Stuck fermentation

[Bugno]

Hi all,

Just some questions regarding a stuck fermentation. I am brewing Munton's continental lager and my reading is stuck at 1.0024 since last thursday. I started the previous sunday. I took a reading yesterday, day 8 and still no movement. I have ordered some yeast vitamin and a yeast called Safelle 04, I think yesterday. Wondering if this yeast is suitable to get things moving again or will the yeast vitamins be ok on there own. The yeast vitamins state for wine making. I am assuming that they are all suitable. I am from Ireland and as such will have to wait about 3 days for delivery. This is my first brew and it seems Im off to a shaky start. Any help would be appreciatded. Hopefully I wont have to ditch.
Also I have a Woodforde Wherry ale waiting to go next. There is a yeast with this. Could I just use this yeast and then use the Safelle for the wherry when this arrives? It might save a few days.

Regards,

Shane

[Bugno]

Cheers for the speedy reply.

About using the other yeast. What I meant was I have a woodfords ale kit. I have not started it yet. The yeast is still in dried form. Could I use this yeast to restart the fermentation. I am just worried about the fact that this is an ale yeast and would it work for the continental lager.

If it is possible to use this, will the safele 04 do for the woodfordes ale.

Cheers

[Bugno]

Thanks a milllion,

Will wait for Safale and fingers crossed it will work.

Thanks.

[Beatnik69]

I'm not sure if my brew has stuck or not. I started it on Wednesday night and by the next morning there was a fairly good frothy head on it. The hydrometer reading was somewhere in the region of 1.040 at the start. This morning (Friday) I checked and the froth had died away leaving only some bubbles. The reading is around the 1.020 mark. Should I leave it for another couple of days taking a couple of readings more before taking stuck action?

[Beatnik69]

Cheers Daab. It just seemed to be a bit quick to me. I think it may still be fermenting but it's just slowed down. Smells really nice though (maybe a bit sweet) but we'll see how it goes. Fingers crossed. In the meantime I had a nice bottle of Kostritzer and I've a couple of bottles of Belfast Ale in the fridge to keep me going.

[Beatnik69]

I'm pleased to say I think I may still be getting fermentation. I took another reading tonight and it's done from 1020ish to 1016. The room gets quite cool at night and I doubt if the yeast was great to start with so fingers still crossed. I had a wee sip from the test jar and it wasn't too bad. A bit sweet obviously and very malty but that might be down to using dark spraymalt.

[Beatnik69]

I took another reading last night and it was still at 1016. I'll take another reading tonight. If it's still at 1016 do you think I'd be ok to go ahead and bottle it or would I be better adding some more yeast to try and kick fermentation off again and try to get the reading down a bit more?

[StevieR]

I would be tempted to bottle / keg at 1016 - I think its close enough to the FG as to not make any difference. It'll be interesting to hear what Daab or Jim have to say though

[Beatnik69]

Cheers Stevie. I'm just worried that if I do bottle and the yeast isn't working I'll end up with 40 bottles of beer each with half a teaspoon of unfermented sugar in the bottom. Hmmmm yummy.