Massive stuck ferment.

[Stonechat]

Had a similar problem last year, when the live brewery yeast I was using would not take a couple of 1070OG winter ales past 1040.
I took off about half a gallon from the FV into a demijohn and added a sachet of Nottingham and shook the DJ.

Waited until the airlock on the DJ was going really well, I think it only took just over a day and then tipped the contents into the FV. Gave it a good stir and the Nottingham finished the job off taking the ales down to 1015 and 1019 which were both two points above the RG.

I was happy with both ales, which were Belhaven 90/- and Big Lamp Old Genie. Still have a dozen bottles of each for this Christmas.

Good luck.

[196osh]

Thanks for that man, I will wait untill it has gotten going more and then pitch it in. I would be happy with anything under 1030.

[simple one]

Good luck.... Stuck fermentations are a bummer, but a 1050 takes the p1ss.

[196osh]

It really is, wine yeast (generic gumpf) has been pitched. Doesn't seem to be doing anything so the wee nottingham starter is bubbling away 4 times a min. So I think I will pitch that at like 1.

Here is hoping.

[196osh]

The Nottingham hasn't done anything. Its at 1042 and has been for a few days Is only down because it has been diluted to. I am going to run it off onto the yeast cake of the porter I brewed last week. I figure this is going to be a pain in the ass, if that doesnt put it down should I brew something up and blend it?

[simple one]

Moving in to unchartered waters for me! Keen to know get around this problem. (just made a Imperial Porter recipe)

[196osh]

I have no idea what is up with it. I pitched loads of yeast, nearly double mr malty esitmate. I aerated for 5 mins with a drill with a paddle. It was a frothy mess. I mashed at 65C as well.

It was fermenting a bit low but with the pitching rate I dont think it would have made much difference. So I have no idea whats wrong tbh.

I am going to order a vial of WLP001, follow jims method of spliting and then pitch a 1.5L starter into a few pale ales then make another 15L IRS then pitch straight onto the yeast cake. I am also going to buy an O2 cylindar. Hopefully it wont stick this time.

Pretty gutted.

Anybody have any Idea what I should do with the mess that I have just now? Blend it with a really fermented down stout?

[pantsmachine]

Bottle in leave it a few months and drink it! I would have went your route and fired in a pack of nottingham and kept fot a week or so at about 21 to 23 degress then took another reading. No change, then its bottling time. I remember one IRS which i ended up using three different yeasts in. As you say the running onto another active lower gravity yeast cake is an option. Just make sure you are thinking sterile sterile sterile throughout the process.

[196osh]

Bottle in leave it a few months and drink it! I would have went your route and fired in a pack of nottingham and kept fot a week or so at about 21 to 23 degress then took another reading. No change, then its bottling time. I remember one IRS which i ended up using three different yeasts in. As you say the running onto another active lower gravity yeast cake is an option. Just make sure you are thinking sterile sterile sterile throughout the process.

Yeah the porter that is fermenting is nice and sterile (I hope), I wiped the inside of the boiler tap with videne several times and left a cloth soaked in videne in the tap.

Apart from that the fermenter that I used had videne in it for the best part of an hour so that shouldn't have many bugs in it. Here is hoping, I will make sure the syphon tubing is well and truley soaked with the stuff.