Stuck lager fermentation

[KJ]

Brewed my first lager, an Oktoberfest. Ten gallon batch, 1.056 OG from BCS
Pitched a 4.5 L starter (starter fermented at 55 deg F for 5 days, then was crash cooled), when the wort was at 48 deg F.
Kept at 50 deg F for 4 weeks. SG was 1.032
Raised to 65 deg F for a diacetyl rest and to get the yeast kicking for 7 days
SG is now at 1.026 at almost 6 weeks.

What now? Pitch a new starter to reach FG? Rack and lager? Throw onto a pac-man yeast cake that is currently fermenting when it's done?

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

KJ

[brewinhard]

Hmmmmmm....tricky one. You should be done with fermentation by now especially after raising up the temps a bit. Have you tried swirling your fermenter to rouse the yeast and leave it at the warmer temps? You could try pitching an active starter at high krausen of another highly attenuating strain to help drop some more points down a bit.

Have your other batches finished with appropriate FG's before? Are you sure that your mash thermometer is properly calibrated as this could be a big culprit leaving you with a higher mash temp than desired and therefore a higher FG. Did you aerate enough when pitching your yeast?

[KJ]

I did swirl the carboys once I brought them out. I haven't had a problem with FGs before this one but all my other batches were ales. Haven't checked the thermometer but will do prior to my next brew day. Aerated with O2 for 1.5 min in each carboy.

Would you recommend using a lager yeast or ale yeast when repitching? If a lager yeast, do you run your lager starters at room temp? I do have a Dead Guy Clone finishing up this in the next 3-4 days. Pitch on top of this?

[ajdelange]

If you used the White Labs Octoberfest strain (and from your description it sounds as if you did) you are pretty much out of luck. I guess you could try repitching with a healthy starter made from the Wyeast Octoberfest strain and I guess that's what I'd do but I get nervous when a beer doesn't finish for a long time. Let's hope the pH reduction and alcohol that have been produced so far have suppressed the formation of bugs. Be sure to taste it before investing any more time and money in this batch.

[MightySteede]

I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if you had an luck saving this batch. I am currently going through the exact same problems.