Gravity/ fermentation problem

[Jason Halter]

I have a batch in the secondary. I used WL008 East coast ale. Primary for 7 days and it seemed like it was finished. So i racked to secondary and when i racked, i used my hydrometer and found that it was only @ 1.020. The original gravity was 1.038. After two weeks in the secondary it is still @ 1.020. I used some knox gellatine in the secondary when i racked. Is it still possible to get it down to a better level?

Should i use some more yeast? Does the gellatine totally freeze the yeast in the secondary? Help...

 

[Castle Meadow Brewery]

What temperature did you ferment at? I tried to do a Hacker-Pschorr Amber Marzen (lager) as an ale using WL1338 Euro Ale yeast @ 60° which was the very bottom of the acceptable fermentation temperature scale. Well the weather changed halfway through my primary and my basement never saw anything above 56° which brought the whole process to a screeching halt. I only realized this after I racked to my secondary and then took my gravity reading which didn't move for 2 weeks. I brought the carboys upstairs and pitched another shot of yeast in a warmer climate (65°). I was able to squeak the last points out and get down to my final gravity. So... after a long explanation here, just pitch more yeast. It can't hurt.
As for the gelatin question though. I've never heard of gelatin stopping yeast production. I'm going to the home brew store today. I'll ask some of the people around there.

 

[zoebisch01]

I have never used Gelatin, but I wonder if that is changing your gravity reading? Now that I think about it, it probably wasn't a significant amount to do anything. What was the temperature of the sample of beer? Your gravity is a temperature dependent measurement. At lower temperatures than your Hydrometer's calibration temp (usually 60 or 68 F) it is actually lower and at higher temperatures it is actually higher than the measured reading.

 

[david_42]

The gelatin knocked out all of the remaining yeast. You'll have to re-pitch.

In the future, add the gelatin 2-4 days before racking to the bottling bucket.

 

[zoebisch01]

The gelatin knocked out all of the remaining yeast. You'll have to re-pitch.

In the future, add the gelatin 2-4 days before racking to the bottling bucket.

Ahh, you mean it pulled the yeast out of suspension? I guess that makes sense.

 

[Jason Halter]

I don't have a temp. gauge on the carbouy, but it is quite chilly in the basement. I did move the carbouy over to between the furnace and the hot water tank to see if that changes anything. I don't want to add more yeast... I checked palmer's temp. correction chart, but I think I need to get a few more points down before bottling. If no more points drop by A few days then I'll add more yeast. Pretty much have no other option...

 

[zoebisch01]

I don't have a temp. gauge on the carbouy, but it is quite chilly in the basement. I did move the carbouy over to between the furnace and the hot water tank to see if that changes anything. I don't want to add more yeast... I checked palmer's temp. correction chart, but I think I need to get a few more points down before bottling. If no more points drop by A few days then I'll add more yeast. Pretty much have no other option...

Yeah after thinking this over a bit, there is probably no way you'd be off by all that much due to a temperature correction. It can account for some errors in gravity but they are small amounts (especially when correcting upwards from colder temperatures the significance is almost nothing). I would follow david's advice and repitch.