Returning to home brewing - stuck fermentation

[Victor2112]

Realising I need a hobby, I'm coming back to brewing after a few years away. I thought I'd do a few kits first, just to make sure I'm getting cleaning, sanitation, and temperature control right. I have my first kit in the fridge now (classic inkbird/tube heater setup), and indulged myself by getting a RAPT pill. I'm doing a Mangrove Jacks American IPA pouch along with brew enhancer. This uses M44 US West Coast yeast. I seem to be having repeated problems with a stuck fermentation.

I had some problems kicking it off, starting at 18C, so I ramped it by 1C repeatedly, which didn't work. I then stirred it with a sanitised paddle, which did get it going (or maybe there's just a large lag with this yeast type?). However, if you look at the graph you'll see that it seems to have bottomed out at 1.030, when I think the FG should be around 1.010 to 1.014. My question is how should i best get it going again? It's at about 20.5C, so I could perhaps go 1C higher? Or give it another stir? Is this a known issue with the mangrove jacks (it's only 10g of yeast)? I put the yeast in when I was sure the temperature was 21C. Thanks in advance.

 

[foxy]

Realising I need a hobby, I'm coming back to brewing after a few years away. I thought I'd do a few kits first, just to make sure I'm getting cleaning, sanitation, and temperature control right. I have my first kit in the fridge now (classic inkbird/tube heater setup), and indulged myself by getting a RAPT pill. I'm doing a Mangrove Jacks American IPA pouch along with brew enhancer. This uses M44 US West Coast yeast. I seem to be having repeated problems with a stuck fermentation.

View attachment 75621

I had some problems kicking it off, starting at 18C, so I ramped it by 1C repeatedly, which didn't work. I then stirred it with a sanitised paddle, which did get it going (or maybe there's just a large lag with this yeast type?). However, if you look at the graph you'll see that it seems to have bottomed out at 1.030, when I think the FG should be around 1.010 to 1.014. My question is how should i best get it going again? It's at about 20.5C, so I could perhaps go 1C higher? Or give it another stir? Is this a known issue with the mangrove jacks (it's only 10g of yeast)? I put the yeast in when I was sure the temperature was 21C. Thanks in advance.

Have you tried checking the pH manually with a hydrometer in a degassed sample?

 

[The Baron]

Welcome back to the hobby and the forum

 

[Agentgonzo]

The graph is showing it's still fermenting and the OG is going down. Give it more time!

Also, floating hydrometers aren't accurate when fermenting. Yeast gets stuck to the hydrometer which throws off the balance and thus reading. Don't worry about the actual gravity reading, but just the graph as a guide to tell you when it's finished fermenting. Then take a final gravity reading with a traditional hydrometer.

 

[Victor2112]

Thanks. All good advice. It's did continue to reduce v e r y gradually. It stabilised at around 1.020 (on the RAPT), so I've dry hopped as per instructions. After another couple of days I'll take a sample, degas, and test with a standard hydrometer.

 

[jof]

Well looks like my Christmas beer has got itself stuck.
OG of around 1060
Stuck around 1020 for about 4 days now.
Given it a stir today to see if that helps, but looks like less yeast sediment in the bottom than I would expect.
Yeast is Minton's ale yeast that has been working fine for ally previous brews & it was dated bbe 2023.

Looks like I might be detouring to homebrew shop for more yeast & supplies a few weeks earlier than expected

 

[Old Fart At Play]

Depending on the yeast you used I'd regard 1020 as perfectly OK for a 1060 start

 

[GhostDoggyWoofWoof]

Got similar problem. Started at 1050, stuck at 1035 after 3 weeks. Tried different yeast srltarted then stopped again. Sitting at 20C on a heat pad and a heat belt in a bucket.

 

[Old Fart At Play]

You can add glucoamylase enzyme (a sachet) and that should get it going

 

[jof]

You can add glucoamylase enzyme (a sachet) and that should get it going

This is what I did when my Christmas ale got stuck on the recommendation from the local home brew shop.
It worked, but it did upset the body/mouth feel of the beer. So I would probably only do this again on light ales or lager styles.

 

[Old Fart At Play]

Yes that is the drawback - you can get a head like alka seltzer!