Two-can fermentation stuck on 1017?

[Victor Churchill]

Hello, I started a doubled-up brew of Morgan's Australian Old Ale a few days ago. Over the first few hours it went *up* from 1038 to 1047 - I imagine it was just not thoroughly mixed.

Then brewed very quickly, going down to 1017 in about 28 hours. And has stopped there.

I would usually leave a brew for at least two weeks before bottling. The instrux say

"... add 1 kg dextrose / sugar ... I added another can of Old...
.. ferment at a constant temperature between 22 - 30 deg C ( Ideally 25 deg C) until SG reaches 1.005 or below.
Finishing SG will be higher if adding complex brewing sugars to initial mix.
Complete fermentation will take 5 days at a constant 25 deg C, may take longer at lower temperatures"

This link shows the iSpindel chart, will expire at about 3.45 this afternoon.

BrewSpy - iSpindel Tilt Hydrometer PLAATO tracker

BrewSpy, an app to track iSpindel and Tilt homebrew beer fermentations

brewspy.app

snapshot here:

Do you reckon I can / should do anything to try to get it going again?

 

[Stevieboy]

I would just leave it for the full 2 weeks and check OG again. There's a whole lot of fermenting still going on in there...

 

[dmtaylor]

You fermented at 25.5 C? That's hot. It's done. There might be off-flavors or headaches from the hot fermentation. If you're not happy with the alcohol level, add 500 g sugar, that will wake up the yeast and add another ~1% ABV.

 

[Victor Churchill]

I did think the temperature seemed hot too, but figured that if that's what Mr Morgan recommended then the yeast must be up for it. I might try adding a bit more fermentable to see if it does anything - but the attenuation seems low (62.5% according to BrewSpy) , I'm not sure if I want to be sweetening it.

 

[DavidDetroit]

add 1 kg dextrose / sugar ... I added another can of Old...

So you substituted a can of something for plain sugar? If I read this correctly, that's why your FG is at 1.017. Had you put in regular sugar instead, that low FG would probably have gotten reached.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

What yeast did you use?

 

[Victor Churchill]

@DavidDetroit yes, I took a can and instead of adding a kilo of sugar added a second can of the same. I'd read a bit about people doing 'toucans', particularly on Aussie brewing sites, as well as here (this thread, this one which specifically talks about toucans with Morgan's stout amongst others, and here too). A frequent concern is the risk of getting double the bitterness, but Morgan's Old Ale is not a very bitter beer so that should be OK.

@Cheshire Cat , just used the two bog standard yeasts that came with the Morgans.

Having read back on the threads, I think I'll give the bucket a bit of a stir and possibly chuck in a syrup in another couple of days.

 

[DavidDetroit]

took a can and instead of adding a kilo of sugar added a second can of the same.

Sounds like a great idea to do that. I would say then 1.017 is a fine FG and what you might expect.
That's what happens with me when I go heavier on the extract. I'm quite used to FG around 1.020.

 

[the baron]

Because you have used 2 cans it does not contain as much simple easily fermentable sugars so will struggle to get to the same target FG as it would if you had used sugars.
I am guessing that you are aware the bittering will be double as the pre-hopped kits have the bittering for 1 kit in each so hopefully it will not be too bitter for you but it may be for some people

 

[Victor Churchill]

I think you guys are right, what you get in a one-can kit doubled up is not the same as what you get in a commercial two-tin like Wherry. So more 'complex sugars' = less fermentibles, more body / higher FG in the final brew..

I got the cans on a silly deal from KegThat so I'll get a pretty interesting and nice brew for not a lot of outlay.

 

[Kit-brewer]

I have had stuck brews from kits, my nomral result is to aerate them, it seem to get it restarted weel. I nomally just use a strilised paddle and give a vigorous stir!
I have found that beforepitching the yeast i make sure to have thouroughly aerated the wort and this seems to have prevent any further stuck brews.