Beetroot, Chilli and Chocolate Stout with wyeast 1318

[Mumbles]

Hi all, hope you're having a great festive season.

I suspect I have a stuck fermentation but before I go re-pitching yeast I just wanted to see if anyone has had experience brewing with Beetroot and/or wyeast 1318.

Went a bit off-piste with this brew, particularly in that I've never brewed with either beetroot or wyeast london fog.

OG was 1.072 and I was expecting a FG of around 1.022 but have stopped at 1.029. Initial readings were out due to sludge from the chocolate (choc drops in the boil - next time I think I'm gonna go for cocoa nibs) but after cold crashing and dumping trub out the bottom I'm stuck on 1.029. Took a hydrometer sample and left it out overnight in a warm room but it didn't drop at all.

Fermentation was over 10 days at 19.5C. Pitched plenty enough yeast for the batch and had a good active bubble going from days 2 to 5.

The Beetroot was just 1inch square chunks thrown in the boil for about 20 minutes so I wasn't expecting any sugars from that and my OG reflected that assumption. As far as I can tell beetroot sugars would be easily fermentable anyway. The only other unfermentable was lactose at 1.5%.

I'd be grateful if anyone has any insight.

Cheers,
Nick

 

[Minbari]

How long has it been finished? Sometimes a simple stir will get it going again. Never used this yeast, is it a high floc yeast?

Otherwise, give it time. Have had ales go down 5 pts over a week or two after they seemed like they were done

 

[Donoroto]

but after cold crashing and dumping trub out the bottom I'm stuck on 1.029.

Was the yeast dumped with the trub? If so, more yeast could help.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

That final gravity really isn't too far off. 59% AA is not the best, but 1318 isn't really known as a great attenuator. The lactose may have played a role in it as well as the pitch rate and aeration at pitch. Low pitch rate and low levels of oxygen can lead to high final gravity.

 

[Mumbles]

That final gravity really isn't too far off. 59% AA is not the best, but 1318 isn't really known as a great attenuator. The lactose may have played a role in it as well as the pitch rate and aeration at pitch. Low pitch rate and low levels of oxygen can lead to high final gravity.

How long has it been finished? Sometimes a simple stir will get it going again. Never used this yeast, is it a high floc yeast?

Otherwise, give it time. Have had ales go down 5 pts over a week or two after they seemed like they were done

my first time using this yeast too but it still seems to high.

 

[Mumbles]

That final gravity really isn't too far off. 59% AA is not the best, but 1318 isn't really known as a great attenuator. The lactose may have played a role in it as well as the pitch rate and aeration at pitch. Low pitch rate and low levels of oxygen can lead to high final gravity.

Yeh, I picked it for it's lower atttenuation but expected more than that. Think you're right in that it may have needed more oxygen at the start.

Got the FV back up to 19.5C and re-pitched yesterdayt evening with a nice healthy starter from Bry-97. The FV has risen almost to 20C and it looks like there's some CO2 build up going on so fingers crossed we get to drop another 5 points or so before I cold crash it. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[Minbari]

my first time using this yeast too but it still seems to high.

I only mentioned it because I have used 1968 before and it drops out like a stone. Stirring it after a week sometimes gets it going again

 

[Mumbles]

Hi All. Just a re-cap... I made a nice healthy starter with Bry-97 using malt extract, added that and let the temperature rise from 19.5 up to 22C over a few days. After 9 days, the beer had only dropped 1 extra point. To be honest, I'm a bit stumped but the beer is tasting pretty damn awesome so as long as it doesn't kick off again after packaging then we're still on a win. Definitely want to give the recipe another go though and see if I get similar results. I've never needed additional aeration for my yeast before but then I'm not usually going for a high gravity so will try adding extra O2 next time around.

Thanks for playing!

 

[NorthWest Small Batch Brewing]

Man this beer sounds good though

 

[Mumbles]

Man this beer sounds good though

I'll let you know, currently carbonating...