Festa Brew Czech Pilsner - very slow ferment or stuck

[Nolnah]

Hey guys,

I put my Festa Brew Czech Pilsner in the primary on Jan 29th, kept it at 20 C until it started to ferment and then cooled it to 14 C. 5 days later on Feb 3rd I racked it to the secondary. There was no real krausen just a small small amount of light fluffy foam (like when you pour the wort into the primary).

I did the Festa Brew Continental Pilsner before this one (my first lager) and kept it at 14 C the entire time like the Czech. The Continental had a much more active fermentation in both the primary and secondary compared to the Czech.

I took a gravity reading on the Czech last night and it was at 1.018 (target is 1.011) with very little sign of fermentation. I am going to take another reading on Friday. After that long description my question is has anyone else done the Czech before and had a very slow fermentation? Just wondering if I have a stuck fermentation? The sample I tasted last night was really good but I would like to have it reach it's target.

Thanks

[KMcK]

It sounds as if it's doing fine. Give it another month.

[Tony L]

So why did you take it off the primary yeast so fast?

I have 2 identical kits going in my lager fridge which I started at 50f and are now fermenting at 48f actual temperature.
I have a nice krausen on each and it is still activly fermenting on the primary yeast. When it is finished and the krausen drops,
I'll rack to a keg for lagering for a few months at 34f.

I'm afraid you'll have to let it finish at it's own pace now that you took most of the working yeast away from it.
It may take a while longer to attenuate.

Good luck.

[Nolnah]

Hey Tony. This appeared to be a very slow fermentation even in the primary and I think you are right that it would have been better to leave it on the yeast cake for longer but I racked it off after 5 days as per the Festa Brew instructions and the same method I used for the previous 10 Festa kits (including the Continental Pilsner) which have all turned out great and reached the final gravity each time in short order.

Oh well. My impatience and following the instructions has been rewarded with having to wait even longer

[akr71]

Many of us don't bother with a secondary at all. When I bother with a secondary (like with a lager or pilsner or something I want to age for a while before consuming), I let me hydrometer tell me when its time to rack. When I am at or close to my expected final gravity, rack it.

If you want to speed it up again, you could go to Noble Grape and buy another pack of yeast and toss it in. I have no idea what yeast comes with the kit - if you want to use the same yeast & like that beer style, buy another Festa Brew Czech Pilsner, toss the yeast into the beer you're currently fermenting. When that one is done, dump the new kit right on top of the big yeast cake from the just finished beer (you should get speedy fermentation then).

Or you can wait...

[mr x]

Ugh, what great instructions....

I'll bet they use the same instructions for ales and lagers as far as racking goes. I think you'll find people rarely use secondaries anymore.

[Tony L]

[quote="Nolnah"but I racked it off after 5 days as per the Festa Brew instructions and the same method I used for the previous 10 Festa kits (including the Continental Pilsner) which have all turned out great and reached the final gravity each time in short order.

Oh well. My impatience and following the instructions has been rewarded with having to wait even longer [/quote]

Yeah, I read through the instructions and the ones Noble Grape included in with it to replace the ones form Festa. Both are crap. I just brew it the same
way I would my own.
If you have to pitch more yeast, do it when the yeast you going to pitch is at high krausen. Warming the beer up to about 65f will help attunuate the beer.

[Nolnah]

Thanks guys. The advice is much appreciated it. I think I am going to try warming it up to see if it gets a little more active (won't take much for an increase from what it is now). If that does not work and I am stiil feeling impatient I will see if Noble Grape knows what yeast was used in that kit and if they have any on hand.

[mr x]

I'd bet it is s-23.

[derek]

Yeah, I read through the instructions and the ones Noble Grape included in with it to replace the ones form Festa. Both are crap. I just brew it the same
way I would my own.

Instructions??? I only ever did one batch of Festa (I liked it, but it was just to tide me over until I got started on the all-grain), but it never occurred to me to actually read the instructions - heck, it's wort: I know what to do with that!

[sleepyjamie]

its saflager s-23. its in a yellow packet.

[Tony L]

Yeah, I read through the instructions and the ones Noble Grape included in with it to replace the ones form Festa. Both are crap. I just brew it the same
way I would my own.

Instructions??? I only ever did one batch of Festa (I liked it, but it was just to tide me over until I got started on the all-grain), but it never occurred to me to actually read the instructions - heck, it's wort: I know what to do with that!

I have done a few for my BIL and have done a few Czech Pils for myself. The Czech Pils was the best beer I have ever had, mine or commercial.

Yes it uses S-23, although it isn't what I use.

Instructions... well I read it for shits and giggles and that was exactly what it was. Yep, I know what to do with wort myself,