Help a newbie:-) - Stuck Fermentation

[Tricky]

Hi all,

This is my first post and new to the whole brewing lark - I'm completely hooked, can't stop thinking about brewing now which has certainly been helped by this forum.... so imformative and full of proper enthusiastic people - its great. :

Got a bit of a problem with my second brew. It's a youngs brew buddy lager which i made up with a Kg of coopers brew enhancer. Nice and bubbly the first couple of days then went dead. Started at just over 1.040 but has been stuck at just over 1.020. I guessed it was probably the temperature so i moved it somewhere warmer but still no joy so i bought an aquarium heater to keep it at a constant 21 degrees which doesn 't seem to of helped.

In the end i asked my local shop and they suggested adding a fresh pack of yeast so i did. i even added a bit more brew sugar mixed with hot boiled water. Needless to say it still hasn't budged.

Is it a goner? Been in the Fv now for nearly three weeks.

 

[jonnymorris]

Welcome. There's a sticky thread somewhere on what to do with a stuck brew but, I'm essence, you need to give your brew a good stir with a sanitised spoon to rouse the yeast. Try not to splash to avoid introducing oxygen and give it a few more days to get going.

Its worked for me in the past. Best of luck.

 

[Tricky]

Welcome. There's a sticky thread somewhere on what to do with a stuck brew but, I'm essence, you need to give your brew a good stir with a sanitised spoon to rouse the yeast. Try not to splash to avoid introducing oxygen and give it a few more days to get going.

Its worked for me in the past. Best of luck.

Thanks for the input. Sorry forgot to mention that i've done that twice. :hmm:

 

[jonnymorris]

Oh right. Sounds like you've done all the right things. I'm out of ideas.

 

[eggman]

Don't panic, the worst case scenario is that you'll be left with a slightly weaker but perfectly drinkable beer :drink:
It sounds like you've pretty much tried everything but have a read through this sticky

:

 

[Tricky]

Yeah, i seen that sticky when I realised it was stuck. Thanks though :thumb:

I'm pleased that i seem to be doing all the right things, just didn't know whether there was some sort of magic trick to sort it out.

I've been tasting it whenever taking a reading and it does taste like beer. Not the best mind but considering how much prodding and poking it's had and the fact the temp has been a bit yo-yoey it tastes half decent.

So despite trying everything, why has it just stopped despite putting in fresh yeast and adding more sugar? I'm confused.

I must admit I haven't checked again today. I'll test it again when i get home and report back.

 

[eggman]

I've had a few brews stick before, a couple of them after a bit of stirring eventually dropped a bit further but one refused to move past 1016 and in the end i kegged it and turned out fine. But as to why i'm afraid i can't explain sometimes once they're stuck they just won't come down any further
Put it down to experience, now you've got a heater you should be fine for your next brew :thumb:
:

 

[Tricky]

I've had a few brews stick before, a couple of them after a bit of stirring eventually dropped a bit further but one refused to move past 1016 and in the end i kegged it and turned out fine. But as to why i'm afraid i can't explain sometimes once they're stuck they just won't come down any further
Put it down to experience, now you've got a heater you should be fine for your next brew :thumb:
:

So in a nut shell then .... ' It's just one of them' then. At least i know now and yeah, hopefully my next brew will be a success,
i'm slowly getting all the kit i need to make the perfect pint : You saying that, i did re-test mine and it had dropped ever so slightly -
It 's bang on 1.020 now (was just above before). But still this works out to only 2.7% ABV = crap.

I'm just gonna leave it in the FV i think and just keep testing weekly. Seems a shame to just chuck it but to be honest that may be the way it goes.
I tasted it last night and it's not very good. You know Volvic do them bottles of water 'with a touch of'... range? Tastes like one of them except water 'with a touch of lager'. :sick:

 

[Dave1970]

I'd try dialling the temp up a bit more, maybe to about 24 or 25 C, coupled with (yet another) stirring. This has worked for me before. If it works gradually bring the temp back down to a more suitable fermentation temp.

 

[Tricky]

ooo, nice one Dave, i'll give it a go. I'm away over the weekend so i'll 'up' it tonight and leave it until sunday.... fingers crossed.

 

[eggman]

If it's come down a bit more i'd stick at it mate :thumb:
Also have you checked your hydrometer calibration? Most are calibrated to 20deg but some are different, it will say on it somewhere. If it's one thats set for 20deg then it should read 1.000 in plain water at 20deg, if it doesn't then you need to adjust your calculations.
What brew calculator do you use and have you temp adjusted your readings? I use this one It's simple but quick to use as you can do the temp adjust at the same time as your readings
:

 

[Tricky]

If it's come down a bit more i'd stick at it mate :thumb:
Also have you checked your hydrometer calibration? Most are calibrated to 20deg but some are different, it will say on it somewhere. If it's one thats set for 20deg then it should read 1.000 in plain water at 20deg, if it doesn't then you need to adjust your calculations.
What brew calculator do you use and have you temp adjusted your readings? I use this one It's simple but quick to use as you can do the temp adjust at the same time as your readings
:

Yeah, my hydrometer is fine. sits nicely at 1.000 in water from the tap. i was using the calculator on the forum but i think i'll start using the one you mentioned as it takes into account the temp which is brilliant. nice one :thumb:
Would the temp really make much of a difference to the ABV reading anyway?

After testing it last night it has come down a touch more which is good until...... the taste and smell test. I'm no expert but surely a lager shouldn't smell like cider? I think the brews spoilt :sick: .

Any thoughts?

 

[eggman]

Sometimes fermentation can give off some funky smells, what does it taste like? Does it taste like vinegar? :sick:
If it tastes of vinegar then i'm afraid it's destined for down the plug hole If tastes half decent i would just go ahead and keg or bottle it using slightly less priming sugar than usual and hope for the best :pray:
:

 

[artiums_enteri]

I think I would do a good yeast starter a few days prior to pitching so you are adding active viable yeast. If you are using dry yeast I would check www.mrmalty.com to make sure you are pitching the proper amount of yeast. Also with dry yeast don't just sprinkle it on top of the wort, but rather re-hydrate it prior to pitching. Lastly I'd add plenty of pure O2 into the wort. Brewing TV just did a really good episode showing the ppm of shaking the fermenter vs introducing pure O2 to the wort.

Welcome to the wonderful world of brewing.

 

[Tricky]

Many thanks for the replies gents. It's gone . It wasn't right at all. I think i may have bottled it had it got up to a respectful ABV despite the cidery flavours but saying that i think it may have been vinegary now you mention it so i think i did the right thing.
Ah well. At least i know what a spoilt brew looks and smells like now.
@Artiums - Thanks for the link and info on pitching. I'll check out brewing TV too - I might learn something :geek:

Had the FV in soaking over night along with the barrel so i'll putting a new kit on today from my LBS - Hampstead Brewing Centre. Rather excited :party:

I may put a new post up once i've decided and got it on the go.

 

[ChrisRedWills]

Hello tricky

Sorry about ur brew I had exactly the same happen to me

I used coopers brew enhancer 1 for a bb Czech pilsner & a coopers brew enhancer 2 for a coopers lager at the same time & both stopped fermenting at 1020
temp was a constant 20 degrees both smelt dodgy
I put it down to the brew enhancer & won't be using it again :nono: