I brewed a batch of Paragon Apricot Ale a couple weeks ago and added the Apricot puree at 3 days just like the recipe called for. Fermentation prior to adding was going well and 24 hours after adding the puree it appears the fermentation stalled (possibly due to blowoff of yeast. Right now, the SG is 1.024. I’d like to add some yeast to the secondary fermenter. If I do, should I aerate completely again?
Thanks for the help.
One thing never to do is aerate again you will oxygenate your beer and ruin it.
You listed 1.024 as your SG I assume that you meant FG so what was your original SG and what yeast did you use.
My OG was 1.052 and I used White Labs American Ale Yeast.
Is it still in the primary ?
I racked it to the secondary fermenter.
Did you make a starter if not next time make one.
I don’t know what to tell you except just leave it, maybe some one else will chime in with an idea.
Extract or AG?
What kind of puree did you add? If not purchased at a HBS it may have preservatives in it that killed off the yeast.
Doubtful you lost so much yeast in the blow off that fermentation stopped. You could add a package of US-05 dry yeast to see if it help.
The kit comes with the Puree from NB so I don’t think that’s the problem.
How many days did you have it in the primary ?
The beers was in primary for 2 weeks and I started with a 1L starter of the yeast. Like I said, fermentation was going gangbusters until I added the puree. I like the idea of adding the dry yeast. will give that a try.
[quote=“bunz14”]I racked it to the secondary fermenter.[/quote]Not going to help you this time, but you should never rack to secondary until you reach your desired FG. Ignore the kit instructions and let the beer set the schedule - take a couple of gravity readings over a couple of days to make sure you’re done and if your gravity is too high you can warm the beer and rouse the yeast to encourage them to finish off.
If a new packet of dry beer yeast doesn’t work, pick up a packet of dry champagne yeast. It will only run you about $1.50, and worked for me once.
I had a Belgian Dark Strong that stalled at 1.040 or so. I used slurry from a previous beer made. After tasting the original beer, I came to the conclusion that my original yeast just was not healthy.
Anyways, champagne yeast could work. Got that BDS down to about 1.007 - further than I would have liked, but ended up averaging a 32 in a competition over the weekend. The champagne yeast rescued a ruined beer into something that is drinkable and should be even better with the proper age.
The champagne yeast is the one I would also recomend to use and don’t do any aerating just pour it in on top and leave it.
And find a blow off tube just in case.
All is good with the beer. I recently purchased a refractometer and measured the FG with it not knowing that it is only a good measurement when compared to the OG. got out my hydometer and the FG was 1.011. Won’t make that mistake again.
[quote=“bunz14”]I recently purchased a refractometer and measured the FG with it not knowing that it is only a good measurement when compared to the OG. got out my hydometer and the FG was 1.011.[/quote]Someone usually asks about refractometer versus hydrometer whenever there’s a post about a stuck fermentation, but we missed it this time. You can use the refractometer for reading post-pitch beer but you need a correction formula or use one of the convenient web-based calculators. The advantage of the refracto is that you only need a drop or two of liquid for the reading.
