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  • Prematurely Crashed Beer

    We recently had our glycol system drained and had a few stubs put in for some future tanks. I suspect a pvc shard from drilling into our glycol lines found it's way into a solenoid for one of our fermenters and the result is a beer sitting at about 56% apparent attenuation at 29 degrees F. Has anyone experienced this and does anyone have any ideas for how to revive fermentation on this beer? I've never had much luck restarting fermentation on stuck beers. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. OG: 12.6 now sitting at 5.5. Lallemand BRY-97 at 68 (before tank crashed out)

  • #2
    Theres a couple of ways. First, if its easy to do, you can disconnect the tank from the glycol system and run warm water through the jackets to bring it up. When I say warm, keep it at 100 or less 80 is best, youll cook the yeast if you have too much thermal shock. A pump recirculating helps too.

    Second, you can sanitize your heat exchanger and run the beer through it with city water or 80F water to heat up the beer. Loop it back to the tank.

    The last method, and slowest, put a space heater right in front of the manway and any other exposed surfaces of the inner liner. Put a small pump on to keep things moving around in the tank, in a few days youll be going again.

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    • #3
      Hello Anthony,
      Your apparent attenuation looks like 92% and the real 75%, so your beer seems to be fully attenuated, you dont need to raise your temp unless for a diacatil rest if thats whats worries you. If the beer its ok i wouldnt touch it, it has happened to me in the past that the solenoid doesnt fully close and the beer ended at 35F but with great results too. So my advice is that if its not broken do not try to fix it.
      Cheers
      Jose Argudo
      Head Brewer
      3Monos Craft Beer
      Malaga, Spain
      www.3monoscaftbeer.com

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Jose A. View Post
        Hello Anthony,
        Your apparent attenuation looks like 92% and the real 75%, so your beer seems to be fully attenuated, you dont need to raise your temp unless for a diacatil rest if thats whats worries you. If the beer its ok i wouldnt touch it, it has happened to me in the past that the solenoid doesnt fully close and the beer ended at 35F but with great results too. So my advice is that if its not broken do not try to fix it.
        Cheers
        Your math is wrong. The OP is correct. 12.6*P down to 5.5*P is 56% apparent attenuation. Not sure where you get 75% and 92% from.

        Jebzster has the right info. I would add to rouse your yeast a little with co2 during warming. The BRY-97 is a pretty aggressive yeast so it ought to kick back off for you.

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        • #5
          System Configuration

          Originally posted by ASB Anthony View Post
          We recently had our glycol system drained and had a few stubs put in for some future tanks. I suspect a pvc shard from drilling into our glycol lines found it's way into a solenoid for one of our fermenters and the result is a beer sitting at about 56% apparent attenuation at 29 degrees F. Has anyone experienced this and does anyone have any ideas for how to revive fermentation on this beer? I've never had much luck restarting fermentation on stuck beers. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. OG: 12.6 now sitting at 5.5. Lallemand BRY-97 at 68 (before tank crashed out)
          Where are your Wye Strainers?
          Warren Turner
          Industrial Engineering Technician
          HVACR-Electrical Systems Specialist
          Moab Brewery
          The Thought Police are Attempting to Suppress Free Speech and Sugar coat everything. This is both Cowardice and Treason given to their own kind.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by UnFermentable View Post
            Your math is wrong. The OP is correct. 12.6*P down to 5.5*P is 56% apparent attenuation. Not sure where you get 75% and 92% from. Jebzster has the right info. I would add to rouse your yeast a little with co2 during warming. The BRY-97 is a pretty aggressive yeast so it ought to kick back off for you.
            I get:
            Original Plato 12.60
            Final Plato 5.50
            Apparent Extract 7.10
            Real Extract 6.78
            ABW % 3.01
            ABV % 3.76
            Attenuation 56.35%

            So yeh, its gonna be off. Id dump then pitch fresh yeast after warming. OR at least rouse the yeast back into suspension.

            Make sure you have an inline strainer as stated. Also switch to motorized ball valves when possible.
            Brewmaster, Minocqua Brewing Company
            tbriggs@minocquabrewingcompany.com
            "Your results may vary"

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Starcat View Post
              Where are your Wye Strainers?
              Most loops I have encountered already in place tend to have only one wye strainer in the output side of the glycol unit, just post chiller. This is usually sufficient for 99% of operations since it is a "mostly" closed loop system (vented, but not open for debris), however if there is work done in the loop, post solenoid installation, then you have this case as a result. The shavings just jump to the next solenoid in line (key - if it is open allowing flow).

              The best way to avoid this issue is to close all manual valves that hopefully you have placed between the solenoids and the header pipe while doing the work. Then you cycle the header for a bit to strain the bits through the single wye strainer. Clean strainer (hopefully you valved it off for easy cleaning), open manual valves, and you are back in business. Crisis averted, minimal loss of glycol, and no big headaches.

              I myself have advocated for the actuated ball valves in many application because they have a much better flow-through. There are some negatives, one of which is power. The actuated ball valves will stop in position with a power failure, where solenoids have a fail-safe state (normally closed, or normally open). If your power to an actuated ball valve fails, you can typically manually open/close the valve, but you have to be physically present.

              Theoretically it could be possible to loose power to your tank controlling valves, while maintaining power to your circulation pump (not common). This could result in unwanted cooling of your tanks due to power failure, if you are equipped with actuated ball valves. If you have solenoids, they will achieve fail-safe state, stopping the flow of glycol (normally closed). One of the trade-offs. There are engineering solutions to using both, and ASCO's are just as reliable as Belimos when used in the proper configuration. I still tend to prefer the latter in most applications.

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              • #8
                In the end, did you manage to save everything?

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