Brewing Master

Question:

The OG was around 1.095 After two days the krausen had fallen, and I racked to the secondary.  The SG was about 1.030.  While there are some signs of slight fermentation the SG is still at about 1.030. Could it possibly be done?

Well, what are you aiming for? The usual rule-of-thumb is to guess that your yeast has about 75% attenuation, which means that 1.095 would go down to 1.024. Now 1.030 is not 1.024, but it is fairly close. Personally, I would assume it was done, unless I wanted to make a dryer beer than is probably natural from such a recipe. John DeCarlo, MITRE Corporation, McLean, VA–My views are my own

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Kevin writes,   I brewed on Tuesday, here’s the recipe: 6.6 lbs. M&F dark extract 3.3 lbs. M&F light extract 1 lb. 40L Crystal malt 5 ounces Chocolate malt 4 ounces Roasted barley 1 lb. dark brown sugar 7 AAU Northern brewer 5.2 AAU Fuggles Boil for 1 hour, add the hops 45 minutes before the end The OG was around 1.095 After two days the krausen had fallen, and I racked to the secondary.  The SG was about 1.030.  While there are some signs of slight fermentation the SG is still at about 1.030. Could it possibly be done?  Could the high alcohol content have killed the yeast?  I racked it to another carboy and added some yeast nutrient in hopes the yeast would start up again.  There was close to an inch of sediment and yeast on the bottom of the secondary.  Any more experienced brewers have any advice? Comments on the recipe? Kevin, I will answer your question assuming that you made a five gallon batch.  The fermentable sugar content in your wort was pretty high (roughly ten pounds – the brown sugar will not ferment).  Although you did not specify which type of yeast you used, I would suspect that unless you used a yeast that could tolerate 10% alcohol like a wine yeast, you probably murdered your little yeast friends. The only thing I can think of to salvage the batch would be to dilute it with with 2-3 gallons of H20, then add some more yeast.  I hope this helps. Best always, Scott

Now hang on a second.  All is not as hopeless as all that.  For one thing, brown sugar ferments just fine and leaves a trace of molasses flavor.  Many British brewers use it (although this is contoversial) and it is essential to some styles of very strong Belgian beer.  You don’t say what yeast you used but unless it was a Belgian yeast or Sierra Nevade yeast (Wyeast 1056) you may have killed the little buggers.  Not to worry, just rack and pitch a rehydrated packet of champagne yeast (~50 cents at your homebrew supply store) and a teaspoon of yeast nutrient (2-3 bucks a bottle).  If your beer is warm enough, 60-70 degrees, this should get it going again.  If you still see no fermentation, you may be done, extracts do vary. I’ve never actually had to do this myself, but it seems to be the recommended treatment from poking around the net and reading Dave Miller.  Hope this helps, Larry — Larry Brown                        "Philip K. Dick is dead, alas Dept. of Physics and Astronomy      –Michael Bishop in _The Secret Ascension_ Clemson University                  

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Kevin writes,   I brewed on Tuesday, here’s the recipe: 6.6 lbs. M&F dark extract 3.3 lbs. M&F light extract 1 lb. 40L Crystal malt 5 ounces Chocolate malt 4 ounces Roasted barley 1 lb. dark brown sugar 7 AAU Northern brewer 5.2 AAU Fuggles Boil for 1 hour, add the hops 45 minutes before the end The OG was around 1.095 After two days the krausen had fallen, and I racked to the secondary.  The SG was about 1.030.  While there are some signs of slight fermentation the SG is still at about 1.030. Could it possibly be done?  Could the high alcohol content have killed the yeast?  I racked it to another carboy and added some yeast nutrient in hopes the yeast would start up again.  There was close to an inch of sediment and yeast on the bottom of the secondary.  Any more experienced brewers have any advice? Comments on the recipe? [Scott suggests diluting the beer] Now hang on a second.  All is not as hopeless as all that.  For one thing, brown sugar ferments just fine and leaves a trace of molasses flavor.  Many British brewers use it (although this is contoversial) and it is essential to some styles of very strong Belgian beer.  You don’t say what yeast you used but unless it was a Belgian yeast or Sierra Nevade yeast (Wyeast 1056) you may have killed the little buggers.  Not to worry, just rack and pitch a rehydrated packet of champagne yeast (~50 cents at your homebrew supply store) and a teaspoon of yeast nutrient (2-3 bucks a bottle).  If your beer is warm enough, 60-70 degrees, this should get it going again.  If you still see no fermentation, you may be done, extracts do vary. I’ve never actually had to do this myself, but it seems to be the recommended treatment from poking around the net and reading Dave Miller.  Hope this helps, Larry — Larry Brown                        "Philip K. Dick is dead, alas Dept. of Physics and Astronomy      –Michael Bishop in _The Secret Ascension_ Clemson University                  

   This is basically the conclusion I had come to.  I just have one question.  When I repitch do I aerate again to get the yeast going or will that cause off flavors later?  Kevin We are faced with the very real possibility that "digital" and "manual" will be used as antonyms.

Response:

Kevin writes, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   I brewed on Tuesday, here’s the recipe: 6.6 lbs. M&F dark extract 3.3 lbs. M&F light extract 1 lb. 40L Crystal malt 5 ounces Chocolate malt 4 ounces Roasted barley 1 lb. dark brown sugar 7 AAU Northern brewer 5.2 AAU Fuggles Boil for 1 hour, add the hops 45 minutes before the end The OG was around 1.095 After two days the krausen had fallen, and I racked to the secondary.  The SG was about 1.030.  While there are some signs of slight fermentation the SG is still at about 1.030. Could it possibly be done?  Could the high alcohol content have killed the yeast?  I racked it to another carboy and added some yeast nutrient in hopes the yeast would start up again.  There was close to an inch of sediment and yeast on the bottom of the secondary.  Any more experienced brewers have any advice? Comments on the recipe?

Kevin, I will answer your question assuming that you made a five gallon batch.  The fermentable sugar content in your wort was pretty high (roughly ten pounds – the brown sugar will not ferment).  Although you did not specify which type of yeast you used, I would suspect that unless you used a yeast that could tolerate 10% alcohol like a wine yeast, you probably murdered your little yeast friends. The only thing I can think of to salvage the batch would be to dilute it with with 2-3 gallons of H20, then add some more yeast.  I hope this helps. Best always, Scott

Response:

I was anyone could comment on their experiences with ‘cheap’ malt extracts. By this, I mean the less costly syrup and dry extracts found in mail order catalogs.  Specifically, I have found Northwestern syrup for $6.65/3.3 lbs. and Briess DME for $6.90/3 lb. (BTW, If anyone has sources with extracts for cheaper, please let me know  The few batches I’ve brewed have been with John Bull syrup and M&F or Laaglander DME.  How much of a noticable difference would there be using the cheaper brands??

These are good products.  Often, they are better than the foriegn stuff simply because they are fresher (or so the story goes). A good deal of the cost savings is probably also merely due to not having to pay to ship the stuff over the Atlantic. I’ve been very happy with my experiences with the weizen, amber, and gold extracts.  Just make sure you remember that if you use 6 lbs of syrup it’s not 6.6 pounds of syrup.  I had to add malto-dextrin  at bottling to a batch of weizen I bollocksed up that way to get a decent mouth feel. By the way, Breiss and Northwestern are two brand names for the same Breiss products. Larry — Larry Brown                        "Philip K. Dick is dead, alas Dept. of Physics and Astronomy      –Michael Bishop in _The Secret Ascension_ Clemson University                  

Response:

I was anyone could comment on their experiences with ‘cheap’ malt extracts. By this, I mean the less costly syrup and dry extracts found in mail order catalogs.  Specifically, I have found Northwestern syrup for $6.65/3.3 lbs. and Briess DME for $6.90/3 lb. (BTW, If anyone has sources with extracts for cheaper, please let me know  The few batches I’ve brewed have been with John Bull syrup and M&F or Laaglander DME.  How much of a noticable difference would there be using the cheaper brands??

         Okay, two things.          (1) I pay $5.85/3.3 lbs for Northwestern syrup. The guy I buy it     from moves a lot of this stuff. I’ll E-mail you with details so as to     avoid advertising on the net. While I’m at it, I may hit my supplier up     for a kickback.          (2) I have brewed eight batches, all of which used Northwestern.     Six of these have been bottled. I have had no problems that I could     trace to the extract (very few problems overall.) Other people have     drunk my beers, and most don’t run away when I offer them more.          Pale ales I have made using 6.6# of Northwestern gold, .5# crystal     malt, and Wyeast 1056, typically go from 1.045 or so down to around     1.013.          Hope this helps. —  I don’t speak for Fermilab, although my mouth is probably big enough…

Response:

   I brewed on Tuesday, here’s the recipe: 6.6 lbs. M&F dark extract 3.3 lbs. M&F light extract 1 lb. 40L Crystal malt 5 ounces Chocolate malt 4 ounces Roasted barley 1 lb. dark brown sugar 7 AAU Northern brewer 5.2 AAU Fuggles  Boil for 1 hour, add the hops 45 minutes before the end The OG was around 1.095 After two days the krausen had fallen, and I racked to the secondary.  The SG was about 1.030.  While there are some signs of slight fermentation the SG is still at about 1.030. Could it possibly be done?  Could the high alcohol content have killed the yeast?  I racked it to another carboy and added some yeast nutrient in hopes the yeast would start up again.  There was close to an inch of sediment and yeast on the bottom of the secondary.  Any more experienced brewers have any advice? Comments on the recipe?    Kevin We are faced with the very real possibility that "digital" and "manual" will be used as antonyms.

Response:

I was anyone could comment on their experiences with ‘cheap’ malt extracts. By this, I mean the less costly syrup and dry extracts found in mail order catalogs.  Specifically, I have found Northwestern syrup for $6.65/3.3 lbs. and Briess DME for $6.90/3 lb. (BTW, If anyone has sources with extracts for cheaper, please let me know  The few batches I’ve brewed have been with John Bull syrup and M&F or Laaglander DME.  How much of a noticable difference would there be using the cheaper brands?? Thanks…Andy

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