Troubleshooting on 1st lager

[Strudelwurm80]

Hi guys, i‘m just in the process of fermenting my first bohemian pilsner.
And not without issues. The first trippingstone was the spargewatercalculation of Beersmith that was beyond off. This quenched me to a starting OG of 1.044. The worth was extensively airated and pitched with a fully fermented 5L starter (48h in DME). 2 weeks have passed at a temp of continuous 17C (i have no possibility to go lower without being kicked out by my girlfriend) and the fermentation seems to be stuck at 1.024. Do you guys have any advice on how to proceed? Shall I just let it sit on primary or dump the yeast and repitch it to my conical?

 

[GFHomebrew]

Well you sure pitched enough yeast what type? Im guessing lager yeast . You could try the old raise temp and swirl fermentor gig and see if the kick starts fermentation again.

 

[CRUNK]

What yeast did you utilize?

What is the recommended temp for that particular yeast?

 

[Yooper]

You're using a hydrometer, right? And not a refractometer?

 

[Nosybear]

Hi guys, i‘m just in the process of fermenting my first bohemian pilsner.
And not without issues. The first trippingstone was the spargewatercalculation of Beersmith that was beyond off. This quenched me to a starting OG of 1.044. The worth was extensively airated and pitched with a fully fermented 5L starter (48h in DME). 2 weeks have passed at a temp of continuous 17C (i have no possibility to go lower without being kicked out by my girlfriend) and the fermentation seems to be stuck at 1.024. Do you guys have any advice on how to proceed? Shall I just let it sit on primary or dump the yeast and repitch it to my conical?

Simplest thing to do is taste it. If it's really stuck at 1.024, it will be noticeably sweet. Then start checking your equipment, assuming it's not sweet (I'd bet it won't be). Either as Yooper said you used a refractometer without correction or something is wrong with your hydrometer. If it IS still sweet and your equipment is working well, your yeast gave out for some reason - likely too warm at pitch. I'd dump it in that case given your two week lag time, too much time for baddies to get established. But my bet is your beer has fermented through and for some reason, you're not getting a good measurement on finished gravity.

 

[GFHomebrew]

A lager yeast fermenting at 17c room temp should rip through wort in no time.

 

[Strudelwurm80]

What yeast did you utilize?

What is the recommended temp for that particular yeast?[

A lager yeast fermenting at 17c room temp should rip through wort in no time.

I pitched a significant amount of Saflager S23. I used a calculator and the Starter should have yielded more than plenty

 

[Strudelwurm80]

You guys are the best and I‘m just daft.
You‘re correct. I used the refractometer and therefore just got the wron reading. With calculated compensation it might be around 1.011 by now. It doesn’t taste sweet but quite great already. Thank you all heaps for the input

 

[J A]

Hydrometer is the only way to go. Refractometer is useful for mashing and quick readings of progress, but accurate hydrometer readings before fermentation starts and at the end are necessary for knowing what the beer has actually done.

 

[CRUNK]

I almost never use my refractometer anymore

 

[Nosybear]

Hydrometer is the only way to go. Refractometer is useful for mashing and quick readings of progress, but accurate hydrometer readings before fermentation starts and at the end are necessary for knowing what the beer has actually done.

Uh, I've solved that problem.... The refractometer is accurate for wort with no alcohol and the readings can be converted once fermentation starts.

 

[J A]

I'd like to be able to ditch the hydro, but I don't have enough comparative readings to trust it completely. Meanwhile, I do both and use the hydro reading for calculating ABV.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I use the refractometer only for the preboil and it can be off just from user error, not mixed up enough is key and that is really hard to do in a large batch, there are many ways to mess that reading up but if done right I'm always within a point of the target here and there usually right on as for anything else I use the hydrometer and even with that you have to be careful of the curve next to the edge, it can be misleading

 

[Nosybear]

I use the correction spreadsheet I posted here. I've cross-checked the results with the hydrometer several times and both agreed. The refractometer is easier to read. And I can monitor fermentation with a few drops. Works well for me!