Input on Final Gravity reading - time to bottle?

I know that you should take hydrometer readings to determine if the beer is done attenuating. A couple weeks ago I made a Belgian strong ale and here's what I had for gravity readings.

OG: 1.082

After one week of fermentation: 1.028-1.030

After two weeks of fermentation (today): 1.020

What I'm wondering is if I should make my priming solution and get ready to bottle tomorrow or if I should try to see if it will attenuate lower to somewhere between 1.010 and 1.015. Can anyone offer me any input on this? Sure, I could let it sit another week, but it might only move another couple points, if that.

Thanks for the input, guys. This is my first higher ABV beer, so I want to do it right.

Edit: This is using Wyeast Belgian Wheat.

I personally would wait longer due to the higher gravity OG.

Remember that high gravity takes longer and you want the yeast to clean up too so wait another week.

Do I have to factor in the efficiency of that brew? In this case, it was 62% or so. I probably should've posted this before I put the yeast in my krausen starter...but is it possible to put that starter in the fridge to keep the yeast dormant or slowed down until another week passes on this baby?

On the plus side, this brew is delicious!

The correct answer is on the yeast package...check attenutation percentage...yours is 73-77%.

Most brews attenutate in the 75% range (BINGO!!). This is my usual starting point.

Since your OG was 82 divide that by 4 = 20. If your FG is 1.020 then it's done fermenting.

homebrewer_99 said:

The correct answer is on the yeast package...check attenutation percentage...yours is 73-77%.

Most brews attenutate in the 75% range (BINGO!!). This is my usual starting point.

Since your OG was 82 divide that by 4 = 20. If your FG is 1.020 then it's done fermenting.

Click to expand...

Hey, thanks. I figured it had attenuated about as well as it's going to. Is it necessary to have the beer sit for another week, or can any of that cleanup and conditioning be accomplished during bottle conditioning? FWIW, I'm using the krausening method for carbing, and last time I used that, it cleaned up the beer a bit.

Edit: When I took my sample for testing gravity, I noticed that there was a lot of bubbles floating to the top. Does that mean the yeast isn't done somehow or is that to be expected?

No, it's not necessary to let your brew sit another week or so.

Normally I would recommend it to clean up some of the yeast (allow the yeast to fall out some more), but since you are kreusening (priming with gyle) it won't be necessary.

The bubbles are just outgassing from the yeast. Quite normal, nothing to worry about.

Since it is a high gravity beer I would probably recommend about a 6 month wait for the brew to be ready...but we all know you won't wait that long...

homebrewer_99 said:

The correct answer is on the yeast package...check attenutation percentage...yours is 73-77%.

Most brews attenutate in the 75% range (BINGO!!). This is my usual starting point.

Since your OG was 82 divide that by 4 = 20. If your FG is 1.020 then it's done fermenting.

Click to expand...

No offense, but I would never follow this advice. It's a general guideline, but not a rule. I have had yeasts that say 75% attenuation ferment to 83%.

Use your hydrometer.

I would say that time is your friend in any situation where attenuation is a concern. I've let average beers sit in primary for a month just to make sure they were done. Bigger beers can take even longer.
I've got a big Belgian now that was in primary four weeks and still in secondary four weeks after that.
With a beer of OG .082, I'd probably let it go at least another two weeks. Start something else while you're waiting to take your mind off it.

homebrewer_99 said:

Since it is a high gravity beer I would probably recommend about a 6 month wait for the brew to be ready...but we all know you won't wait that long...

Click to expand...

Hahah, sadly, you've got that one right. However, in order to protect my beer from myself, I'm going to put some in a few wine bottles so that I'll be forced to store them for a while...I mean, how many good occasions can I really encounter to justify cracking open one of those babies? :cross:

Oh I dunno, you could open one to celebrate a special occasion, like the fall of communism or the fact that the refrigerator is still working.