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Fixing low attenuation (Read 146 times)
eric1037
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Fixing low attenuation
02/11/10 at 11:24am
 
All,
 
I have a wee heavy that I brewed in November.  I transferred it to the secondary in December, but the FG was 1.031.  It doesn't taste too bad, but I would like to get the FG down to about 1.020.  Is it too late to do anything?  Would it hurt the beer to oxygenate and pitch more yeast?  Would I get off flavors from doing so?  
 
Thanks!
 
Eric
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merrimanj
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Re: Fixing low attenuation
Reply #1 - 02/11/10 at 5:54pm
 
I just had a similar situation, my yeast just stopped at around 1026. I did shake it up without a stopped to add more O2, but in hindsite, that was probably not needed and could have added stale flavors. I would suggest just adding a dry yeast packet right into the secondary and it should pick back up again, assuming you didn't add anything chemically that would stop the yeast.
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Why is American beer served cold? So you can distinguish it
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eric1037
Occasional Beer Fan (beginner)
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I love to make beer

Posts: 41
Re: Fixing low attenuation
Reply #2 - 02/12/10 at 9:41am
 
My worry is that I will be pitching yeast in an oxygen deprived environment.  It seems like you would have a poor environment for yeast growth, hence the production of fusals and off flavors.  I would think that you want want to introduce oxygen even at the risk of producing oxidized flavors.  Not sure which is worse.  Maybe it would be best to brew another, lower gravity beer, like a Scottish ale and blend it with the wee heavy to get it down.  Certainly more work involved in that, but I wouldn't risk off flavors.
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merrimanj
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Re: Fixing low attenuation
Reply #3 - 02/12/10 at 5:38pm
 
yea you could blend it, but i wouldn't recommend that. it can't hurt just to add another yeast packet and see what happens. However the real question should be why the yeast didn't work all the way through. typically this doesn't happen without a reason. I'm going to guess that you didn't prepare a full yeast starter, and just threw in a dry or liquid yeast once you cooled the wort. If this was the case, is it also possible that you didn't see any action in your bubbler for a day or so? If you don't use a good healthy yeast starter, your giving that wort a lot of time to grow unwanted bacteria before the yeast gets working. This would result in the yeast stopping at a higher gravity. If you now blend this batch into a good batch, you might end up with dumping two batches.  
 
This is exactly what just happened with my last RyePA. I didn't use a good starter and just poured a liquid yeast into my wort. It didn't really get going for a couple days and stopped at a high gravity. I just kegged it and it tastes like nuts. We should all be pitching a cup or more yeast starter in order to see it bubbling that first day or the brew could easily go bad. just a thought. I'm brewing a batch #2 tonight and will not make the same mistake.  
 
good luck
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Why is American beer served cold? So you can distinguish it
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--David Moulton
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