Did my DIPA Stall?

[DKensil]

Hello everyone, I am a pretty new brewer and I am looking for some advice as to how to handle my current fermentation. I took a swing at a Citra Double IPA. Brew day was back on 01/14. I hit an OG of around 1.077 and after a week I checked the gravity and got 1.030 which was still 0.010 higher than i’d like it so I let it run for another week and checked it today 01/29 and its still reading 1.030. I’m assuming my yeast quit on me and I’m stuck at 1.030. Any suggestions for squeezing that extra 0.010 out of my beer? any advice would be most helpful.

Thanks!

[narcout]

What temperature are you fermenting at and which yeast did you pitch?

[DKensil]

@narcout

What temperature are you fermenting at and which yeast did you pitch?

70F - 72F, Lallemand Nottingham (1 pack)

[denny]

Given the yeast and the temp, I’d say it was done, not stalled.  Nottingham should have fermented that OG easily at that temp.  What was the recipe?

[DKensil]

@denny

Given the yeast and the temp, I’d say it was done, not stalled.  Nottingham should have fermented that OG easily at that temp.  What was the recipe?

12lbs Briess Pale Malt
1lbs Briess Caramel 20L
1lbs Munich Malt

1.0oz Citra (60 min)
1 Whirlfloc Tab (15 min)
1.0oz Citra (10 min)
1.0oz Mosaic (10 min)
0.5oz Citra (0 min)
0.5oz Mosaic (0 min)
0.5oz Citra (Dry Hop)
0.5oz Mosaic (Dry Hop)

1.077 OG

Lallemand Nottingham (1 Pack) Pitched at 70F
Fermented at 70F - 72F

1.030 FG after two weeks (been 1.030 for 1 whole week)

[denny]

@DKensil

@denny

Given the yeast and the temp, I’d say it was done, not stalled.  Nottingham should have fermented that OG easily at that temp.  What was the recipe?

12lbs Briess Pale Malt
1lbs Briess Caramel 20L
1lbs Munich Malt

1.0oz Citra (60 min)
1 Whirlfloc Tab (15 min)
1.0oz Citra (10 min)
1.0oz Mosaic (10 min)
0.5oz Citra (0 min)
0.5oz Mosaic (0 min)
0.5oz Citra (Dry Hop)
0.5oz Mosaic (Dry Hop)

1.077 OG

Lallemand Nottingham (1 Pack) Pitched at 70F
Fermented at 70F - 72F

1.030 FG after two weeks (been 1.030 for 1 whole week)

No sugar?  That’s a normal ingredient for a DIPA to dry it out.  I think your fermentation is done.

[erockrph]

Time for the obligatory - “Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer to measure your FG?” and the followup - “Have you calibrated your hydrometer recently to be sure that it is reading 1.000 in plain water?”

[DKensil]

@erockrph

Time for the obligatory - “Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer to measure your FG?” and the followup - “Have you calibrated your hydrometer recently to be sure that it is reading 1.000 in plain water?”

I used a refractometer for OG after calibrating it with distilled water. I use a hydrometer for FG. It still reads 1.000 in plain water so I’m assuming it is calibrated.

I went ahead and gave the carboy a swirl to see if I can get a few more points out of the yeast. I’ll be checking it again in about 3 days to see if it changed at all. If I’m still sitting at 1.030, I’m just going to dry hop and move on to bottles. No sense getting hung up on this batch. I just need to be more cautious not to under pitch the beer next time. At least I got a sweet 6.2% IPA out of it, right?

[denny]

@DKensil

@erockrph

Time for the obligatory - “Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer to measure your FG?” and the followup - “Have you calibrated your hydrometer recently to be sure that it is reading 1.000 in plain water?”

I used a refractometer for OG after calibrating it with distilled water. I use a hydrometer for FG. It still reads 1.000 in plain water so I’m assuming it is calibrated.

I went ahead and gave the carboy a swirl to see if I can get a few more points out of the yeast. I’ll be checking it again in about 3 days to see if it changed at all. If I’m still sitting at 1.030, I’m just going to dry hop and move on to bottles. No sense getting hung up on this batch. I just need to be more cautious not to under pitch the beer next time. At least I got a sweet 6.2% IPA out of it, right?

IMO, you did not underpitch.  If you want to know for certain try a forced ferment test.  If that ferments, then you do have a yeast issue.  If not, then you have a wort problem and more yeast will not solve it.

[DKensil]

@denny

@DKensil

@erockrph

Time for the obligatory - “Are you using a hydrometer or refractometer to measure your FG?” and the followup - “Have you calibrated your hydrometer recently to be sure that it is reading 1.000 in plain water?”

I used a refractometer for OG after calibrating it with distilled water. I use a hydrometer for FG. It still reads 1.000 in plain water so I’m assuming it is calibrated.

I went ahead and gave the carboy a swirl to see if I can get a few more points out of the yeast. I’ll be checking it again in about 3 days to see if it changed at all. If I’m still sitting at 1.030, I’m just going to dry hop and move on to bottles. No sense getting hung up on this batch. I just need to be more cautious not to under pitch the beer next time. At least I got a sweet 6.2% IPA out of it, right?

IMO, you did not underpitch.  If you want to know for certain try a forced ferment test.  If that ferments, then you do have a yeast issue.  If not, then you have a wort problem and more yeast will not solve it.

Thanks for all the help with this one guys! I found that after rousing the yeast cake, it began bubbling again after about 6 hours. By the time I bottled, it was down to 1.026. not optimal but unfortunately I needed to get that fermenter emptied (was borrowing it from a friend who needed it back.

This community is extremely helpful anytime I have questions and I greatly appreciate that! I’m sure I will be back during my next brew. Thanks again!