Super-duper-high FG. I feel like a N00b.

Damnit, you'd think, after this much experience, I'd be over this crap, but I guess you're never too experienced to be a n00b.

On Saturday, I brewed a couple batches, one of which was a Partial Mash double IPA. OG @ 1.094. Approximately 31% of the malt bill was DME. 44% was Maris Otter. Victory and Biscuit made up 12.5% each.

I aerated as usual and pitched Nottingham, which, in my experience, is pretty high-attenuating. By next morning, it was bubbling away. It proceeded to get really violent, swirling around like crazy, as is sometimes the case. I figured, hey, this fermentation is going well. Then yesterday it pretty much stopped, the krausen fell, and it's bubbling very, very slowly. So last night, I took gravity readings on 4 of my current brews. The Stone VE was down in the low 20's. Good'nuff. The Smoked Porter had dropped about 8 or 9 points in secondary. Very good. The Rochefort 10 was down 1.020. Again, good stuff. The Double IPA? 1.039. WTF? It's been awhile since I used it (or any dry yeast for that matter), but I've never had Nottingham attenuate that low before. I mean, I know it's not completely finished just yet, but it's pretty much done...there's no visible activity in the wort, meaning, there's no way I'm gonna carve another 25 points out of there.

I did a single infusion mash between 148 and 152 for 60 minutes, then brought it up to 158 to complete the conversion (iodine test was good). So what might be accounting for this? The Laaglander (the only DME I had on hand)? And what are my options. I mean, I can deal with a beer in the low 30's if it's a big stout or something and I've added maltodextrin or carapils, but...an IPA...damn near 1.040? Unh unh. Nope. Gotta fix that.

Laaglander is notoriously low-attenuating. I's conceivable you could be done, or close to it. What was the temp on your PM?

FWIW, my DIPA (AG, also brewed Sat, also 1.094 OG) is stuck at 1.064. So count your blessings.

Yeah, I know, Laaglander is no good. But to be that high? Whew. I've used Laaglander before and had high fg, but not this bad (and certainly not 64!!)

Evan! said:

(and certainly not 64!!)

Click to expand...

Tell me about it. It's not really "stuck", but nowhere near the activity it should ahve for as high as it is. I agitated and warmed it a little, and things are picking up. Backup yeast at the ready, just in case...

I would expect the IPA to go to 1.025 or so, which isn't too much further and to have a high gravity ale slow down towards the end isn't unusual.

With 31% Laaglander, though, you might be nearing the end. I've taken a vow never to touch the stuff, just because I'd hate to end up in a situation just like Evan's where its the only thing I have on hand, then use it where I shouldn't. Good luck to you Evan, let us know low it gets after another week or so!

Yeah...with 107+ IBU, I'm thinking it'll still be pretty balanced if it makes it into the 20's. I just freak out when I see it sink down to 40.

Yeah, I'm never buying laaglander again. Muntons it is...or I'll just get the bulk LME from Listermann, which seems to have a high fermentables ratio. In reality, the reason I used all that Laaglander is because someone gave it to me. Oh well.

maybe it will need two or three weeks in primary to be done. i'd just let it sit a spell.