Trouble Reaching FG

So I've looked for advice on this matter before, but I must be making the same mistakes.

My OG into fermentor was 1041, suppose to be but that a different matter that I'm correcting, after two weeks gravity is at 1020. BS estimates my FG to be 1013. I plan on living it in fermentor for another week, but I've seen this before...I consistently do not reach my FG as estimated by BS.
I use to aerate with aquarium pump for 30min, thought that was problem so now aerate for an hour.
Any suggestions?

Need more information:

1.  What yeast are you using?
2.  All-grain or extract?
3.  What temperature do you ferment at?
4.  Did you make a starter?  If so, how big?
5.  What was the temperature of your yeast when you pitched it?

Some more infor Tom.

1. Wyeast 1056.
2.AG
3.Fermenting at 65-66 F
4. No starter. One smack pack.
5. Temp was room temp.  Smack pack was sitting on counter for 4 hours.


Note:

I have 1000ml flask and DME...just haven't made a starter before and a little timid about it.  Would it help.  I figured with my OG and FG above that on smack pack would of been fine. ???

A lot of people have trouble with 1056 down at 65F, myself included.  Some people claim to be able to get it to ferment down that low.  But, I cannot..and I know Jamil has said that he can't get it to ferment down that low.

I would say to warm it up by 5F, and try and rouse the yeast.  Warm it up first.  Once it is warmer give it a gentle swirl or stir..without introducing any air.  Swirl is safest, but least effective. 

whenever you use a yeast down below the recommended fermentation temperature....you are usually best served by ramping the temperature over the fermentation time, by about 2F per day.  I will generally wait until I get activity...then wait 48 more hours at that temp.  After that, I increase the temp 2F (1C) every day.  Following a ramp profile like this, you can safely ramp 1056 up to 75F at the end, without adding any funky flavors.

I'll raise temp by 5F tonight, should bring fermentation temp up to70-71F and give fermentor a good swirl tomorrow.  Will let sit for another week. Don't you have much faith on this current batch,  but will keep 1056 schedule for next time.

Checked gravity this morning and it was at 1019 at 70°F. Guess i'll let it ferment for another week, meaning the beer would have been in fermentor for 3 1/2 to 4 weeks. Any thoughts? Time to cold crash and keg?

Sorry about misspells and inappropriate words.  Never good at the mobile phone typing. Appreciate thoughts and guidance.

That's a bummer.  You have one other option that I know of...create a 500 ml starter with some fresh yeast, then pitch the entire starter into the beer when it is at the peak of fermentation. 

Otherwise, it doesn't look like the yeast are going to restart, and your left drinking it as is.

What was your mashing scheme? Did you do an iodine test?

A high mash temp combined with an incomplete conversion could explain your problem.

Or not if you did  everything right. Just a thought.

Tom wouldn't I have to reareate the wort? I might just call it good.
No haven't done an iodine test.  I'll look into it. I mashed for 60min @ 150°F. Just frustrating not knowing where the problem is. Thanks.

No. Aeration is for cell growth. You are just trying get a small amount of attenuation.  By pitching at high kraussen the yeast is adapted to the alcoholic environment and is already feeding. So, they just keep going. It's best if the starter is at the same temp as the beer.

Or you just take what you have. But, it's a chance to learn.

Remember that packet of dry yeast you bought six months ago, in case your liquid yeast failed? Now's the time to use it.

You guys are so right.  I have a dry packet of us05 in the fridge.  Perfect time to make a 500ml starter and repitch. Great opportunity . Thanks will let you know how it goes.

Just read some helpful info written by White and Zainasheff, in Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation.  Page 274 ...."common methods to drive beer to attenuate a bit more."
•Rouse the yeast
•Transferupdate the beer or yeast.
•Increase temperature
•Ads more yeast (at high kraeusen)

Might perform Forced Ferment Test (p222) on next batch. Knolwdge is power...and FUN.

That is the source of my recommendations.

I'm about 2/3rd through the book from cover to cover...first time.  I'm sure I'll read it two or three more times.

Maine Homebrewer said:

What was your mashing scheme? Did you do an iodine test?

A high mash temp combined with an incomplete conversion could explain your problem.

Or not if you did  everything right. Just a thought.

Click to expand...

Ding ding ding!

Sounds to me more like a mashing issue.  Did you get all the temperatures accurate?  Did you remember to check the "Adjust for equipment temperature" for the mash profile?

I'd concentrate on that next time to make SURE you've converted as per your profile.

I feel that my temperatures were accurate, i've test the equipment and made the corrections in BS. It's more likely i haven't been so disciplined with measuring accurate volumes....something that I'm correcting . Thanks for the thoughts.

Beer_Tigger said:

Maine Homebrewer said:

What was your mashing scheme? Did you do an iodine test?

A high mash temp combined with an incomplete conversion could explain your problem.

Or not if you did  everything right. Just a thought.

Click to expand...

Ding ding ding!

Sounds to me more like a mashing issue.  Did you get all the temperatures accurate?  Did you remember to check the "Adjust for equipment temperature" for the mash profile?

I'd concentrate on that next time to make SURE you've converted as per your profile.

Click to expand...

You did read the part where he said he mashed at 150F for 60 minutes, right?

I just finished a Scottish 80/- that I doughed-in at 160F, measured with a well calibrated thermometer.  It finished at 1.014 from 1.051 using CalAle.  I repitched from slurry grown in a 1.034 Scottish 60/-, at 68F.  72% apparent attenuation in 4 days. 

This beer is only 50% attenuated.  A 60 minute single infusion mash at ANY temperature between 140 and 165 will attenuate more than 50% with ANY yeast.  So, unless his thermometer is reading more than a full 10 degrees high...the wort will be more than 50% fermentable. 

He also fermented using CalAle at 65F, direct from a smackpack.  Many people, myself included (and The Pope himself), have trouble getting CalAle to work at 65.  I can get second and third re-pitches to do it (but, its still super slow).  I've never gotten a first pitch to work at 65F (yes, I've tried several times), and DEFINITELY not when direct pitching from a smack pack.  He kept the smack pack on the counter at room temp and pitched into 65F wort, that's probably a 10F temp-shock.

Even at 1.041 OG, a single smack pack is still underpitching by about 60%, assuming a BRAND NEW, 97% viable pack.  If its a month old, or less than perfectly handled then its underpitched by a factor of 2 or more.  So, underpitched, with no starter, and pitched into cold wort (from room temp), and kept at a suboptimal temperature for the strain in question.  That is a textbook recipe for a stuck ferment. 

The only other things he could have done to make it more likely would be to let the temp fluctuate by several degrees, and NOT aerate the wort very well. 

Of course, A forced ferment would answer that question for certain...but, that's where my money is. 

No haven't done an iodine test.  I'll look into it.

Click to expand...

It's the only way to really know for sure.

Iodine changes color in the presence of starch. What I do is after I think the mash is complete I spoon some liquid from it onto a white saucer. Then I add a drop or two of the iodophor. If it stays purple then I know it's done. If it turns black then I set the timer for another half hour or so before testing again. I've had stubborn batches take two hours or more to convert completely.

If you only use it to test for starch, then even a small container will last you forever since you're only using a drop or two at a time.

It also works great as a backup sanitizer, though you probably wouldn't want to use it on plastic since it leaves permanent brown stains.  It's great for glass and metal.

Just kegged on Saturday, FG 1020, no change. Ok next batch scheduled for halloween day where i'll have pay special attention to volumes and temps. I plan on making a yeast starter and perform an iodine and force ferment test.  Can't wait ....more trial by error.

For those interested good thread on how to perform Iodine Test.:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Iodine_test

When I moved to doing a yeast starter everything about my beer improved.  I have been doing 2 liter starters.  Normal gravity beers will ferment out in 4 to 5 days.  I did a high gravity double IPA recently and that took two weeks to go from 1.088 to 1.012.  With the higher gravity beers, I rouse the yeast periodically to keep things moving.  Good luck!