Finished high- pitched more- now what?

I brewed an all-grain English Oatmeal Brown Ale (NB's Surly Bender recipe) with an OG of 1.053. I racked (perhaps a bit early) after 8 days because fermentation had stopped. After another week in the secondary, it had not dropped lower than 1.020.

I contacted NB and after warming and rousing the yeast, they suggested pitching some more yeast. So I made a big starter of WLP001 for my next batch and pitched some into this brew. After another 9 days, it's only down to 1.019.

Did I mash too high and get too many unfermentables? Or is there something I can do to get the gravity down?

Thanks!

If you mashed at 158F+ you might have a very dextrinous wort and pitching more sach. yeast won't help. Only amylase enzyme would work in this case, but that is unpredictable. Is your thermometer calibrated?

If you just racked too early, pitching a large actively fermenting (high krausen) starter might get you down a few more points.

Why use a secondary? Really an out-dated concept and provides almost no benefit if not using it for long term storage (several months or more). The possible downsides are many, as you are learning.

What was your mash temp? for how long? what did you ferment at? and keep your beer in primary longer next time, give them a chance to do their job. after terminal gravity is hit (never move your beer until then) leave it on a little bit longer for them to clean up after themselves

I ended up mashing close to 160- I think it was 158 to be exact. Too high, I know. I mashed for 60 minutes. This was my first AG (a BIAB), but I've since built a MLT.

ProfessorBrew said:

I ended up mashing close to 160- I think it was 158 to be exact. Too high, I know. I mashed for 60 minutes. This was my first AG (a BIAB), but I've since built a MLT.

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I've had oatmeal stouts at 1.022 when I mashed at 156. I'd call this beer finished, and package it.

ProfessorBrew said:

I ended up mashing close to 160- I think it was 158 to be exact.

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There's your answer. Pitching more yeast is a waste of $$$