Fuzzy-felt
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2012
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I wondered if anyone might be able to offer any advice on a problem I have with my latest brew please.
I have bought BeerSmith2 and got hold of a recipe called Velvet Stout via the website. I converted this to an extract recipe, and made adjustments to give me a final volume of 23l all via the BeerSmith2 software. About 14 hours after pitching the yeast a vigorous fermentation took place, which lasted for 3 to 4 days. 7 days in the hydrometer reading was 1.029, and now, 12 days after pitching the yeast, the reading is still at 1.029.
I've read about potential problems that might cause a fermentation to stick, but I wondered if the inclusion of 750g of lactose might have anything to do with this. The inclusion of this lactose has an effect on the estimated OG and ABV within Beersmith2: including lactose OG=1.056 (it was actually 1.061), ABV=6.0% (which I think means the FG is 1.010); omitting the lactose gives OG=1.047, ABV=4.5% (an FG of 1.013 I believe). I'm finding this odd because I have since discovered that lactose is largely unfermentable, so why would BeerSmith2 show this large difference in ABV values for including/omitting the lactose?
Anyway, could it be that fermentation has taken place to the 'correct' level, and it is all of this lactose that is causing my FG to be so high? It just seems so very high, though, and the software is showing that the addition of lactose only adds 9 points to the OG.
Here are the ingredients:
250g Special - Black Malt
250g Special - Chocolate Malt
225g dark Crystal Malt (400)
3.35kg Light LME (Cedarex)
750g lactose
50g East Kent Goldings hops
32g Styrian Goldings
Wyeast West Yorkshire 1469 (smacked and expanded a lot before pitching)
I sit the fermenter on a heating pad which keeps the temperature at about 22C.
I would appreciate any thoughts on this matter.
Regards,
Mark.
I have bought BeerSmith2 and got hold of a recipe called Velvet Stout via the website. I converted this to an extract recipe, and made adjustments to give me a final volume of 23l all via the BeerSmith2 software. About 14 hours after pitching the yeast a vigorous fermentation took place, which lasted for 3 to 4 days. 7 days in the hydrometer reading was 1.029, and now, 12 days after pitching the yeast, the reading is still at 1.029.
I've read about potential problems that might cause a fermentation to stick, but I wondered if the inclusion of 750g of lactose might have anything to do with this. The inclusion of this lactose has an effect on the estimated OG and ABV within Beersmith2: including lactose OG=1.056 (it was actually 1.061), ABV=6.0% (which I think means the FG is 1.010); omitting the lactose gives OG=1.047, ABV=4.5% (an FG of 1.013 I believe). I'm finding this odd because I have since discovered that lactose is largely unfermentable, so why would BeerSmith2 show this large difference in ABV values for including/omitting the lactose?
Anyway, could it be that fermentation has taken place to the 'correct' level, and it is all of this lactose that is causing my FG to be so high? It just seems so very high, though, and the software is showing that the addition of lactose only adds 9 points to the OG.
Here are the ingredients:
250g Special - Black Malt
250g Special - Chocolate Malt
225g dark Crystal Malt (400)
3.35kg Light LME (Cedarex)
750g lactose
50g East Kent Goldings hops
32g Styrian Goldings
Wyeast West Yorkshire 1469 (smacked and expanded a lot before pitching)
I sit the fermenter on a heating pad which keeps the temperature at about 22C.
I would appreciate any thoughts on this matter.
Regards,
Mark.