mixed up a Coopers Real Ale and BE1 on 21 Sep but got a bit distracted and may have added too much hot water, the temp was sitting at 26 deg after 19-20 litres of cool water was added, I waited for a few hours for it to drop but was running out of time so I added the packet yeast.

Within the next 24 hours the krausen formed with 1/4 hitting the lid, for around 3 days the airlock was bubbling away fine then stopped, I waited till the 27th for first FG reading @ 1020 and second reading today @ 1020 (both readings taste/smell fine and produce a good head when filling the test vessel?) Thought both are a bit high so I plan on leaving it for another week?? The temp has been around 20 deg but we have had a cold night and I forgot to turn the heater on.

I have read that due to the initial high temp it may be a stuck ferment? gave the fermenter a bit of a gentle rock in an attempt to move some of the yeast back up into the body of the wort. I can see fine bubbles forming on the surface but i'm not sure if this is due to the movement of the fermenter.

Not sure if I leave it the extra week and take another FG reading and hope it has dropped or chuck another yeast in, I don't want to ditch the lot as it looks/smells and tastes fine so far. I'm bottling in glass so I am a bit worried about a batch of bombs.

The OG was 1041

This is my second training brew so any advice would be excellent at this stage of the learning curve.

You will no doubt have read of the importance of fermentation temperature control, with everyone talking about ensuring your ales don't go above 18 - 20. Hardly ever is it mentioned that control means just that, stable temp, fluctuating temps are not good for fermentation. Some yeast strains will floc out due to a temp drop of a few degrees. This is part of the natural fermentation cycle for yeast, they have had a little feed, alcohol in the wort has increased a little and the temp drops.....end of cycle they decide and drop out. Can be nigh on impossible to get some strains going again, swirling, raising temp just won't get them going. Repitching a new active krausening yeast starter will work............but...........like the first fermentation, the temp will need to be kept stable.

Cheers,

Screwy