Stuck fermentation of 7% West Coast IPA All grain Wyeast 1065

[grainbrewer]

Hi Guys,

My West Coast IPA

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/949693/ray-leotta-freezer-ipa

7% all grain, Wyeast 1065 is stuck.

The gravity was 1.070 out of the pot. (much higher than the 1.058) expected! 95% efficiency, was not expecting that!

I anticipated it so cranked up the hops and should be balanced and all good

However, stuck fermentation. Went off like a rocket for first 48 hours.

I did boil the whole thing for 2 hours (I got a pizzza and ran out of steam through the brew :-)

So wonder if this changed the sugar profile.

Anyhow, guess I need to pitch another yeast.

Wyeast 1065 should in theory be OK because it works up to 10% ABV. First time it stopped I cranked aquarium heater in the water around my fermented up a couple of degrees and that kicked it off.

This Am I put up to 27! Probably should not have done that! Its been going since Sun Morning and has dropped 1.070 to about 1:026 as I crank up the temperature first from 20-22 then 25 then 27 as it stopped twice!

Anyhow, don't think it will work and need pitch another yeast. Dry one? Save some cash? How about SF 05?

Hopefully can save this beer and not get it infected.

Wyeast 1065 say it works up to 10% but also recommends up to 1:060 OG and mine was over that....


Then I can think about dry hopping since that was not in the recipe!

Cheers

 

[Ben034]

Your gravity will be a lot higher because you boiled the wort for twice as long (assuming recipe called for a 60 min boil) and therefore boiled off twice the water. This is most likely the reason for your very high OG reading of 1070.

If you didn't make a starter, it is likely that because the wort had a very high OG, the yeast have run out of steam. When making high gravity beers, it's important to check the amount of yeast cells needed first.

There is a lot of information on this forum on stuck fermentations (do a quick search). If you're sure it's definitely stuck, I would try to add more of the same type of yeast. Some people may try using another yeast but I understand that this can be counterproductive.

Providing details of the recipe and mash temperature will also help so it can be confirmed it's definitely stuck. The link you've provided is private only.

 

[grainbrewer]

OK thanks, yes that link should work to give my recipe.

I started in the boil with 38 litres and finished with 33 litres (29 in the fermenter and the rest chucked)

8kg of fermentables! Mashed at 66 for 90 mins (so on the dryer side one would expect) and the temp was kept within a degree of that all the way through. Reciculated and sparged at 80 for around an hour! The liquid was running through slow did not mean sparge that long.

Pitching more yeast? I would not have thought that woudl make a difference, the thing went off like a rocket for 48 hours so there will be a lot of yeast in there, likely down at the bottom in dorment form now.

The amount is presumably not the problem. The yeast is not recommended above 10 ABV but my gravity is not that high! Yes, a combination of higher than expected efficiency and boiling off a bit more than expected raised the gravity. All the hops went in the last 20 mins, most at flame out. I did compensate the amount of hops so it should be balanced, reasonably so in terms of GU:IBU. See the recipe at my link which I did adapt during the day. What I wrote is what I got.

So I think a different yeast to eat through the remainder

 

[Ben034]

The link you have given doesn't work for anyone except you. You have to make your recipe public otherwise other users cannot access.

The fact that the fermentation went off like a rocket does not mean that a high gravity brew won't get stuck. Yes there will be a lot of yeast in your fermenter but if you haven't pitched enough yeast in the first place, the yeast will give up and flocculate to the bottom of the fermenter. Pitching a sufficient number of yeast cells, particularly for a high gravity beer is very important. The suggestion of pitching more of the same yeast is likely your best bet as a packet of US-05 or other yeast will likely struggle to compete with the yeast already present especially in what is now already a hostile alcoholic environment. You can try giving the yeast a stir to encourage them to keep going but not guaranteed to work unfortunately.

 

[pms67]

especially in what is now already a hostile alcoholic environment.

Sounds like my local

 

[MrRook]

That yeast can handle way more than 10%. I've used in a 12% barleywine and have read posts of people getting to 15% with it.

 

[Ben034]

That yeast can handle way more than 10%. I've used in a 12% barleywine and have read posts of people getting to 15% with it.

Sure. But if there isn't enough yeast pitched in the first place then you are likely to get a stuck fermentation. Not sure if this is definitely the reason but is usually the most likely in my experience.

 

[strange-steve]

Have you checked your hydrometer recently? Efficiency of 95% and attenuation of 61% for US-05 both sound unusual.

 

[Ben034]

Have you checked your hydrometer recently? Efficiency of 95% and attenuation of 61% for US-05 both sound unusual.

They used wyeast1065 which is basically the same as us05 I think. It does sound like hydrometer may be reading high actually.

 

[strange-steve]

They used wyeast1065 which is basically the same as us05 I think. It does sound like hydrometer may be reading high actually.

You're right, I misread that somehow. If there was no starter then it was probably a big underpitch too.

 

[MrRook]

Sure. But if there isn't enough yeast pitched in the first place then you are likely to get a stuck fermentation. Not sure if this is definitely the reason but is usually the most likely in my experience.

If under pitching caused the problem the actual alcohol level the yeast can handle is reason to pitch more of the same instead of a different one.

 

[Ben034]

If under pitching caused the problem the actual alcohol level the yeast can handle is reason to pitch more of the same instead of a different one.

You're right. I think that's what I suggested above.

 

[An Ankoù]

If under pitching caused the problem the actual alcohol level the yeast can handle is reason to pitch more of the same instead of a different one.

Hydrate the yeast before pitching. Make a starter if you can, but at least hydrate the yeast. You could make a starter using some of your partly fermented wort.

 

[foxy]

I would like to know how you are measuring your efficiency, something seems way out, your boil of over 2 hours wasn't so high. Did you take your OG immediately after filling the fermenter, and did you make a starter?
Using US 05 yeast is a go to remedy, it doesn't need oxygen and you can just sprinkle it over the top,
But it is more important to resolve what went wrong and where.

 

[grainbrewer]

Thanks all! Apologies, I am a total pillock! The fermentation ran its course. It was a weird one, stopped three times and started again through me cranking up the fermentation temp. Yeah agree should have made a starter. Last recording was 1.08! which would leave the abv at 8.0. abv brewers friend does not let me put those parameters in because the yeast should not attenuate that much. Anyhow, maybe somethings off numbers wise but upon tasting it, it does taste dry despite the little bit of Crystal in the recipe and it sure is strong. Made that public now, again sorry about that.

95%, yeah agree that is odd! It the only way I could get the numbers to justify the hydrometer readings. I did obtain perfect temp in the mash for 90 mins and sparge a long time high, 85 deg. According to all the palmer biochemistry jazz that should convert sugars both type of enzymes with high efficiency so maybe my numbers are true who knows. I took quite a lot of readings.

Force carbing one keg at 4 deg 20psi and dry hopping the other keg with 1oz of amirlo and 10z of centenial.

Most likely I will dilute down the other keg to around 6% and might dry hop with amarilo and simcoe. Any suggestions on that? I like the idea of the pine and lemon hop balance.

This is an adaptation of a gold medal winning recipe, albeit should have been brewed to 5.5% with 40ibu. interestingly the original recipe did not have dry hop.

Will have the mrs taste tonight then will see if i have to drink these 30 litres myself or not....

 

[Ben034]

Thanks all! Apologies, I am a total pillock! The fermentation ran its course. It was a weird one, stopped three times and started again through me cranking up the fermentation temp. Yeah agree should have made a starter. Last recording was 1.08! which would leave the abv at 8.0. abv brewers friend does not let me put those parameters in because the yeast should not attenuate that much. Anyhow, maybe somethings off numbers wise but upon tasting it, it does taste dry despite the little bit of Crystal in the recipe and it sure is strong. Made that public now, again sorry about that.

95%, yeah agree that is odd! It the only way I could get the numbers to justify the hydrometer readings. I did obtain perfect temp in the mash for 90 mins and sparge a long time high, 85 deg. According to all the palmer biochemistry jazz that should convert sugars both type of enzymes with high efficiency so maybe my numbers are true who knows. I took quite a lot of readings.

Force carbing one keg at 4 deg 20psi and dry hopping the other keg with 1oz of amirlo and 10z of centenial.

Most likely I will dilute down the other keg to around 6% and might dry hop with amarilo and simcoe. Any suggestions on that? I like the idea of the pine and lemon hop balance.

This is an adaptation of a gold medal winning recipe, albeit should have been brewed to 5.5% with 40ibu. interestingly the original recipe did not have dry hop.

Will have the mrs taste tonight then will see if i have to drink these 30 litres myself or not....

Did your hydrometer read 1.000 in water?