Stuck Fermentation

[Major Arcana]

Howdy Fellas,

I currently have a chocolate and oatmeal stout on the go and was hoping to bottle her up last Sunday which would have been 14 days in the FV. From about the 10th day in i noticed she was stuck on 1.020 and needed to come down to at least 1.014. OG was was 1.050. so i kept checking each day after and noticed she was not moving down. Temperature was consistently around 18c. Yeast was 2 x S04.

I have been speaking to a few other members on here pilgrimspiss and brzt6060 who have given me some great advice to help reactivate her, firstly being given her a bit of a swoosh around (lid on) and heating her up a little, and if nothing happens by next Monday trying a yeast nutrient activator hopefully. All fingers crossed she gets her act together, i do know that S04 does have a reputation of stalling everynow and then.

What i would like to know is has anyone ever had a batch that does not end up re activating and continue fermenting? What would you end up doing? Last thing i would want to do is turf it that's for sure, even if i wait another 3 -4 weeks in the main FV.

Cheers,

Dan :unsure:

 

[Yob]

you can always add an active starter of another yeast

(personal preference) anything but 04, have you tried a fast ferment test?

which is - take a hydro sample, keep it warm, shake it often and see if the gravity changes..

what was the full recipe? It may be a recipe flaw and not that of the yeast

 

[manticle]

You won't need to turf it unless it tastes bad so put that idea out of your head straight away.

Depending on the recipe, stout can often finish higher than other beers so there is a chance it's done. As Yob said - full recipe?

 

[Major Arcana]

Not a problem fellas this the process:

1 x Black Rock Miners Stout
1 x 1.5kg Black Rock Liquid Dark Malt Extract
500g Malted Oats
400g Chocolate Malt
400g Dark DME

GRAINS steep at 65-70C for 30 minutes in a minimum of 3 litres of water

Malted Oats 0.5 kg
Chocolate Malt 0.4 kg

and rinse the grains (sparge) in a minimum of 3 litres of water at 65-70C

Make the Hop Boil Volume up to 8 Litres

Bring Boil SG to 1.040 by adding the 400 g of Dark DME. Add and dissolves this at around 80C.

Bring to rolling boil (add 0.5 whirlfloc tablet 10 minutes from end of boil)

HOPS add
Kent Golding 10 g 60 Mins
Fuggles 10 g 20 Mins


5 minutes from the end of the boil add any adjuncts, Coopers Dark Malt or Black Rock Unhopped Dark (or what ever dark un hopped LME you went with) let if cool for a bit to around 80C and then add the Black Rock Miners Stout and stir until you dissolve the kit.

Cool the resulting wort (can be achieved by adding to ice/cold water in fermenter)
Add to Fermenter and make up to 23 Litres with hot or cold water to adjust the temperature

When below 22C pitch Yeast

Predicted OG 1.056 IBU 32.6
FG 1.014 EBC 177.8
%alc Keg 5.6 Bottle 6.0

 

[manticle]

Wouldn't be surprised if it's done or close to with that roast and all that malt extract.
Try a fast ferment test to be sure.

 

[Major Arcana]

Thanks manticle, i havent tried a fast ferment test before so will give it a go. I was hoping she would drop more because i prefer my stout on the stronger side. Something is definitely going on here, and i am going to get to the bottom of it! h34r:

cheers,

Dan

 

[ManVsBeer]

What i would like to know is has anyone ever had a batch that does not end up re activating and continue fermenting? What would you end up doing?

I had a batch of Amber Ale that ended up on 1.020. I followed all of the advice above but it didn't budge. Answer: Look SWMBO. I made a batch of beer for you. Your favourite with extra sweetness. I even marked the bottles with her initials. No joke, I am still in the good books.

 

[Major Arcana]

I had a batch of Amber Ale that ended up on 1.020. I followed all of the advice above but it didn't budge. Answer: Look SWMBO. I made a batch of beer for you. Your favourite with extra sweetness. I even marked the bottles with her initials. No joke, I am still in the good books.

Hahaha that made me laugh, what SWMBO doesn't know, wont hurt her!