National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => All Grain Brewing => Topic started by: YoshiBrau on February 26, 2022, 12:40:45 PM

Title: Stuck Fermentation
Post by: YoshiBrau on February 26, 2022, 12:40:45 PM
Hi all - having trouble with a batch of HBC Irish Stout; went into the fermenter last week, OG was spot on at 1.046, day one it was bubbling ferociously and stayed that way for about 24hrs. Since then, totally dead and G ATM is 1.030. Have tried adding more yeast, nothing. A warmer environment and a stir. Nothing. Temp is at 22. It's totally stuck and we're coming up on 10 days. Any ideas / help appreciated; really don't want to dump this  :(
Title: Re: Stuck Fermentation
Post by: DEMPSEY on February 26, 2022, 01:34:15 PM
this can happen in a number of ways. Was your mash fully converted and how much of your grist was from unfermentables. future brews of stouts I would suggest a longer mash to make sure you get full conversion and also a lower temperature to also get more fermentables to offset the unfementables in the mash grist.
Title: Re: Stuck Fermentation
Post by: DEMPSEY on February 26, 2022, 01:36:20 PM
THBC company have an enzyme additive that can chew through dextrin sugars but others have told me that it can go too far and convert all so end up leaving the beer too dry.
Title: Re: Stuck Fermentation
Post by: Mossy on February 26, 2022, 07:15:52 PM
Are you using a hydrometer or a refractometer? Alcohol can throw off the refractometer reading making it look like a stalled fermentation. I fell for that one before. A simple correction can sort that out if that's the problem.
Title: Re: Stuck Fermentation
Post by: YoshiBrau on February 27, 2022, 08:04:06 AM
Thanks Dempsey & Mossy - using a refractometer but have just done a hydro read and it is 1.022, so lower but still sitting at a 3.2% ABV. 5.1kg of fermentables - Maris Otter (4.5), plus roast and flaked barley. Everything done in the Grainfather and moved to our GEB plastic bucket fermenter. Totally stumped on this one - brew 9 and it's the first stall 😵‍💫