High FG in a Milk Stout

After the second quit bubbling 2 days ago, I checked the FG and it is 1.028. Supposed to be 1.020 - 1.024. Suggestions? Thanks!!!

Let it go for another week or so and check again. I'm assuming you mean the secondary "fermentation" chamber. All fermentation should be completed in the primary. The secondary is really for clearing.

I don't bottle mine until the FG hasn't changed for several days to weeks and is close to my projected FG.

But, I'm no expert brewmaster either.

How much lactose did you add? More lactose will make your FG higher.

KBrew75 said:

Let it go for another week or so and check again. I'm assuming you mean the secondary "fermentation" chamber. All fermentation should be completed in the primary. The secondary is really for clearing.

I don't bottle mine until the FG hasn't changed for several days to weeks and is close to my projected FG.

But, I'm no expert brewmaster either.

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It did kick off bubbling for a couple days after transferring to the secondary. It had quit for about 36 hours when I transferred. Did I transfer too early?

dfc said:

How much lactose did you add? More lactose will make your FG higher.

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Just used the package that came in the Brewers Best kit.

Bubbling does not equal fermentation! I primary for 3-4 weeks. I only secondary for aging

JTMavs said:

It did kick off bubbling for a couple days after transferring to the secondary. It had quit for about 36 hours when I transferred. Did I transfer too early?

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you can't judge fermentation from the air lock you need to check with a hydrometer and get the same reading over three days. If the fermentation was not complete then yes it was too early.

bribo179 said:

Bubbling does not equal fermentation! I primary for 3-4 weeks. I only secondary for aging

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Would you add flavoring such as chocolate during the aging? Do you use an airlock while aging?

JTMavs said:

Would you add flavoring such as chocolate during the aging? Do you use an airlock while aging?

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Yes and yes

This is great info. Question now becomes, how do I save this batch? Is it ruined or will it just have a lower AUV (right now 4.33%)? I plan on seeing how the Fg reads for the next few days to see if it changes.

bribo179 said:

Yes and yes

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Where you at in Illinois bribo?

Springfield

I am just north of you in the Peoria area. I will be in Springfield next couple days for work!!!

JTMavs said:

This is great info. Question now becomes, how do I save this batch? Is it ruined or will it just have a lower AUV (right now 4.33%)? I plan on seeing how the Fg reads for the next few days to see if it changes.

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First off, relax... you did not "ruin" your beer. It may not turn out QUITE as good as it could have, but the early transfer is certainly not the end of the world. Since it is already transferred to the secondary, there is nothing else you can do to "fix" it except give it time. Raising the temperature a few degrees (to 72 degrees F or so) will help whatever yeast made the trip into secondary finish the fermentation, but this process will take longer due to the significantly reduced volume of yeast in the beer. I suggest ignoring the secondary for 2 weeks, and rechecking the gravity. It may drop those last few points, or it may not.

Worst case scenario is that you have a slightly sweeter brew with a slightly lower alcohol percentage. Since it is a milk stout, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Chalk it up to learning, drink them as a dessert beer after dinner, and all will be well.

In the future to avoid this problem, try to ignore the airlock and use gravity readings instead. The airlock may be a tool to tell you it is time to take a gravity reading, but it is certainly NOT a tool to tell you when fermentation is complete. That is what the hydrometer is for. It is extremely easy to fall into the trap of assuming that airlock activity is equal to fermentation activity, when that is simply not the case. When the airlock stops burping, we THINK fermentation is complete. When we take a gravity reading, we can KNOW that fermentation is complete.

RDWHAHB!!!

I generally pitch a beer, seal it up, and dont even crack the lid for two weeks, regardless of airlock activity.

The only thing I use the airlock for is to vent gas.


Are you in the Peoria brew club?

You are exactly right when you say I fell into the burping trap! I assumed you should not take the lid off the fermenting bucket to take the readings. I have a Wiezenbier frementing right now and will take everyone's advice to heart! thanks to all of you for your help!!! good Brewing to you all!!!

Its perfectly fine to open the bucket lid. The bogie man won't jump out and get you.

A milk stout may possibly be done at 1.028. Give it some more time but if it does not drop then it is done.

You could also use the white labs version.

It will restart fermintaion and drop the fg near .05 the sweetness will be gone. but it will not be a milk stout, more like a Dry stout.

I just did a cream stout in February. O.G. 1.061 F.G 1.027. So mine was higher than I expected too, but it was really done. And it tasted great. So I wouldn't sweat it. I figured the higher F. G. was cuz my minimash was too warm and I wasn't too careful measuring my lactose. As others had said RDWHAHB.

bribo179 said:

I generally pitch a beer, seal it up, and dont even crack the lid for two weeks, regardless of airlock activity.

The only thing I use the airlock for is to vent gas.


Are you in the Peoria brew club?

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Just really getting into this and didn't know there was one. I'll have to check it out!