Final Gravity

I am in the process of making my first lager, a Dopplebock. It has been fermenting for almost 5 weeks at 43 degrees F. The recipe called for fermenting for four weeks and thefinal gravity is supposed to be 1.020. I have checked it twice in the past four days, and the current gravity is is holding at 1.030. Should I go ahead and bottle it?

I would warm it up a bit, to say 50f and see if it goes down some.

No, don't bottle it at 1.030. What yeast did you use? Usually, I ferment 2 weeks or so at 50 degrees, and then (if not doing a diacetly rest), rack into the carboy and keep it around 50 degrees for a couple of weeks, and then slowing lower the temperature over the period of a week or so until it's at 34 degrees. I then lager it there for about 4 weeks.

So, depending on the yeast you used, you might have not kept it warm enough to finish fermentation before you started the lagering process.

kdsarch said:

I am in the process of making my first lager, a Dopplebock. It has been fermenting for almost 5 weeks at 43 degrees F. The recipe called for fermenting for four weeks and thefinal gravity is supposed to be 1.020. I have checked it twice in the past four days, and the current gravity is is holding at 1.030. Should I go ahead and bottle it?

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Yep, lagers are notorious for this. That's why I started to swear by the forced ferment test to determine the limit of attenuation.

For now, follow the suggestion of the others and warm it up to get the fermentation going again. Next time try the FFT and you won't have to guess anymore.

Kai