Forum Christmas Brew

[gavp1979]

Mines been sat at 1.032 for over a week, think it might be stuck but no idea what to do next

 

[Clint]

What temp you got it at?

 

[UKSkydiver]

Surely it's done? I'd say that was pretty low considering it's got lactose in... What was the target gravity?

https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/forum-christmas-brew.89183/post-957542

 

[RichardM]

Surely it's done? I'd say that was pretty low considering it's got lactose in... What was the target gravity?

It's not done if the gravity is still dropping.

 

[gavp1979]

What temp you got it at?

It was at 20, I knocked it up to 21 a few days ago

 

[Clint]

Put it up a bit more..

 

[gavp1979]

Put it up a bit more..

Will knock it up a bit now and keep my eye in it

 

[Mrhandsome]

It's not done if the gravity is still dropping.

Well obviously...

What I meant was, it's a stout with lots of unfermentable sugars and lactose to boot.

How low could it possibly go, and what would cause it to go lower? @UKSkydiver you mentioned earlier in the thread that it looked odd on top. Perhaps you have an infection?

 

[UKSkydiver]

Well obviously...

What I meant was, it's a stout with lots of unfermentable sugars and lactose to boot.

How low could it possibly go, and what would cause it to go lower? @UKSkydiver you mentioned earlier in the thread that it looked odd on top. Perhaps you have an infection?

Yeah. Not sure. Smells and tastes ok. Just a few bubbly things on top. Doesn’t look like mould. Will take a look tmrw and post a pic for your collective delectation.

 

[UKSkydiver]

Looks like its finally bottomed out at 1014

Here are the bits on top.

I'll be bottling it anyway. Can I crop that off? Or do i just leave the last cm or so in the FV?

Cheers

 

[Mrhandsome]

Is that yeast rafts? Mine was looking similar before I transferred to secondary, leaving the 'rafts' behind.

I'd cold crash it. Hopefully they'll drop out.

 

[Pennine]

Brewed this up Saturday afternoon and pitched M15 had a nice fermentation going Sunday and then nothing this morning. Let's just say I am not a fan of Mangrove Jack yeasts, this I probably my 5th weird batch in 20 I have brewed with them. I need to accept they are a problem company and to stick with fermentis or Llallemand. Anyway I dumped some wb06 in there with hope of recovery and it's already immensely better.

 

[gavp1979]

Brewed this up Saturday afternoon and pitched M15 had a nice fermentation going Sunday and then nothing this morning. Let's just say I am not a fan of Mangrove Jack yeasts, this I probably my 5th weird batch in 20 I have brewed with them. I need to accept they are a problem company and to stick with fermentis or Llallemand. Anyway I dumped some wb06 in there with hope of recovery and it's already immensely better.

Funnily enough I brewed mine with M15, it dropped quickly in the first few days and then sat at 1.032 for over a week, I have upped the temp and will check again in the next few days. I have only got packs of US-05 to hand, do to think I could use that to restart fermentation if I have no movement?

 

[Pennine]

Funnily enough I brewed mine with M15, it dropped quickly in the first few days and then sat at 1.032 for over a week, I have upped the temp and will check again in the next few days. I have only got packs of US-05 to hand, do to think I could use that to restart fermentation if I have no movement?

Mine was down to 1.026 this morning and I did not use lactose so if you did and it's at 1.032 that seems about right. I probably jumped the gun a bit on the wb06 addition, but I will let you know if I get a further drop in gravity. US-05 should be good for a bit more attenuation.

 

[user 18729]

I’ve been so busy the last few weeks getting my new business ready to launch. Hoping to sneak a brew day in soon

 

[gavp1979]

I

Mine was down to 1.026 this morning and I did not use lactose so if you did and it's at 1.032 that seems about right. I probably jumped the gun a bit on the wb06 addition, but I will let you know if I get a further drop in gravity. US-05 should be good for a bit more attenuation.

I did use lactose, brewfather says I should be looking at 1.020 but I have been known to not be too accurate with my measurements think I will see where it is in a few days

 

[Pennine]

I

I did use lactose, brewfather says I should be looking at 1.020 but I have been known to not be too accurate with my measurements think I will see where it is in a few days

I just checked mine again and no movement in FG, it's still at 1.026. I probably wouldnt pitch any us-05 as it's likely a waste. I did sample a few times and the taste is getting better. I think I will add the chocolate and maybe some toasted coconut soon.

 

[gavp1979]

I just checked mine again and no movement in FG, it's still at 1.026. I probably wouldnt pitch any us-05 as it's likely a waste. I did sample a few times and the taste is getting better. I think I will add the chocolate and maybe some toasted coconut soon.

I have tasted mine a few times when checking gravity and it does taste nice so think I will keg it as it is. I thought the cacoa nibs were added at the start of fermentation or is that something else that I have got wrong

 

[Pennine]

I have tasted mine a few times when checking gravity and it does taste nice so think I will keg it as it is. I thought the cacoa nibs were added at the start of fermentation or is that something else that I have got wrong

No, it's like most things in brewing. some add in the boil, some at ferm, and some after ferm. Probably doesn't matter too much.

 

[An Ankoù]

I just checked mine again and no movement in FG, it's still at 1.026. I probably wouldnt pitch any us-05 as it's likely a waste. I did sample a few times and the taste is getting better. I think I will add the chocolate and maybe some toasted coconut soon.

I forgot to measure the FG of mine, which is a shame as I nearly always do record the FG and I've never used lactose before and I wanted to see what a difference it made. I suppose I'll just have to bite the bullet and brew another batch.