Saflager 34/70. Stuck or done.

[jake122]

I'm brewing a Helles using 34/70. The batch is 13 litres and I pitched the whole packet of yeast sprinkled on top. The temp schedule is 10 days at 12.5 then 4 days at 18.5 with a day's cold crash at the end.

Starting gravity was 1.046 and the gravity hasn't moved from 1.020 for about a week despite raising the temperature. I tried giving the fermenter a shake which didn't make any difference. I then re-pitched a new starter made with DME and another pack of 34/70. Since repitching the new starter yesterday morning it's down to 1.019 with very little airlock activity maybe a very gentle pop every 20 or 30 seconds. I have the temperature set at 20C.

Does it sound like it's done despite me re-pitching and will there be any issue with bottling due to the re-pitch of new yeast and no real movement in the gravity?

 

[MrRook]

More information please. All-grain or extract? If all-grain what was the mash temp?
It sounds like it's done.

 

[jake122]

Was all grain and mashed at 66C for 1 hour

 

[An Ankoù]

It doesn't sound right to me, 34/70 is a high attennuating yeast 80-84% attenuation. try adding some nutrient and rousing the yeast in the beer. Try bringing the temperature up to 20C until it kicks off again. I'd be looking for the FG to be around 1006.

 

[jake122]

Thanks, will try that and see how it goes.

 

[UKSkydiver]

FWIW - I recently did a bock type thing with 34/70. All grain, 11 litres, mashed about 65c-66c. Ferm was from 12c-16c-18c and it went from 1064 to 1012 at 80% attenuation, so as An Ank says, doesn't sound quite right.

I did build my single packet up in a couple of starters though, so this may have had an impact.

 

[jake122]

FWIW - I recently did a bock type thing with 34/70. All grain, 11 litres, mashed about 65c-66c. Ferm was from 12c-16c-18c and it went from 1064 to 1012 at 80% attenuation, so as An Ank says, doesn't sound quite right.

I did build my single packet up in a couple of starters though, so this may have had an impact.

I used the same yeast earlier the year in another Helles but brewed at room temperature and it finished at 1.009

If there's still no more movement over the next day or so, will it be ok to bottle? The samples I've tasted are good so would be a shame to waste it.

 

[UKSkydiver]

Could it be related to the measuring implement?

 

[jake122]

I just tested my hydrometer with tap water and let it warm to 20C. It's sitting at 1.003. this won't be helping. So can I knock 0.003 off the gravity of the beer to compensate?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I just tested my hydrometer with tap water and let it warm to 20C. It's sitting at 1.003. this won't be helping. So can I knock 0.003 off the gravity of the beer to compensate?

Don't forget it's wrong for OG and FG

 

[jake122]

Don't forget it's wrong for OG and FG

Good point!

Does anyone have any recommendations on a decent hydrometer? Maybe I just need to adjust now I know it's off.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I got mine from Wilko years ago very cheap but it works. I think you've got a number of options
1. Have a weak, sweet beer that may cause bottle bombs.
2. Dump the batch.
3. Add more yeast maybe a non lager yeast like Saison or Wheat or Kveik.

 

[An Ankoù]

I got mine from Wilko years ago very cheap but it works. I think you've got a number of options
1. Have a weak, sweet beer that may cause bottle bombs.
2. Dump the batch.
3. Add more yeast maybe a non lager yeast like Saison or Wheat or Kveik.

#3 is a good idea, but before you start infecting your brewery with saison yeast or ruining your lager Kveik, why not try adding a general purpose or, better, a high gravity white wine yeast, or better still, a champagne or cider yeast, or even massively more better, some safale-F2.

While you're at it, have you tried tasting it? Does it taste as it should? Not to sweet? If it tastes good, I'd be inclined to keg it or, if using bottles, use PETs and get it drunk as soon as it's ready. Bit try the other yeasts, first.

As for hydrometers, just get a regular Stevenson-Reeves glass one for about £6 on Amazon. Calibrate it with water as above and just allow for any corrections. There's not much can go wrong with a hydrometer provided you calibrate it and correct the reading for temperature. Essentially it's a glass tube with a tube of paper inside with the scale marked on it. Sometimes the paper tube can slip down the glass tube and give a false reading. I check mine about once a month- it's about 2 degrees out meaning I have to take my reading at the top of the meniscus instead of the bottom.

 

[jake122]

My hydrometer is also from Wilko.

I have some Kveik, can try that and if it doesn't work will dump it. Don't want any bottle bombs. Will make another DME starter with the Kveik and see how it goes.