brada7 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Hey guys, i have a stout down at the moment. OG 1071 after 5 days it was down to 1032 fermenting at 20 degrees. I checked it again just now 6.5 days and it has slowed to 1030. I was expecting a final of 1017! There is still some activity but is there any chance its going to finish the job? Should I panic, or can it ramp up again. Anything I can do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soundawake Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thats a pretty hefty beer for only 11g of yeast... it may have conked out. Standby for better advice from more experienced members... but you may have to pitch another sachet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brada7 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks Soundawake, I will wait to see what others come up with. I do have a couple of Coopers Kit yeasts for back up. Someone has told me though that the current alcohol that would be there would kill off a new yeast. Does that sound right?[pouty] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brada7 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 What about raising the temp a bit by taking it out of the brew fridge? I have heard that most off flavours at high temps happen in the initial stages (first few days). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 personally id be throwing a wine yeast at it.. they can handle greater alc content and still churn through fermentables.. assuming 23lt MR MALTY suggests 19 grams of dry yeast, hard to be sure of that without the manuf. date of the yeast, also how were you expecting the FG to be 1017? what did you use to calculate this? What was the full recipe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brada7 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Yob, I dont have a wine yeast and cant imagine I'll able to get hold of one tomorrow. The calculations were off the Brewcraft online calculator (which has worked in the past). Its a 1.7kg kit, 700g dry malt and 200g of brown sugar in 13 lires. Would be worth trying to make a starter and pitching that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 What yeast? US-05... sorry Personally adding more yeast is an absolute last resort, why do you think that if the yeast you had in there are having trouble that adding new yeast will help? It's not an ideal environment for happy healthy yeast with so much alc in there.. id be sanitising a big old spoon and rousing the yeast from the bottom of the FV first and raise the temps by a few degrees too, wait a few days and check again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brada7 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 I'll give that a go Yob. Aaaarrrrgggghhh! 3 days is a long time to wait. Tempting just to dump it and start again. I have a couple of Nottinghams in the fridge do you think they would go better or should the Saf Ale have been enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I've rescued a couple of high gravity brews that have stalled by pitching another sachet of yeast (usually the tough as guts Coopers kit ale yeast) with great results. The fresh optimised yeast seem to take off OK despite the alcohol already present. Well worth a try if you have a spare yeast, at this stage it won't do any harm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brada7 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks guys, I've actually done both. I had a few "tough as guts" Coopers kit yeasts lying around and I tried making my first ever starter an hour and half ago. It was already startin to happen even in that short time. I took Yobs advice and stirred up the fermenter and stirred the starter in as well. Why the hell not. I will take a reading and a taste Friday morning if no action or drop in gravity i will ditch and cut my losses. This is how we learn I spose. Could be the greatest rescue since Beaconsfield (no disrespect intended). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasond4 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I don't know how you got an OG 1071 from your recipe, I think that that is too high[unsure]. Best to check to see if your hydrometer is working properly. But a gentle stir was a good thing to see if is has stalled. Anyhow your problem is nothing compared to the 40C+ days we are having here in Perth this week, and I've got a lager in the ice bath to contend with. temperamental BITCH[devil] . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brada7 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Hey Jason, my partner is from Perth and she is sweatin and we're living on the east coast. She must have gone out in sympathy. Yes 1071 may seem high but when your total volume is reduced to 13 litres it seems highly likely and has been around that level for other brews. One Stout was 1080 + and that managed to finish at 1024. Anyway, the surface has all foamed up (already) and the gladwrap has started to bulge so I had better get a needle sterilised. Lets hope its a new lease on life and not an infection. I have let the temp get back up to 22, risky but i'd rather see action.Thanks all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasond4 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Well bugger me I didn't see the 13L bit on your post, either too hot or to pissed to see it. Have a habit of speed reading when I've had a pint or.....Oh I lost count in this weather[biggrin] Glad to see it up and running again.[happy] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnK12 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Use a better yeast next time, there are some Wyeast london ale yeasts that can handle 11% abv - I wouldn't use Safale in my stouts (its too neutral), I prefer my stouts with more of an English character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brada7 Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Thanks John I will keep that in mind for next time. I could be using the same amount of malt as someone brewing in 23 litres but was unsure of what brewing down to 13 litres would do to the yeast. For anyone interested, it seems to have been rescued whether by stirring up the trub or by adding the 2nd yeast I may never know but i just checked it and it has dropped from 1032 to 1025 in less than 24 hrs and tastes ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kearnage Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Sounds like an excellent save! Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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