Mangrove Jacks M54 Cali Common yeast stopped fermenting

[jceg316]

I'm making a cali common with MJ54, here's the recipe:

It's 25 litres, OG is 1.056, it's stuck at 1.020. It's been there a few days and had a peek inside, no krausen and no airlock activity. I've increased the temperature in my fermentation fridge from 10-22C and rocked the FV several times but nothing. Has anyone else found this with this yeast?

I might have some lager yeast I could pitch to finish the job but would need to put it on a starter first.

 

[Agentgonzo]

I've noticed the same thing with a few different brews over the past 6 months, not mj54 though.

I've had it happen with M20, M15 and liberty bell. I haven't figured out why they all stopped at 1.020 though.

 

[Tanglefoot]

If OG is over 1.050 on a 23L batch, MJ recommend 2 packs.
I've done quite a few batches ( Cali Commons and Steam lagers ) with MJ54 and used one pack no problem but with smaller volume and no more than 1.051 OG.

 

[jceg316]

By using 2 packs it ensures a high enough cell count, and I think they mean use 2 if pitching direct. I rehydrated the pack before pitching, which should keep cell count high, and even with a low cell count the beer should finish fermenting.

 

[foxy]

I'm making a cali common with MJ54, here's the recipe:

View attachment 72183

View attachment 72184

It's 25 litres, OG is 1.056, it's stuck at 1.020. It's been there a few days and had a peek inside, no krausen and no airlock activity. I've increased the temperature in my fermentation fridge from 10-22C and rocked the FV several times but nothing. Has anyone else found this with this yeast?

I might have some lager yeast I could pitch to finish the job but would need to put it on a starter first.

What was the mash temperature? And are you sure it didn't drift higher?

 

[jceg316]

What was the mash temperature? And are you sure it didn't drift higher?

It was 65°c, yes I'm sure I didn't drift higher.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I'm making a cali common with MJ54, here's the recipe:

View attachment 72183

View attachment 72184

It's 25 litres, OG is 1.056, it's stuck at 1.020. It's been there a few days and had a peek inside, no krausen and no airlock activity. I've increased the temperature in my fermentation fridge from 10-22C and rocked the FV several times but nothing. Has anyone else found this with this yeast?

I might have some lager yeast I could pitch to finish the job but would need to put it on a starter first.

I've used the yeast 3 times and it usually finishes about 1.010. I lower the priming sugar when the gravity is a bit above 1.010, comes out with 1 1.2 fingers of carbonation in a pint sized glass. so i've never had it stall. mj54 likes around 18-22 I recall.


22/01/2020 brew 55 - california steamin - red
4 litres cs - boiled
100g galaxy 30 flameout
3kg extra light dme
500g dwe
mj 54 Californian rehydrated
1.062 pitched at 21.5
7 day 100g amarillo dry hop
12/02/2020 - 1.011 = 6.69

30/01/2021 brew 65 - california steamin - red
2 litres cs - boiled
50g Simcoe 10 boil 20 flameout
1.5kg extra light dme
1.5kg light
500g dwe
mj 54 Californian rehydrated
1.062 pitched at 21.5
4 day 100g mouteka dry hop
110g brewing sugar for priming
23/02/2021 fg 1.014 = 6.3%

19/04/2022 - brew 72 - california steaming session edition
500g medium
1.5kg extra light
1kg wheat
1 hour 100g amarillo flameout hop stand - mj54 rehydrated
1052og - 22 litres - pitched at 27c
07/05/2022 - fg 1010 = 5.51%
150 brewing sugar in 375 ml of water (7.5 per 500)

 

[jceg316]

What would be good to know is is it ok to bottle? I'm making this for someone's wedding and am running out of time. However I have had it before where I've bottled beer I thought had finished but it wasn't, resulting it explosive openings. That wouldn't really be very good at a wedding.

 

[jceg316]

Update to this: I stirred with a sanitised spoon, gently scraping it on the bottom and getting huge chunks of yeast into suspension and it seems to have almost done fermenting.

It's not the best beer in the world, not the worst, but probably last time I buy MJ yeast. It seems to cause problems more often than not.