Fed up

[Marshbrewer]

After nearly 2 years of successful brewing kits, modifying them, and getting great results, I appear to have hit a 1020 brick wall.

I posted here a while back that I'd got my hands on a Tooheys Dark Ale and a Black Rock Bock, both of which stuck at 1020, and would not shift, despite absolutely nothing changing in my technique. A technique that had never failed, even when brewing a RIS for my dad that had lots of extra partially ferment-able malts, etc. Never had a 1020 stick before.

I'd never brewed either kit before, and it was also the first time I'd used H&B malt extract, so although a trifle disappointed, after 4 weeks of gentle stirring, re pitching, maniacally obsessive temp control, etc, I poured 80 pints down the drain. I had to, I didn't have a barrel free and I wasn't going to risk bottle bombs or feck about sanitising 80 bottles for beer that tasted week and unfermented. Put that down to experience.

Didn't brew for a while (ok, I did, mainly Turbo Cider and country wines), but the great Tesco giveaway got me going again.

Did 2 batches of Coopers, yes Coopers, Lager with malt and hop additions. Again, a tried and tested technique that has never, ever, failed in the past, Guess what. 10 [censored] days in the FV and both have pissing been stuck on friggin 1020 since day bastarding 6.

The trial jar samples taste uninfected and OK, but slightly sweet and unfermented. Both FV's started fermenting as I would describe as normal, and as I have said, nothing in my technique has changed. I've checked my hydrometer, and its 1000 in water, 1020 in these brews. My spare reads just under 1000 in water, and exactly the same amount under 1020 in the brews.

What. The. Freak. Is. Going On.

Sorry for the potty mouth, but I am seriously at my whit's end here.

[Geezah]

I would suggest that a fluctuation in temperature may have confused the yeast.
This summer has been a bit mad, with mostly warm temps both day & might, but with the odd really cold spell when the rain has persisted over a day or 2.

What are your brewing conditions?
Is the room temperature stable 24/7?


Another view would be... 'Did you oxygenate the wort sufficiently'?

The yeast needs O2 to survive, so as it eats the sugar and creates CO2 it might be 'choking' the yeast cells if there was primarily not enough oxygen introduced prior to pitching the yeast. (hence why some people use drills and plaster paddles)

[Marshbrewer]

Thanks for the reply, Geezah.

I've eliminated initial oxygen, as I give the wort a damn good thrashing, and this has always been sufficient in the past. In fact, since the initial failed (dual) batch, I gave this one an extra damn good thrashing ~ we're talking six inches of foam on top. That's in addition to adding all my water through a funnel, which means you start with a pretty foamy wort before the public school style punishment

As for temps, well, my readings show a minimum of 17 deg to a max of 21 over the period so far, with most days being in the 19-20 range. The heating is off, I'll grant, but ale yeast should be able to cope with this, shouldn't it?

[Marshbrewer]

Hang on ~ just seen Monkeybrew's post on his proposed IPA experiment. He lists Coopers BE1 as 60/40 dextrose/maltodextrin. Is that right ~ is BE 1 40% partially fermentables? It's just I used Coopers BE1 in both of these as the main sugars.

Could that explain the higher FG?

[Matt12398]

Do you rehydrate your yeast or just pitch it on top from the packet? I've noticed since I've started doing this it gets off to a much better start and massive krausen.

I doubt that's what it is but I understood that stuck fermentation was caused from having yeast that's a bit limp.

[Monkeybrew]

Hang on ~ just seen Monkeybrew's post on his proposed IPA experiment. He lists Coopers BE1 as 60/40 dextrose/maltodextrin. Is that right ~ is BE 1 40% partially fermentables? It's just I used Coopers BE1 in both of these as the main sugars.

Could that explain the higher FG?

99.9% sure that Coopers BKE1 is made up of 600g of Dextrose and 400g of Maltodextrin.

I think that I read it on the Coopers forums and it was confirmed by a mod.

It will certainly contribute to a higher FG.

[lee1]

hi jjsh chin up mate keep batting on i feel for your loss of ale but think of the good brews you have had , keep a cool head and fresh mind [by the way your hydrometer aint feckt is it ] happy brewing mate