Final gravity too high?

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neuron555

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The saga of my Belgian Tripel continues. I started 7 weeks ago with an OG of 1.104. It stalled out at 1.060 after 2 weeks, then dropped to 1.050 in another couple weeks after shaking up the bucket. I took it off the trub (after the guy at my LHBS went ballistic for me leaving in the primary 4 weeks) and repitched another yeast starter. I got more fermentation, but now I am at 1.032 and have been there for a week.

On the one hand, this gives an ABV of 10-11% which is probably right for the style, but the FG seems higher than it should be. It tastes good though sweet. should I go ahead and bottle (it's been in secondary for 10 days) or do anything else?

The recipe was:
1/2 lb Belgian biscuit
13 lbs German Pils LME
2 lbs candi sugar
WLP530 - twice

Any thoughts?
 
Are you sure your hydrometer is accurate? Both you SG & FG are high so it might be off. Test it in water and see if it is 1.000. In any case, if your FG stays the same for a couple days I would bottle.
 
what did the recipe estimate your FG to be? anywhere close to 1.030?

don't worry about the LHBS guy. 4 weeks shouldn't be a problem in primary. Over 2 months, you might wanna worry about yeast die off/autolysis.
 
I thought of the hydrometer but i checked it and it reads 1.000 in water. Unfortunately the recipe didn't list a predicted FG. Since it was mostly LME I figured there wouldn't be too many unfermentables.

The guy at the LHBS went nuts and wouldn't even let me discuss the rationale from the various threads on this site. I ended up going to another store to get the second batch of yeast.
 
sounds like that LHBS isn't worth going to.

I think LME can become less fermentable if it gets too old. I know a few guys on the board here have has issues with a DME brand...Lallemander...or something like that.

you can always get your FG estimate by just taking OG and multiply by .25 (25% basically).
so somewhere around 1.027 is an estimated FG for such a big brew.
 
Pitch another starter. I've had to repitch my quadruppel twice thus far (1.107>1.056, 1.056>1.045, 1.045>1.036). Been using WLP530, too. This time around though I think WLP099 is in order. I want this baby done. Brew day was 8/26!
 
I plugged your numbers into Recipator, and your OG is dead-nuts on at 1.104. A little high for the style, but not bad. The final gravity for the style is 1.016-1.024. I I think your FG of 1.032 is pretty good, considering you started high to begin with. With a SG of over 1.100 like you had, I'd take your Fg and run with it. it's going to finish sweet, because the FG is going to be high. I think you finished out nicely.:mug:
 
Thanks for the feedback. I thought I would toss in some WLP715 just to see if there is anything fermentable left, but even it there isn't, it should turn out pretty good.
 
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