Strange Slow Ferment

[davewaldo]

Hi everyone,

A couple of weeks ago a brewed an English Brown Ale, and my problem is that its still fermenting PAINFULLY slowly.

Here is the recipe:

23L Batch

OG: 1.041


Fermentables
Ale - Maris Otter - TF Floor Malted 2.650 kg (67.6 %) In Mash/Steeped
Crystal Malt Pale - Bairds 0.250 kg (6.4 %) In Mash/Steeped
Crystal Malt Dark - Bairds 0.250 kg (6.4 %) In Mash/Steeped
Carapils Malt - Weyermann 0.200 kg (5.1 %) In Mash/Steeped
Choc Chit - JW 0.110 kg (2.8 %) In Mash/Steeped
Roasted Barley Unmalted - Bairds 0.010 kg (0.3 %) In Mash/Steeped
Sugar - Invert Sugar (Golden) Syrup 0.450 kg (11.5 %) End Of Boil

Hops
UK Target (9.4 % alpha) 16 g Loose Pellet Hops used 60 Min From End
UK Golding (4.8 % alpha) 8 g Loose Pellet Hops used 15 Min From End

Other Ingredients

Yeast: Wyeast 1099-Whitbread Ale

Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Full Mash
Schedule Name:Single Step Infusion (69) w/Mash-Out

---------------------------

So everything started well. I aerated well into the fermenter using one of these Siphon Sprayers then I pitched a good starter at around 20 degrees. It kicked off well and went strong for 2-3 days.

Then it stopped at 1.020, so I roused the yeast by giving the fermenter a good shake and I added some nutrients and raised the temp to 22. This got it going again but REALLY slowly. I'm getting bubbling through airlock at medium pace but hydro samples show that the gravitly is only dropping 1 point every two days or so.

Two days ago it finally seemed to have stopped at 1.015 which isn't too bad, I was hoping for a bit lower.

But now its kicked up again and seems to be trickling on slowly still.

So my questions are:

1. Is this anything to worry about? The beer still tastes good and it doesn't seem infected.

2. How can I avoid this in the future? I figure a nice quick/steady ferment would be healthier.

3. Also what do people think my final gravity should be? I found this recipe on the net (tweaked slightly) and most people could get it down to 1.009 even with the high amount of cara-malts, the higher mash temp and the lower attenuating yeast.

4. Not really a question, but I assume I'm just going to have to wait for it to finish in its own time?

So really the only things I think I could do better would be to aerate better and to pitch a bigger starter. I pitched about 1.5L made from a smack pack.

Any suggestions.

 

[raven19]

I would rack it to a secondary vessel if it slows down again next time.

Maybe increase your starter size too?

 

[Ross]

Dave,

If the "69" in your recipe is as I suspect your mash temperature, i'm suprised you even got it down to 1015.

Mash at 65c next time.

Cheers Ross

 

[davewaldo]

Thanks Ross, but it's not really the finishing gravity that has me worried its more that it has taken so long to get there. And it's still going! My understanding is that a higher mash temp will result in a higher FG, not the slow ferment I'm experiencing.

Does this happen sometimes with certain yeast and recipe combos or should I be looking to improve my process somehow? Should ales always have a steady ferment till the end (as my others have)?

 

[warra48]

I haven't used WY1099, but my experience with WY1469 and WY1968 is not dissimilar.

They seem to sprint for about 2 to 3 days, and then slow right down, knocking off the last few points very slowly. I also agitate the yeast after it slows down to get it going again.

I currently have brew with WY1469 in the fermenter for almost 2 weeks, and I'm leaving it for another week before thinking about bottling it.

Personally, the time doesn't concern me. I'm happy to leave most of my brews for between 2 to 3 weeks in the fermenter.

 

[davewaldo]

Thanks Warra, I have been reading that some of the English strains need a bit more persuasion.

I remember reading somewhere that BribieG will sometimes aerate again on the second day of fermentaion to help some yeasts along (I might be wrong about this though?).

 

[warra48]

Thanks Warra, I have been reading that some of the English strains need a bit more persuasion.

I remember reading somewhere that BribieG will sometimes aerate again on the second day of fermentaion to help some yeasts along (I might be wrong about this though?).

I'm not exactly sure about that. Why not send him a PM ?

 

[Bribie G]

With the Yorkshire type "Northern Yeasts" such as Ringwood and 1469 I certainly oxygenate them well with a for the first couple of days morning and night although not for the extended period that some books recommend. They seem to all go off like a rocket. I'm not sure about the Whitbread, maybe aerate it the first day to get it firing. Funnily I have a pack of Whitbread in the fridge as well and trying to think of something to use it for.

Like Ross mentioned somewhere as well, I let them warm up considerably, often to about 22, for a couple of days for a diacetyl rest and to 'finish them off' and that seems to work great with no flavour effects.

 

[davewaldo]

Sorry, just getting back to this thread, been away for a few days.

Thanks heaps guys, it sounds like I don't have much to worry about. In the future I'll try a few extra tricks to keep it fermenting a bit stronger to the end.

I reckon a bit of aerating after 12- 24hours could be a good thing to try next time. I find most of my UK yeasts I've tried seem to behave a little bit like this (although not to this extreme). I did warm this one up to 22 this time, but after it had stopped, so perhaps I'll do this on day 3 as a matter of course, or slowly ramp up the temp from day one.

Thanks again everyone

Dave.