How long is too long?!

steveng · Jun 19, 2019

I've been trying my 3rd attempt at making a milk stout and it's very very slow to ferment so I'm wondering, how long should I give it before giving up! I brewed the beer on 15th May but the starting gravity was a little high at 1.070. Nevertheless, I pitched my yeast (from a starter) on that day and hoped for the best. Initially, everything was going pretty well, fermentation was going alright. However, it stalled at 1.04 or so. I did a few things to try and get it moving - bit of a shake of the fermenter, and raised the temp to 23 degrees C. After a few days, nothing much had happened so I decided to pitch more yeast - a pack of dried US05 - and hoped that would do the trick. That happened on 29th May and here we are, on the 19th June, and the beer is still only at 1.030!

I'm a bit bemused at this state of affairs and am on the verge of donating this beer to the sewers. Before I do so, is there any point in me persisting with this? Or should I just give up? My assumption is that the problems have all come from the high OG but any thoughts, ideas or suggestions are most welcome!

Thanks,

Steven

Clint · Jun 19, 2019

How much lactose did you use? What is your grain bill?

steveng · Jun 19, 2019

450g of lactose
4250g Maris Otter Pale
245g Caramunich
245g Choc Malt
245g Roasted Barley

Lawrence22 · Jun 19, 2019

How are you measuring your gravity?

Clint · Jun 19, 2019

Thanks,what was your original yeast and volume?

steveng · Jun 19, 2019

I'm using a hydrometer for gravity readings at this stage and the yeast was Wyeast Whitbread (#1099). Volume was just under 20 litres into the fermenter.

Lawrence22 · Jun 19, 2019

Ran the figures through Brewers friend. Presuming a 23L batch you would need 95% efficiency to hit 1.070 but the expected F.G. would be 1.029 at mash temp of 70C

Clint · Jun 19, 2019

Crunching the numbers...
Your bill at 19 litres gives OG 1069 with fg of 1022 with Notty or 1020 with US 05,6.1% and 6.4%.
So it needs to come down a bit if the numbers are right...

Lawrence22 · Jun 19, 2019

Figures make more sense at 19L, missed your volume post.

Clint · Jun 19, 2019

I've had kits take a month or so to finish so unless it's gone green and mouldy I'd stick the lid on it and test it in another week or so.

samale · Jun 19, 2019

I did a milk stout that did the same would not go below 1.28. First and last time using lactose.

steveng · Jun 19, 2019

I'll maybe just give it another few days then but if it doesn't move, are there any major implications to bottling this high? Perhaps the bottling process will reinvigorate the yeast and give me some nice bottle bombs!! It actually doesn't taste bad at the minute so I'm loathe to dump if it could be decent enough.

Clint · Jun 19, 2019

Leave it a week,what's the hurry? Then test it..if it's stable over a few days,bottle it.

samale · Jun 19, 2019

I bottled at 1.028. I brewed it last October and still have some in my garage. It didn't carbonate well.

An Ankoù · Jun 19, 2019

Hello Steveng.
Before you donate the fruits of your labour to the Ninja Turtles, what does it taste like?
If it's sweet but good and wholesome then bottle it. Use a PET or two to keep an eye on what's going on in the bottles, but it'll probably be ok.
If it's cloyingly sweet, pitch some champagne or cider yeast in there (pretty much the same thing) to try and dry it out a bit.
Either way, don't waste your beer on a bunch of dodgy reptiles. Send them a pizza!

IainM · Jun 20, 2019

Chuck some brett in it and leave it in the shed for a year or two.

Cwrw666 · Jun 20, 2019

If you've got a PB use that instead of bottles. That way if it is still fermenting slowly, excess gas will leak out through the pressure relief valve. Done it myself with a stout that stuck at 1020. Tasted fine if a little weak.
Never ditch a brew unless you've tasted it and it's foul.

user 23602 · Jun 20, 2019

Don't throw it! Bottle that sucker and leave it for a while.

Brewed_Force · Jun 20, 2019

samale said:
I did a milk stout that did the same would not go below 1.28. First and last time using lactose.

You can add lactose post-fermentation, mixing it with boiling water and allowing to cool. Of course you'd have to allow for this when working out your volumes.

steveng · Jun 20, 2019

It certainly does not taste bad so I shall go with the consensus and not chuck it! I'll give it a week, as Clint suggests, and bottle up, leaving in a safe place in case of explosive stout!

How long is too long?!

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