I could do with a little stuck fermentation advice

The Homebrew Forum

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Galena

Landlord.
Joined
May 27, 2020
Messages
1,892
Reaction score
1,054
Location
Peak District
I have a brew been in the FV for 14 days and seems stuck at 1.020 I have explained my procedure so far and recipe etc as follows:
3Kgs MO
400g Flaked maize
200g Crystal Dark
70g Black
330g unrefined cane sugar (added at 30 mins in the boil)
1/2 Whirfloc at 5 mins

Hops 30g Challenger, 12f Fuggle, 5g EKG (dry)

60 minute mash at 67deg mash pH 5.65
60 minute boil

Batch size21L, OG @ 20deg 1.048
Pitched yeast (Rehydrated Safale SO4) at 18.3 deg to 22 deg in the FV
Fermentation plan - 4 days at 17deg, 1 day at 18deg, 9 days @ 19 deg

Day 2 bubbling nicely
Day 4 bubbling appears stopped
Day 5 Gravity check at 1.020 increased to 18 deg
Day 6 increased temp. to 19 deg slight signs of activity
Day 7 increased to 20 deg signs of slow bubbling
Day 10 added 5g loose EKG pellets
Day 12 SG still 1.020, rocked FV and took sample in jar and added 1g SO4, refractometer reading7% brix pH of beer 4.07
Day 13 Increase to 22 deg gave a rock and added 1/2 teaspoon Tryzanamol (wine yest probably useless but all I had) Brix reading 6.8

So now I am at Day 14 if I sit and watch the airlock for long enough there is slight sign of movement but very very slow, there are a few bubbles in the starsan in the airlock which I take as a good sign. There are very slight signs that the refractometer reading has moved unless it is innaccuracy in the readings. Now I am thinking I have 2 choices 1) Leave it another week and see where we get to
2) Make up a starter, the only dry yeast I have is SO4 which has proved no good in the sample taken from FV or a full starter from a liquid yeast which would have the advantage of being a different strain but will take some time.

Any suggestions?
 
I'm getting similar with a stout here, second time it's happened. Not sure why, also a high percentage of raw grain and dark crystals, dark malts might be pushing acidity too high, could be low aeration (first time I thought it was well shaken up, 3 minutes with a paddle in a cordless drill), idk.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top