HELP: 2nd batch with stuck fermentation

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Question:

: Try the following and give each a chance to work before moving on. : 1) Rouse the yeast. Sanitize a long spoon and stir. If a carboy, then just : gently swirl. Just don’t aerate. : 2) Add yeast nutrient. : 3) Add another packet of the same type of yeast. : 4) Add some yeast Energizer. (Available at most homebrew stores.) : There are some extreme measures beyond this, but give those a try first. And if the gravity is still high enough, like his is (1.035), then oxygenate the hell out of the thing in step 1. Your yeast will thank you for it, and will gladly consume all of that oxygen in a few hours. -Alan — Why are there flotation devices under plane seats instead of parachutes? http://alpha.rollanet.org/~mckay/brew/tips/

Response:

I made a batch of the Palalia India Pale Ale for my second brew. My first one didn’t turn out very good so I’m desparate to get a successful brew in this time. Anyway, I’ve got stuck fermentation with the s.g.=1.038. The o.g.=1.048. I pitched a dry Munton’s ale yeast. I rehydrated it as described in "Joy of Homebrewing", but I did not make a starter. It started out o.k. and had some kreusen blow off, but it ended quickly and seemed to just slowly ferment. The fermentation temp. is around 63-64F. It has been in the fermenter for 8 days and now the fermentation seems to have ceased so I checked the S.G. which I found to be 1.038. My question is how to save this batch. Do I try to rouse the yeast back into activity, do I need to add nutrients. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance from an excited newbie.

Gently rouse the yeast, being careful to avoid aerating the beer (there’s 2 different chemical pathways that start with proteins and alcohols and end with "staling components" that you want to avoid). Also, add a teaspoon or 2 of yeast energizer. Best way is to mix the energizer into some boiled and cooled water, then dump it right in and gently rouse the yeast by stirring with a long spoon. If using a carboy, you can probably get away with using a piece of sanitized coathanger wire. Bend the end to make a loop that’ll stir the yeast more affectively. You can either soak the wire in an idophor solution, chlorine solution, or you can wipe it down with ethanol (grain alc.) or isopropanol (rubbing alc., let it dry!). If you don’t see action within a day, then make a starter with some new yeast and pitch again. If that doesn’t work, then mark it down to really aerate well right after pitching (most common stuck ferment problem). Sometimes ferments will stick in higher gravity beers due to the yeast suffering along with too much osmotic pressure on them, but your IPA shouldn’t have had this problem. Another problem that can cause stuck ferments is lack of nutrients such as those found in yeast nutrient powder and in yeast energizer. A final problem, which is hard to fix after the beer is fermenting is lack of available proteins (free amino nitrogens, FAN). Old extract and small amounts of specialty grains typically do not provide enough protein. Always use fresh extract, or consider combining your older extract with a partial mash. Good luck! — Brian – Bierkiester Brewery, Corvallis, Oregon

Response:

Assuming this is an all-extract batch, you are probably short on necessary yeast nutrients. I suggest that you rehydrate another packet of Munton dry yeast and add a quarter to half teaspoon of yeast nutrients. By nutrients I mean the vitamin/yeast hull mix, not the fertilizer chemical type. Pitch this new yeast to your batch and you should be off and running. You might warm up your fermenter 5 degrees too, that could be one aspect of this slow/stuck fermentation problem. Good Luck, John — John J. Palmer – Metallurgist for MDA-ISS M&P Palmer House Brewery and Smithy – www.primenet.com/~johnj/

Response:

hmm… time for me to make a FAQ link for this one. 8-) Try the following and give each a chance to work before moving on. 1) Rouse the yeast. Sanitize a long spoon and stir. If a carboy, then just gently swirl. Just don’t aerate. 2) Add yeast nutrient. 3) Add another packet of the same type of yeast. 4) Add some yeast Energizer. (Available at most homebrew stores.) There are some extreme measures beyond this, but give those a try first. | Tim Robinson | Lonely Web page. Please visit. | | "The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by | | men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding." L. Brandeis | Sorry about the bogus e-mail address. I get too much e-mail spam. Just use the one in the sig. Brewers, check out http://www.ionet.net/~timtroyr/beer

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