What Should I Do?

[Brownie]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am in need of some professional advice.

I have brewed a Dark Ale using the following:

Tooheys Dark Ale Kit (see post http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...wtopic=9402&hl)

1KG Coopers Brew Enhancer 1 (Mix of Dextrose and Maltodextrin)
250g Dry Dark Malt Extract
Safale S-04 Yeast.
OG = 1034
Brewed at 18 Deg Celc
Put down on 19/03/2006 so it has been 9 days now,
Best bubbling action of any brews through airlock

The Gravity check over the last few days has it around 1016, dropped slightly since Sunday.

Is this too high to rack to secondary? or can I rack and it will drop further without problem.

If I should wait are there any tricks to get the gravity down.

Yours in anticipation

Brownie

 

[sah]

Hi Brownie,

I don't normally bother racking to a secondardy when using S-04, it is quite flocculant. Leave it another 5 days and you'll find it'll finish and clear well.

If I decide on racking to a secondary for ales I normally do it within the first 5 days when there should be enough yeast still suspended and active enough to displace the air in the head space.

Good luck.
Scott

 

[Trough Lolly]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am in need of some professional advice.
[snip]
The Gravity check over the last few days has it around 1016, dropped slightly since Sunday.

Is this too high to rack to secondary? or can I rack and it will drop further without problem.

If I should wait are there any tricks to get the gravity down.

Yours in anticipation

Brownie

[post="116822"][/post]​

G'day Brownie,
The maltodextrin and dark malt extract will result in a higher than normal final gravity but that's not to say that it's well and truly finished...I would have expected it to get closer to 1.012 than 1.016. I've had similar issues with S-04 in the past and I've managed to get around it by doing two things:

1. Rousing the brew in the fermenter to de-flocc the yeast and get some more attenuation out of the yeast, and

2. Warming the beer up a few degrees - yes, I sit my ale fermenter on a heating pad and occasionally I lash out and fire it up when things like this happen. I've managed to drop a stalled ale from 1.025 down to 1.011 doing this and didn't get any major undesirables out of increasing the temp with the pad. I wouldn't recommend using a heating pad normally, but when you have a stalled brew, it sometimes helps the yeast along.

So, I'd agree with Scott and leave it in primary for another 5 days or so, but I'd also rouse it with a clean stirrer and keep an eye on the gravity with your hydrometer. If that does nothing, consider raising the brew temp but don't go above 25C if you can...

Cheers,
TL

 

[Brownie]

Thanks for the advice Scott and TL, a further question if I may?

Are you suggesting that I give the brew a stir with a spoon, and rouse the trub?

If so is it a vigorous stir or just a gentle circular stir?

Cheers

Brownie.

 

[sah]

Are you suggesting that I give the brew a stir with a spoon, and rouse the trub?

If so is it a vigorous stir or just a gentle circular stir?

[post="116844"][/post]​

If you stir ensure the spoon is sanitised. You don't need to whip up much yeast at all if you want to try this. It is really just to get some of it back into suspension.

Another thing you could try is gently roll or rock your fermenter, try to avoid dislodging any krausen.

I get variable attenuation with S-04 from 66% to 75%. I should start to pay more attention as to what the differences might be.

I'll probably give it away all together soon when I get my yeast farm stocked up

Scott

 

[Trough Lolly]

Thanks for the advice Scott and TL, a further question if I may?

Are you suggesting that I give the brew a stir with a spoon, and rouse the trub?

If so is it a vigorous stir or just a gentle circular stir?

Cheers

Brownie.

[post="116844"][/post]​

I grab my sanitised spoon, gently remove the lid - breathing away from the brew as I do this, and stir the whole brew in a circular motion - effectively creating a small whirlpool - I deliberately want to get the entire yeast cake off the floor of the fermenter and spinning around the fermenter so I ensure that all of the yeast is back in suspension and being mixed through what's left of the sugars and other fermentables that are yet to be attenuated by the yeast.

If you're gonna rouse the mongrel, have at it, but don't splash or create bubbles - just keep the spoon well down in the brew and don't let anything but the spoon contact the brew - eg, no sneezing, armhairs, sweat...etc! h34r:

Cheers,
TL

 

[Brownie]

Again guys, many thanks

Brownie