Slow/stuck fermentation?

I am having an issue with a holiday spice ale I brewed a couple of months ago. Original gravity was 1.080. It fermented quite well and after 1 1/2 weeks I transfered it to a glass carboy for secondary/aging. After 6 weeks I am still at 1.045. There is still a little activity in my airlock and it ocasionally bubbles but no noticeable difference in gravity over the past 2 weeks. My question is, is this normal or am I gonna have to do something to save it? I have considered a couple of options, such as re-pitching some fresh yeast, or adding a couple cups of another batch I have brewing to introduce some yeast that has built up an alcohol tolerance. I am open to other suggestions. I really don't feel like dumping it.

Chances are that at this point it's probably done, 1.080-1.045 is nothing to scoff at either for ABV. (about 4.6%)

First, before you do anything else, do a taste test. It will probably just taste like flat (slightly sweet) beer. Which given that it's a holiday spice ale can be a desirable characteristic. If you like how it tastes disregard everything else and just bottle it.

Next, I'd double check to make sure your reading your hydrometer correctly, not accusing you of anything, but it wouldn't be the first time someone posted about this only to realize they made an easy mistake and scared themselves for nothing.
I only mention this because I've done brews with a LOT of fermentables (upwards of 9lbs of malt/grains/honey/sugars in a 5 gal batch)and I've never gotten anything higher than 1.068 as my OG.

If those measurements are indeed correct, the first thing I'd try doing to restart fermentation is gently swirling the carboy in order to raise dormant yeast from the bottom and then elevating the temperature into the high 60s to encourage activity. Wait a few days and do another reading.

If that doesn't work I'd probably just declare it done and bottle it as long as it tastes good.

But if your dead-set on adding yeast though, don't cross-contaminate brews, if anything add another yeast packet of the same strain.

I would be hesitant to bottle anything that is 1.045 without nailing down WHY it is 1.045. That just sounds like the perfect recipe for bottle bombs. You wouldn't happen to have a keg would you?

I wanna just nip this in the bud before someone passes this information on to someone else.

Andrew5329 said:

Chances are that at this point it's probably done, 1.080-1.045 is nothing to scoff at either for ABV. (about 4.6%)

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1.080 to 1.045 is a mere 43% attenuation. Alcohol production is not the only concern here (it is usually my LAST concern). With a FG of 1.045, you're asking for both a ridiculously cloyingly sweet beer and for the possibility of bottle bombs. Neither of which are desirable.

Andrew5329 said:

First, before you do anything else, do a taste test. It will probably just taste like flat (slightly sweet) beer. Which given that it's a holiday spice ale can be a desirable characteristic. If you like how it tastes disregard everything else and just bottle it.

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Again, 1.045 is not "slightly sweet", it is like drinking wort straight out of the kettle from a normal OG brew. 1.020 is what I consider "slightly sweet".

Andrew5329 said:

But if your dead-set on adding yeast though, don't cross-contaminate brews, if anything add another yeast packet of the same strain.

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If the OP does repitch (and he should), he is going to need A LOT of yeast, and most likely need a "super strain" like San Diego Super or a champagne yeast to get a fermentation started in it's current environment.


All that being said, to the OP:
Hindsight is 20/20. You should have took a gravity reading before you transferred to a secondary. 1.5 weeks is not nearly enough for a big beer to finish. Secondary is for aging/clearing, not fermentation. Pitch a HUGE starter of a clean ale yeast (or transfer it to the slurry from your other brew) to dry it out before bottling, and don't rack it off the yeast after 10 days, you'll be okay.

Cheers!

I have tasted it and it is still very sweet, but tastes good. I was gonna bottle it when it finished, but as you guys said, bottle bombs are not something I want to experience.

Transfering it too early was a newbie mistake that I wont make again.

Swirling the carboy was one of the first things I tried, and it did not restart fermentation.

I do have a keg, but was hoping to bottle since a beer of this type is not one I would want to drink all day long.

As far as my readings go, the OG may be off since I only took it once, but the current reading has been taken 3 times with the same result.

I guess I will be ordering some extra yeast and some DME with my next kit to make a starter. If I had a brew store close, I would probably do it today.

Thanks for the timely feedback guys.

Well, I bought some DME and yeast, and made up a half gallon starter. When I went to add it to my fermenter, it was bubbling along like it was in it's first couple days of fermenting. Still not sure what happened, but I'm not gonna complain. Thanks again for the help.