Porridge Use in Beer

[andyb13]

I brewed one of my standard beers last week (recipe below), but decided I would add porridge oats this time to increase haze and mouthfeel.

Mashed for around 60 mins and boiled for 90mins. Used S-05 (yes it was past it's BBE by a few months), would normally use a fresh yeast and make a starter, didn't on this occasion. The SG was around 1055, and currently it has dropped by about 5 points in 7 days. After 3 days of little activity ( I use a tilt to monitor what is going on) I added further sachet of S-05, then 2 days after that roused the beer by stirring, and still seeing no significant activity. Basically I'm not sure what is going on here ( I've taken a reading with a normal hydrometer and that matches the tilt), the tested and smelt great, but doesn't seem to be fermenting. So had a few thoughts, is the % of porridge used ( Morningflake Scottish rolled oat if you're interested) just too much for the yeast to work ? Is the Wort too thick (again due to the porridge) so giving a false hydrometer reading ? Or simply a stuck ferment for some reason and would it be worth growing up a yeast starter to make sure the yeast is active first, or time is just getting on too much after 10 days so should consider binning it . I 've not dry hopped yet.

Any ideas gratefully received especially if you have used porridge oat in your mash before, as that is the only thing I have changed in this brew.

Pale Malt	5000 grams	74.30%
Caragold	130 grams	2%
Crystal Malt	100 grams	1.50%
Flaked Oats	1500 grams	22.30%
Columbus (Tomahawk)	90 mins	8 grams
Columbus (Tomahawk)	5 mins	9 grams
Mosaic	5 mins	9 grams
Amarillo	5 mins	9 grams
Amarillo (dry)	0 mins	46 grams
Citra (dry)	0 mins	57 grams
Cascade (dry)	0 mins	18 grams
Bravo	5 mins	9 grams

 

[Clarence]

What is the temperature of the beer now?
And what does the beer taste like? Does it taste like beer , albeit a little flat, or does it taste like sweet gloop?
The oats won't stop it fermenting. It can't be too thick if your hydrometer started at 1055.
The out of date yeast doesn't matter. It can be years out of date.
Very strange. I can only think that it's too cold.

 

[andyb13]

What is the temperature of the beer now?
And what does the beer taste like? Does it taste like beer , albeit a little flat, or does it taste like sweet gloop?
The oats won't stop it fermenting. It can't be too thick if your hydrometer started at 1055.
The out of date yeast doesn't matter. It can be years out of date.
Very strange. I can only think that it's too cold.

started at 20°C bumped to 21°C, haven't tested it in the past 4 days, so will try it and see.

 

[andyb13]

started at 20°C bumped to 21°C, haven't tested it in the past 4 days, so will try it and see.

Well I just tasted it, and it tastes like beer, and retook a hydrometer reading and it's down to 1012 ( my tilt hasn't shifted), so I would say the issue has been sorted. Maybe patience and all that!