JMSetzler
Well-Known Member
I brewed an all-grain imperial stout recently that had an OG of 1.097. I racked it to secondary today (spent 19 days in primary) and when I took my gravity reading, I am getting 1.042, which is an apparent attenuation of about 54%. I used a 1.5L starter of Safale S-05. The starter spent 2.5 days on a stir plate prior to pitching. My wort was sufficiently aerated prior to pitching, and the yeast was pitched at 68 degrees. I was expecting to ferment down to somewhere between 1.025 and 1.030.
I racked this beer to secondary today. I moved it into a room where the temperature is a little warmer. The first 19 days in primary was at a temperature of between 61 and 63 degrees. Today, I moved it upstairs into a room where the temperature hovers around 70 degrees. Hopefully the agitation of racking and the warmer temperature will kick start the yeast and give me a little more fermentation. I will check the gravity again in about a week to see if any additional fermentation has happened.
If, after a week, I haven't seen any additional fermentation, should I try to pitch more yeast? In my previous experience, I have never seen any useful benefit of pitching more yeast to a wort that hasn't fermented out completely. I can't really come up with any ideas as to why this beer hasn't fermented out completely. I paid close attention to details with my yeast starter, aeration, and pitching temperature. What have I missed?
I racked this beer to secondary today. I moved it into a room where the temperature is a little warmer. The first 19 days in primary was at a temperature of between 61 and 63 degrees. Today, I moved it upstairs into a room where the temperature hovers around 70 degrees. Hopefully the agitation of racking and the warmer temperature will kick start the yeast and give me a little more fermentation. I will check the gravity again in about a week to see if any additional fermentation has happened.
If, after a week, I haven't seen any additional fermentation, should I try to pitch more yeast? In my previous experience, I have never seen any useful benefit of pitching more yeast to a wort that hasn't fermented out completely. I can't really come up with any ideas as to why this beer hasn't fermented out completely. I paid close attention to details with my yeast starter, aeration, and pitching temperature. What have I missed?