I brewed Denny’s Batch 400 from Homebrew All-Stars a few weeks back. Followed the fermentation schedule of 63 for five days, and then 70 till finish. The beer then stalled out at about 1.029 vs. calculated 1.009. I used Wyeast 3787 from a stepped starter. Used what I thought was plenty of oxygen. After a few weeks, I moved it up to 80, hoping to get it to ferment further.
Anything I could have done better to get this to ferment out? It tastes good, but a little sweeter than I would like.
What was the mashing schedule like?
90 mins at 147
Maybe you fermented too cold? I’ve personally never started 3787 lower than 65 fa
I ferment that strain at 64 all the time no problems.
Did you use any sugar/candi syrups? I don’t know the recipe so hard to trouble shoot without more info.
I use 3787 @ 64F too, for a few days then ramp. Works well for me.
But I have and gotten great attenuation.
The recipe calls for both sugar and D180.
Just trying to help the OP troubleshoot. His mash profile and all the rest points toward a very fermentable beer so I’m just trying to suss out why he would have gotten such poor attenuation.
I don’t know either, but if he followed my recipe and process we can at least eliminate those as variables. Maybe thermometer miscalibration? Poor yeast health? Have no specific reason to suspect either…kinda thinking out loud.
The syrup alone would mean you’d have to really try to not get full attenuation.
To the OP: how was your starter? What are your Yeast management methods in general?
Thermometer was calibrated?
FYI, here’s the recipe…http://www.candisyrup.com/uploads/6/0/3/5/6035776/dennys_400th_-_variation_002x.pdf
I know it well. Not as well as you but I know it.
My yeast was from a starter that I started with two packs of 3787 and 3 quarts of starter wort. Then I crashed, decanted, and added three more quarts of wort. Based on standard calculations I should have had pitched enough yeast.
I’m wondering if it could be anything with my fermenter? Ferment in a sanke keg with a corny lid that is welded in. I vent CO2 through the out post into a jar of sanitizer. It seems to release pressure just fine as it bubbles vigorously through the first phase. I often wondered if it’s not enough thoough, and creating back pressure? Probably not, as many people ferment in corny kegs just fine. I
Sort of at a loss here. Going to chalk it up to yeast health in some fashion, keg it, and move on to the next batch. It does taste very good, just a little too sweet.
Any other thoughts would be helpful. Is it worth trying to pitch more yeast?
Have you calibrated your thermometer recently? What style is it?
As Denny said above, the usual suspects don’t seek to be panning out, assuming you followed his recipe to a T.
I had a Belgian Dark strong I brewed last year that inexplicably failed to attenuate fully. No matter what I tried, it stalled. It is a beer I have brewed man, many times and I just could not explain. Searching for an explanation I began wondering if it didn’t have something to do with the batch of Dark Candi syrup. Since this is a “waste product” from the candi industry in Belgium (or, at least that is what it says in BLAM) could it have been a batch of candi syrup that was dextrinous? I never could come up with an answer. the yeast health was over 90% viable going in and fermentation seemed strong then just stalled. I re-pitched entire conical cone fulls of both Belgian and American Ale yeasts and never could get it to budge another point.
If you believe CSI’s marketing blurbs, they are making a syrup that is completely different than the big Belgian candy companies. [emoji848]
I’ve never really considered this though. I have brewed with syrup many times and while I’ve never had this issue, I don’t consider it outside the realm of possibility. These days I’m looking to explore some different recipes for monastic ales using my favorite brewing methods…
I think Keith was referring to the other syrup company, Dark Candi. But I still have a hard time believing it was the syrup.
I’m wondering if it was the pressure in the fermenter that was causing the problem for the OP. We’ve found that the Dupont saison strain needs to be open fermented to obtain a decent FG. Maybe 3787 has some of the same characteristics?
I’ve never had this happen with syrups (or 3787 for that matter). Doesn’t mean it’s impossible, I guess. Normally you’d point to yeast viability/quantity or aeration. I give.
How many of us ferment in a pretty much sealed environment, though? Although I my be imagining it to be more sealed than it is. But given that even an airlock can affect the performance of 3726, I have to wonder if that’s at play here. I guess the OP could kinda "open up " his fermenter to see what happens.