San Diego Super Yeast WLP090 FG too high?

Brewed a nice APA recipe (Tiny Bottom Pale Ale - I think the creator is on this forum). Used WLP090 - I'm using a swamp cooler to keep temps in the 60's. Went from 1.052 to 1.015 in 3 days. Then the next 10 days, went from 1.015 to 1.014 only. Keeps bubbling slowly, but maybe that's just gas releasing. The recipe and Beersmith indicates this should finish around 1.010/11. Tastes good, but a tad sweet to me. Used a 1.5L starter. I've also been rousing the yeast by gently rocking the carboy to bring some in suspension the last few days.

What do you think happened here? Is there anything I can do to finish this better, or should I just keg it?

Thanks,
Mark

Last time I used it it finished at 1.005, but there are just too many variables for comparison. I'd say let the beer rise to lower 70's (house ambient?) and rouse one more time. You get a diacetyl rest (though you shouldn't need one) and a chance to see if it kicks in again. If not, I'd say it's done.

I'm new to brewing but my last batch, a rye IPA, I used San Diego Super. OG was 1064 and it only fell to 1017. All the guys on here said it didn't finish and maybe it didn't, but it's been bottled for a few weeks with no bombs, good level of carbonation and tasted excellent last week. Just my 2¢

I've used WLP090 a couple of times and have had issues with it not finishing. I'm giving it one more shot and if it fails, there's one less yeast to worry about.

what was the grain bill that you used? how much crystal/caramel malts?

Yea, recipe is important. I've never had 090 peter out on me- my IIPA typically finishes fermenting in about 3 days. Are you using oxygen? If you want this yeast to ferment fast and clean as advertised you need to treat it right.

Here's the grain bill (5.5G batch)

8 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row), Rahr (1.9 SRM) 78.2%
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 15L (15.0 SRM) 6.9%
12.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) 6.9%
9.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) 5.2%
5.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) 2.9%

I did oxygenate with oxygen tank and stone. I've just moved it out of the cooler and into the low 70's room temp, and roused the yeast quite a bit by sticking the end of my stirring spoon in there and stirring it up! I'll report back. Thanks for the comments!

I have a Black IPA going for 5 days now using San Diego Super Yeast. It was a 10 gal recipe with 1 pound carafa 2 special, 1 pound C/C 60L, 1 pound midnight wheat. Hopefully i can knock it down to 1.012 from 1.079. My last few beers have all finished higher than I would have liked and it would be nice to finally get a beer down to at least the low teens.

Are you using a refractometer?

Not a refractometer, but I am using a new more accurate hydrometer. It was $20 and marked from .0980 to 1.020.

Grain bill looks good, what temp did you mash at? I wouldn't be very upset with a FG of 1.014, fermented in the 60's it sounds delicious! I'll be ordering a vial of the super yeast next time I place one, and am going to try making a Stone IPA clone with it. I can't wait!

peri', I mashed at 152. Just checked (6/24) and it's now at 1.013. Lock still slowly bubbling (once a min). I think I'll rouse again and see if I can get another point or two lower and call it done in a day or two. Thanks for the input!

Well, I finally kegged this at 1.012. Can't complain too much about that. Lesson learned is that this yeast WLP090 is a bit touchy. The day before I brewed this I was in a class at Northern Brewer listening to Neva from White Labs talk about yeast. I asked her about WLP090 and she said that it really likes oxygen. I did oxygenate, but this time I forgot and remembered to do it about 30-60 mins after I had pitched. So I got out my tank and stone and blasted the wort for a min or so. Don't know if that made any difference - I usually oxygenate prior to pitching. Might be worth another try. The beer tastes good, though and I imagine will only get better with a little time and some carb bite! Thanks again for your comments!

Yesterday I brewed my Stone IPA clone with Super Yeast (I know - Stone doesn't use WLP090, they use their own proprietary yeast). OG was 1.065, pitched a nice sized starter into the oxygenated wort once the temp hit 65 degrees. It took me a little while to get it all the way down to 65 due to the extreme heat here. But noticeable signs of fermenting after just a few hours at that temp. It's been exactly 24 hrs since pitching and has just blown off. I haven't had too many blowoffs ever since I was able to control my ferm temps, which are usually between 60 and 65.

Only thing that went wrong is that I mashed at 152-153 when I meant to mash at 149-150. (That's what happens when you have new brew buddies over...) Not going to sweat it too much, I'm hoping the gravity still gets into the low 1.01's.

Hopefully the beer turns out great and I'll wash the yeast for future batches!