Belgian died at 1.028

[nigel_c]

I've a westy 12 clone on about 4 weeks now. Fermentation died down after 2 weeks or so so I racked to 2nd. Not a massive amount of yeast.  I forgot to take gravity reading but a week later it was down to 1.040 from 1.084.
I had some WLP500 so i built up a starter of that and added it about a week ago. Its down to 1.026 now and is a malt bomb. Im thinking of kegging and forgetting about till Christmas but I'd rather get it right now.
I have a vial of WLP099 High gravity yeast Im thinkink about pitching just to take it down the last expected 10 or so points.

Ideas before I pitch?

I'be had stuck fermentaions before but this one had get me scratching my head.
I'm just worried the WLP099 will drop it down a lot lower then the 1.010 I had planned for it.

[Partridge9]

A two litre pitch of WLP500 will chomp that up .. no ?

Although I appreciate you dont want to taint the taste.

I suppose, if you have the patience .. you could grow up a 2 litre starter, put it in the fridge for 3 days, pour out 1.5 litres, then leave out the 500ml pure yeast for a few hours (while at work), then add it to the batch stirring gently.

Sounds like major surgery ... but it just might work ..

I dont know about the turbo yeast .. it will surely leave the beer without body and a base  ..

I supose you were thinking this should finish around 1015 ?  were ya ?

[nigel_c]

Recipe supposed to finish around 1.010.
I gave it a 750ml starter at high krausen of WLP500 and it only droppped to 1.026.
Getting worried now.
The big Belgian flavor is there its just far too sweet.
I have had good results with Nottingham for high gravity beers so I may try that before going down the high grav rout.

[nigel_c]

Just took another sample. Pitched the notty and it dropped down to 1.100 .
Taste is a bit warm. Bit of solvent in the background. May be because its still very young for a Belgian but I'm not holding my breath on this one. I think ill just stick it in a keg and forget about it till Christmas and see how it is then.

[nigel_c]

Dumped. 

[baconsarnie]

What changed in the space of a couple of hours?

[nigel_c]

First sample I pulled I just cracked the bucket to take a sample. I took another and notices an oily layer on the far side of the bucket.
Decided it wasn't worth tying up a keg with a beer that is possible infected.
Gutted but need to move on and get my new Christmas done.

[baconsarnie]

Brave move!

[imark]

What yeast were you using? I used WLP540 for the first time and had some trouble with it stalling high also. Apparently 540 has form in that regard.

[nigel_c]

It was WLP500

[baconsarnie]

I've had great result with WLP500. Even flew through a few beers during Winter