I must now be doing something wrong !!

[whinton]

Having had successful beers when I started AG brewing in March, I recently decided to up the ratios and brew 27Ltr instead of 23Ltr which will result in me being able to completely fill my 4.5 Gal PIN after allowing for evaporation, sediment waste etc.
Since moving to 27Ltr I am having problems with the fermentation. You may have seen my last post regarding a stuck fermentation but following advice I very carefully checked temperatures and yeast quantities on the last brew.
My 23Ltr brews used to finish fermenting in around 6 to 7 days. My last two brews have stopped at around 1020 after 6 days and haven't moved on from there.

This last one had an OG of 1040. After 4 days it was at 1020 and now another 6 days on its at 1019.

I will list the changes I made that have resulted in this and if someone can put me right it would be much appreciated. :thumb::pray:
I use GW brew engine software and have increased grain and hops to maintain the recipe with increased volume from 23Ltr to 27Ltr
The last brew I increased the Yeast amount from 11.5g to 15g (SO4 yeast)
I have a new 50Ltr boiler and Inkbird so can keep the boil going without problems of overflowing.
I mash in a rectangular cool box. It used to have a sort of garden sprinkler in the top for sparging but without pressure this used to just drip into the middle of the cool box. To try to get a more efficient mash I have tried sparging through a muffin tray :lol:. I drilled about 4 holes in each muffin section and slowly hose the liquor over the top of this. It sits on the top of my cool box after the mash time has lapsed and now means I can sparge across all of the grain.
I have always re-hydrated the yeast and the last time took extra care and followed the SO4 instructions to the letter.
I ferment in a bucket in an indoor cupboard where the temperature is fairly stable and the beer is at about 22 degrees. I used to have the lid pushed on tight and release the CO2 each day but after the last stuck fermentation, the local brew shop said not to do that and leave the lid just resting on top. I've done that and now have some white round blobs on top which are another concern!!

What have I changed that is making this now go wrong??

Many thanks

Wayne.

 

[Spapro]

What temperature are you mashing at now brewing to 27litre ?

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Yeast goes through many stages of its life cycle and can effect the final gravity of your beer. Yeast needs to have fully finished its work, before you go on the the next stage. Im a firm believer in giving it a good two weeks before you start taking samples/checking FG.
Some basic points Id check.
1, Is your hydrometer reading correctly?
2, Do you make a starter or just "prove" your yeast?
3, You say "fairly stable at 22oC" How stable?

 

[The Idiot]

The first thing I would say is this: sometimes you just have to let the yeast do their stuff! They can affected by a whole range of issues: ambient temperature, wort temperature, pitching temperature, oxygen in the wort, health of the yeast, strain of the yeast, wort strength and gravity, etc..

I've never had a stuck fermentation and I'm a bit haphazard in my methods. However, so long as I see the airlock bubbling in the first three or four days I don't go near the fermentation bin for at least three weeks, and that might be to dry hop. Typically, at four weeks I'll measure and if all is good I'll call it done.

Fermentation is so much more than simply converting sugars to alcohol. With regard to taste, the important period is after the initial fermentation period. Relax and let the yeast work. Unless there's a significant spike (upwards or downwards) in ambient temperature, there's no need to interfere with things.

I doubt you've done much wrong. It might be a different beer or even a different batch of ingredients. It could be a change in weather or yeast that's taking longer to rev itself up because of how it has been stored or handled.

Remember that once the brew is finished (around four weeks, really), don't sweat too much on the FG unless it's way off. Some beers will finish at around 1.015 or 1.020. If you taste it and it's too sweet, then there are steps you can take. Some porters and stouts, for example, are perfect at 1.020.

With regard you your lid, the best approach is to drill a small hole, get a rubber grommet and put an air lock on it. I do that with all my bins.

Patience is something that will only improve your beer.

 

[whinton]

[FONT=&quot]Thanks for the initial replies.

Some answers:
My grain is at room temp. When the temp in the mash tun is stable at 72 degrees, I add the grain.
I use a Refractometer and make sure it's calibrated before use. I also compare the OG to this with a hydrometer.
Regarding what I do with the yeast " Sprinkle the yeast in minimum 10 times its weight of sterile water or wort at 27°c ± 3°C (80°F ± 6°F). Leave to rest 15 to 30 minutes.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Gently stir for 30 minutes, and pitch the resultant cream into the fermentation vessel[/FONT][FONT=&quot]."[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Fairly stable temp is that I don’t measure it in the middle of the night but when I have checked in the morning or evening it has been 22 degrees. [/FONT]J

[FONT=&quot]Cheers[/FONT]

 

[johnnyboy1965]

72oC is a bit high for your mash. 65oC is about right
But your mashing proceedures will not affect the fermentation.
Ive read the instructions on the S0-4 packet as well. Im not saying Fermentis are wrong (they have probably spent thousands of pounds developing their product), but 27oC +/- 3oC seems a bit warm. I know this is only to breakdown the outer casing.
My thinking is...Why would you prove the yeast at 27oC and then pitch into a wort at 22oC ? 5oC is a big drop and may send the yeast into shock for a couple of days.
Ref.. your overnight temp...If its 22 at night and 22 in the morning it will bee 22 all night.
I would look at the quantity and quality of the yeast.
HTH

 

[simon12]

S04 is the only yeast I ever had a stuck ferment with and was due to replacing the temp controller and not calibrating it, I suggest use us05 or nottingham/gervin as a safer alternative. When I first started reading this forum and jims there were alot of posts regarding stuck ferments with s04 though this is the first I have seen in along time.

 

[The Idiot]

I use S-04 a lot, and to be honest the kind of beers it's ideal for do have slightly higher FGs (english ales, porters, stouts, etc.). That said, it does have a slower burn time and to get the full shilling you do have to let it run. Nottingham is quicker but without the fruitiness that S-04 delivers.

Most S-04 'stuck ferments' are due to not letting the yeast finish up fully.