Maibock won't quit it....

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clevelandsteamer

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Hey all. I am a casual brewer working on my sixth beer... a nontraditional maibock that uses ale yeast. I borrowed from a recipe in BYO magazine and pitched some Rogue PacMan which I cultivated from a growler of Dead Guy Ale.

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.064 FG = 1.016
IBU = 25 SRM = 9 ABV = 6.2%

Ingredients

9.66 lbs. (4.4 kg) Weyermann Bavarian
Maibock liquid malt extract
6.75 AA Hallertauer Mittelfrüh (1.7 oz or ~50 g at 4% alpha acid)
1 oz. (28 g) Hersbrucker (flavor/aroma)
PacMan Ale Yeast (Wyeast 1764)

It has been fermenting for about five weeks... (no secondary) and its gravity readings are starting to freak me out. According to my recipe my final gravity was supposed to be 1.016 but I am already down to 1.009 and its showing no real sign of stopping. I am fermenting in a glass carboy at 68 degrees and I have not noticed any slowing of the bubbles coming out of my airlock. Is there any way to help this thing along? I need to bottle it so i can get my next batch going... Thanks
 
I have an IPA that's going on about a week and a half in primary, 1.067 OG and also using Pacman. Airlock is still chugging along as it was the second day, and when I opened it up to take a gravity reading it still had a huge krausen, so I just said forget it and sealed it back up. I know Pacman is supposed to have really high attenuation, so if I was in your place I'd just let it ride for another week and check the gravity again then.
 
Pacman is monster yeast. Even in recipes where I used a lot of crystal malts the batches still finished really low. The Rogue Red clone I just did was really thin at first but rounded out a bit after a month or two so at this point all you can really do is give it time.
 
Since you need the fermenting vessel, I'd raise the temp to help it finish up. You aren't going to get fusels at this point.
 
Another possibility with over attenuating beers is infection.
Pacman is a beast, so maybe it's still working, but check for a pellicle, off smell, or off taste too.
 
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