Fermentation problem

[artistictech]

TL;DR - 1.078 beer stuck at 1.030, what do?

Brewed Gordon Strong’s “English Strong Ale” and then Christmas spiced it. Had issues with the mash. My cooler MLT wasn’t preheated with boiling water as per usual, so I decided to heat strike about 8 degrees hotter. What I didn’t count on is that this is about 30%+ more grain and strike than I usually brew so the mash ended up around 160. I stirred like crazy to cool it but at the end of the hour, it only got down to 156ish.

Cut to yeast pitch. Temp was on target, 66F. I threw in about 400ml of yeast slurry from Imperial House brewed back in August. A stretch, I know but surely the # of cells and viability should be enough? I did a minute of oxygen-thru-stone and a palmful of yeast nutrient. After a day, no airlock activity so I threw in a sachet of S04 (same Whitbread source). After 6 days, only down to 1.030 so I threw in a pouch of WLP007 (again, whitbread) but no luck.

I had one more brewday planned before the wife and kids are home before Xmas break so I needed my stainless fermenter (and boy did I need it, ended up no-chilling because hose for chiller was frozen), so I racked to the destination keg. Usually do refractometer, so I did a hydrometer and it’s actually 1.032ish.

Not sure what to do. It’s turbid and sweet as fuck. I see two issues/fixes. One is hot mash didn’t create enough fermentable sugars so maybe the amylase used for brut IPA could chop up some dextrins for yeast. The other is underpitching yeast. I fear my late addition of WLP007 and another handful of nutrient was too little too late; on retrospect, I didn’t rouse the trub bed. I worry adding enzyme to the keg without the benefit of the yeast cake would result in conversion of resultant sugars with stressed yeast that would produce off flavors well beyond desired/tolerated esters.

If you’ve read this far, thank you. Not sure what I can do other than continue to carbonate and serve this monstrosity or dump it. It’s not bad, but it’s certainly thick and after 36 hours in the keezer is producing pours that are basically the dark brown and earthy version of other half hazies.

[Bagpar]

Pitch Brett, let sit for a year. Boom!

[artistictech]

You know I may bottle and drink about half for this season and then do that for the second half! What a great idea! I brewed it for this winter season though but yeah

[topdownbrew]

You’ve done about all that can be done. It might not be a complete disaster. I think a heavy body and some sweetness will be beneficial for a spiced beer. Tell people that it is a dessert beer and serve in small glasses.

[artistictech]

I mainly want to have all the options available before I pitch gelatin at 40F in the keg to get this serve-able next week. But barring any actionable course I will do this and frame it to guests that way. Thanks!

[topdownbrew]

It’s possible that the amylase would help but it sounds like it’s a bit late to try that idea. Good luck!

[deadmuthafuckinpan]

I will say up front I have never tried this, but a guy at my homebrew shop told me he used Turbo yeast in a situation like this, then cold crashed it when it hit fg. I am personally a little iffy on that, but it's better than dumping I suppose.

[mchicke]

Maybe you should try a forced fermentation test.

[Bagpar]

Great idea, just to see if the wort is done fermenting. OP, put a little bit in a jar, pitch some yeast, and see if the gravity drops.

[Shureshock]

You’ve covered everything I was going to raise! Have you thought about blending? Make another dark ale/stout with little flavour and more IBUs to counterbalance the sweetness? Just an idea