Almondbury Old........

[Gobhoblin]

...... it's been in the FV for just over two weeks. SG was 1044 at the start. It's now at 1018 and has been for a few days. Obviously nowhere near the recommended. So, could it be stuck? Should I stir the lot up, including the trub and throw in some yeast nutrient? I've never had a stuck fermentation so not sure where to go.

Many thanks.

 

[Sandimas]

Usual things - give it a good stir, raise the temp a bit if you can, throwing a tsp of yeast nutrient in might help too. Last time I did a Brupaks (Coln Valley) it stuck at 1018 and I couldn't get it to budge so bottled it, came out nice after about a month if a little weak.

I've had a few stuck brews with those 2 can kits that come with the small yeast packet, I'm convinced it's the quantity/quality of the yeast, so have just done an experiment with a Wherry with yeast nutrient added at the start. It's still going after 18 days without sticking, so reckon the nutrient's really helped, reckon the FG will be pretty low when I drop the hydro in. :thumb:

 

[Gobhoblin]

So by a good stir you mean raising all the muck in the bottom of the FV?

 

[Sandimas]

No, try to avoid stirring up the stuff in the bottom - that's all dead yeast dropping out. There should still be some good yeast in suspension.

 

[Gobhoblin]

Ok. It's had a stir and nothing much has happened. Been in there three weeks now and is a constant 1018. Hasn't budged. Should I bottle it or throw in some yeast nutrient or something else? Any ideas welcome.

 

[Sandimas]

How warm is the place it's fermenting? Try to put it in the warmest room in the house for a few days to see if you can get it moving. The beer will be OK as it'lll have a blanket of CO2 over it, so there is no hurry to move it.

If it's already been in the warm, just bottle it. They do stick sometimes, I bottled one (ironically another Brupaks kit) at 1018 and it turned out OK.

 

[Gobhoblin]

Right. On the advice from my LHBS I stirred, repitched some Gervin GV12 rehydrated in some water and a drop of sugar. Added some yeast nutrient and moved to a warm room, about 21c. Been there for 48 hours now and it's doing NOWT!
So, what now?

 

[brewtim]

Right. On the advice from my LHBS I stirred, repitched some Gervin GV12 rehydrated in some water and a drop of sugar. Added some yeast nutrient and moved to a warm room, about 21c. Been there for 48 hours now and it's doing NOWT!
So, what now?

How does it taste?

 

[Gobhoblin]

Not sure. Will try it tomorrow.

 

[Gobhoblin]

Ok. Still nothing has happened. Took the lid off this morning and took a good sniff. Christ! It took my breath away. Strange smell to describe, wasn't a vinegar smell, if anything it smelt like the yeast nutrient I put in. Or maybe a lung full of CO2? I'm guessing if it hasn't fermented anymore that'll be the case. Doesn't taste too bad but it's not as good as it was, obviously it has yeast and nutrient floating around in it now.
Time to bin it or can I rescue it somehow?

 

[brewtim]

Ok. Still nothing has happened. Took the lid off this morning and took a good sniff. Christ! It took my breath away. Strange smell to describe, wasn't a vinegar smell, if anything it smelt like the yeast nutrient I put in. Or maybe a lung full of CO2? I'm guessing if it hasn't fermented anymore that'll be the case. Doesn't taste too bad but it's not as good as it was, obviously it has yeast and nutrient floating around in it now.
Time to bin it or can I rescue it somehow?

Are you able to cool it somehow, try cooling it for a few days in an attempt to get the yeast to drop, taste it along the way, if it's tasting like a young beer then it might be OK in a few weeks, once it's been cold for a few days then keg or bottle it and leave it for a while, tasting it occasionally.

It's the only way you'll know if it will turn out OK, otherwise you could be throwing good beer away because it just too young, despite the gravity readings. Some beers taste 'off' when young but mature well.

Are you sure your hydrometer is calibrated?

The smell from the fermenter could be CO2, it can give your sense of smell a shock initially, I've had a yeast nutrient type of smell too.

 

[stuart180]

*Old bump!

I've just ordered this kit from http://www.art-of-brewing.co.uk after seeking their advice on a kit the would yield a similar result to a Ruby Hobgoblin (my absolute favorite).

Hopefully it turns up today and I can get it on the go.

 

[Sandimas]

Chuck a teaspoon of yeast nutrient in if you can, I've had these Brupaks kits stick before (as described above) but I added yeast nutrient to my Almondbury Old and it went right down to 1.009

Mine doesn't really taste like Hobgoblin but it's still a nice pint, I'm trying to make Hobgoblin clone at the moment with Coopers Dark and some extra hops - will be sampling in a week or so, so will let the forum know how it turns out.