First Fermentation, Stuck?

[hbt2]

Hi, I just did my first all grain brew Saturday and made some mistakes as I expected I would but nothing I think would be a major issue for fermentation. The biggest mistake was I ended up with too much volume and extended the boil 30 min. to lower volume. It's a 5 gal brew and I ended up with 6.2 gal after boil. I am brewing a hefeweizen. I pitched the liquid yeast, after pack expanded, into my wort at 73f. My wort appeared to start fermentation with slow bubbling, a small krausen on top, and slight sulfur gas release but I never saw a vigorous fermentation. After 72 hrs. appears that activity has stopped and krausen is dissipating. My fermenter is in a temp controlled chamber at 69f. My plan is to just wait a few more days and then check my gravity reading. Should I increase temp a few degrees? Does it sound like a stuck fermentation? Thanks for any input.

 

[Donoroto]

It is only stuck if the Final Gravity is too high. Since you haven't measured it, and 3 days for a fermentation seems perfectly normal, I advise you let it sit another 3-4 days, check FG with a hydrometer, and package it.

Hefeweitzen yeasts don't tend to deliver a lot of krausen in my experience. Your batch is fine and will be great.

 

[hbt2]

It is only stuck if the Final Gravity is too high. Since you haven't measured it, and 3 days for a fermentation seems perfectly normal, I advise you let it sit another 3-4 days, check FG with a hydrometer, and package it.

Hefeweitzen yeasts don't tend to deliver a lot of krausen in my experience. Your batch is fine and will be great.

Thanks for the reply. I will do that and thanks again.

 

[SabreSteve]

Which yeast and did you use a starter?
I've used WLP300 but that was in my bucket before I got my fermonster so I couldn't see the fermentation but there was definitely less evidence of krausen left behind than with my other brews in the bucket. I let everything ferment for 14 days before I take a reading and I typically only take the one. Krausen typically starts dropping out after 3-5 for me meaning fermentation is winding down, doesn't mean it's done though. Only way to know for sure is to take hydrometer readings over about 3 days. If they're steady it's probably done. If they decrease it's still working. Problem with all those readings though is it's less beer you get to keg/bottle. That's why I give it a good long time in the fermenter and take one reading. If the FG is close to target I figure the yeast did it's job as much as it's going to.
I've got a California Common fermenting right now and it's been at 57F for a week and it still hit peak krausen in like 4 days. I'm about to let it come up to ambient temperature (like 65F) and sit there until I bottle it

 

[hbt2]

Which yeast and did you use a starter?
I've used WLP300 but that was in my bucket before I got my fermonster so I couldn't see the fermentation but there was definitely less evidence of krausen left behind than with my other brews in the bucket. I let everything ferment for 14 days before I take a reading and I typically only take the one. Krausen typically starts dropping out after 3-5 for me meaning fermentation is winding down, doesn't mean it's done though. Only way to know for sure is to take hydrometer readings over about 3 days. If they're steady it's probably done. If they decrease it's still working. Problem with all those readings though is it's less beer you get to keg/bottle. That's why I give it a good long time in the fermenter and take one reading. If the FG is close to target I figure the yeast did it's job as much as it's going to.
I've got a California Common fermenting right now and it's been at 57F for a week and it still hit peak krausen in like 4 days. I'm about to let it come up to ambient temperature (like 65F) and sit there until I bottle it

Hi, I used Wyeast 3068 with no starter. I'm going to give it time and then get a reading. Thanks

 

[Craigerrr]

Patience Grasshopper!
Follow @SabreSteve 's advice.
Leave it be for at least another week before checking gravity again.
Yeast are living organisms with their own time schedule.

 

[hbt2]

Patience Grasshopper!
Follow @SabreSteve 's advice.
Leave it be for at least another week before checking gravity again.
Yeast are living organisms with their own time schedule.

Thanks

 

[J A]

Sounds like the OG was probably quite low if you had 20 percent more volume than expected. If that's the case and you pitched warm, it almost certainly finished fermenting overnight. I'd check the gravity now and again in a day or two. I think you'll find that it's at your expected FG or lower. Hefeweizen is supposed to be fermented fast and drunk fresh. If it's at FG and stable for 2-3 days, get on with it and bottle it up!

 

[hbt2]

Sounds like the OG was probably quite low if you had 20 percent more volume than expected. If that's the case and you pitched warm, it almost certainly finished fermenting overnight. I'd check the gravity now and again in a day or two. I think you'll find that it's at your expected FG or lower. Hefeweizen is supposed to be fermented fast and drunk fresh. If it's at FG and stable for 2-3 days, get on with it and bottle it up!

Thanks