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Restarting a stuck fermentation

Northern Brewer General
#1

Sorry to be reposting a question that’s probably been asked and answered multiple times. I did a search and didn’t find anything helpful.

I have a batch of Denny’s BVIP stuck at 1.030. I ferment in our breakfast nook because it stays a stable 60 degrees in there this time of year, but we’ve had a couple of cold, by Portland standards, nights recently which probably dropped the temp in the nook to 56-58 degrees and I am wondering if that put the yeast in an non-cooperative mood.

This morning I swirled the bucket and placed it in a warmer location. I was thinking of making a mini-starter, a couple of ounces of DME dissolved in water and mixed with a little US-05, and pitching that. Is that crazy? Any other ideas. This is the first stuck fermentation I’ve had in five years of brewing.

#2

Dropping to 58* shouldn’t have stopped the yeast. Denny can correct me if I’m wrong but I think I remember a post about FG on the BVIP being around 1.026-1.030. So, you are in the ballpark.

Since you warmed it up a bit I wouldn’t mess with it until you see what happens there.

#3

Hopefully Denny himself will weigh in, but I seem to remember BVIP finishing almost that high when I brewed it. Warm it up and rouse the yeast and give it a week to see what happens, but it may well be that its just done.

#4

I just checked my notes, I’ve brewed Denny’s BVIP twice and it finished 1.028 both times. You may yet drop another point or two, but even if it doesn’t you’re probably fine.

#5

Thanks Nate, I’ve brewed the BVIP four or five times previously and I don’t remember it ever being this high, but I am getting older and the memory aint what it used to be. And I don’t take notes. It’s going to be another week before I can bottle and I’ll go with whatever I have then.

#6

Yeah, it shouldn’t finish below 1.026. You’re darn close.

#7

My last 5 years of over 120 gallons of BVIP show an average of 1.027 with the following finishing gravities.

2008 1.030
2009 1.029
2010 1.032
2011 1.025
2012 1.022

Denny knows best. :cheers:

#8

Indeed, in Denny we trust.

#9

Wow, glad I checked this topic. I have a BVIP that started at about 1.085 and now appears to be done at around 1.022 using a big starter of WY1450.

For some reason I wanted/expected it to drop a bit lower, but based on the above I’m not going to worry about it.

#10

It actually should finish more like 1.026-28. Homebrewers have kind of been brain washed about FG and are always surprised at this recipe

#11

Thanks! I definitely suffer from that “lower is better” mentality, so it’s a good reminder.

To some extent, I think it’s because I generally prefer beers that aren’t overly sweet, but then again, I suspect that a lot of the commercial stuff that I drink is a lot higher FG than I tend to assume.

On that note, I took a random look for a beer that I perceive as reasonably well attenuated and happened across Lagunitas Hoop Stoopid, which they say has OG of 1.085 and 8% ABV, making it pretty much identical to my BVIP in terms of attenuation.

Interestingly enough, Lagunitas “Sucks” nee Brown Sugga is the same OG and ABV according to the packaging and only 62 IBUs–still a lot more hops to balance out those sugars, but convinces me that I was definitely being stupid worrying about that FG number for my BVIP.

Cheers!

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