7 replies to this topic

[Flashman]

I brewed a 5.25 gallon batch of Kolsch on 5/10:6 lbs. pilsner malt extract1.5 lbs. pilsner malt0.5 lbs. vienna malt1.5 oz. Hallertau (60 minutes)Wyeast 2565It's seems to be stuck (or done) at 1.017. It's dropped one point in 5 days. SG was 1.048.I mashed at 147-148 for an hour. Fermented at 58-60F for 7 days...activity had slowed a lot so I checked the gravity and it was 1.018. After three more days at 58-60, I checked the gravity and it was the same. I let it warm to room termperature and I've been swirling daily and it's dropped one point since Wednesday.Yeast seemed to be in good shape...pack swelled quickly and I made a 2L starter a week before I brewed. The starter took off and fermented out in a couple of days...I chilled, decanted and cold pitched.Oxygenated the wort with pure oxygen for about a minute before pitching.The extract that I used was the same brand/type that I used in a tripel a month or so ago that fermented down to 1.011. It was also ordered at the same time as the extract I used in the tripel, so I don't think that was an issue.I'm struggling to figure out what went wrong here. Was my starter way too small since I fermented at the cooler temperatures? Is there anything I can do at this point to get this beer to dry out? It is way too sweet.

[ncbeerbrewer]

Well I am led to believe that the cause of your problem would be the extract. I know you said it was the same brand as the one you used in a tripel and got down a lot lower but: when you brew with extract there is a variability in the fermentability of the extract. Its not always the same even if you used the same brand. Your yeast did not reach its full attenuation % and your mash temp for your grains would make for good fermentability as well. I can't see any problem with your set up or method. I really think this is due solely to the extract. When I have had a gravity that is higher than I like normally warming it up will bump off a few points but mine are strictly all grain recipes and brewing. The only suggestion I can say is give it a few more days at room temperature and see if it improves otherwise I don't have any other suggestions. There is no reason to pitch more or fresh yeast since you are where you are. Hope this helps you.

[MolBasser]

I agree with the above, and it is one reason that I really don't like extract brewing once you get over the beginners jitters.You are at the mercy of the malt company on how they convert the malt and then concentrate it.You may be stuck with what you have, as I don't think pitching more yeast will help if you have a heap of unfermentable sugars in there... It couldn't hurt though.BrewBasser

[stellarbrew]

I would give it more time at room temperature. I wouldn't be surprised if you just left it alone for about three weeks, if you then checked it and found the gravity had dropped another 5 points. In my experience, you will sometimes get a yeast that takes a while to squeeze out those last points.

[MolBasser]

Maybe.This was a light gravity beer pitched with a decent sized amount of yeast and fermented at the right temp.It should be pretty much fermented out.BrewBasser

[Flashman]

Thanks for the input. I don't need the fermenter that it's in so I think I'll just let it sit for a couple of weeks and see if it drops anymore. This sucks...I was really looking forward to this beer.

[Jimmy James]

I think you pitched and held it too cool. Wyeast publishes a fermentation range of 56-70 for that strain, which I suspect to be too wide a range to be optimal throughout. I've used WLP029 a bunch of times and it can ferment cool but you have to get it going first. If you were to pitch WLP029 at temps around where you started yours you'd never get close to full attenuation. If the Wyeast Kolsch yeast is anything like the WLP029 then that could have been your problem. Leaving it around 67-70 for a few weeks couldn't hurt, likely you'll get to your FG or close eventually. Probably not as low as with a good start, but at least hopefully you can get it close enough. Good luck.

[MyaCullen]

I agree with the above, and it is one reason that I really don't like extract brewing once you get over the beginners jitters.You are at the mercy of the malt company on how they convert the malt and then concentrate it.You may be stuck with what you have, as I don't think pitching more yeast will help if you have a heap of unfermentable sugars in there... It couldn't hurt though.BrewBasser

hmm, a 30 point drop is pretty lousy, reminds me of the days of Lagglander extract, it sure tasted malty but god was it dextrinous.