So I searched for this and found thread after thread with people relying on airlock activity only... and the responses appropriately directs them to take hydrometer readings.
I, on the other hand brewed the schwarzbier from bcs. The predicted final gravity by the book, and by beersmith is 1013. It is the all grain version, mashed at 150ish, and I made an appropriately sized starter. I checked the gravity after a few weeks of fermentation and it was 1020. So I raised the temp up for the diacetyl rest. After a few days there I checked the gravity again. 1020 still. I roused the yeastand waited a week at 66 degrees. Checked it today and 1020 still. I did not and have never felt the need to do a force ferm test so I don't know if there are any fermentability issues.
My plan is to drop a packet of s05 in and see if I can get it to drop a few points and I'm doing a sanity check on this forum to see if there's anything wrong with that. I guess my biggest question is should I drop it back to lager temps and pitch a lager yeast or is s05 ok? There are no homebrew shops within 60 miles but the grocery store has a limited amount of supplies, including a couple dry yeast varieties, s05 being the only one I'd care to use from there. Sooo what say you.
I, on the other hand brewed the schwarzbier from bcs. The predicted final gravity by the book, and by beersmith is 1013. It is the all grain version, mashed at 150ish, and I made an appropriately sized starter. I checked the gravity after a few weeks of fermentation and it was 1020. So I raised the temp up for the diacetyl rest. After a few days there I checked the gravity again. 1020 still. I roused the yeastand waited a week at 66 degrees. Checked it today and 1020 still. I did not and have never felt the need to do a force ferm test so I don't know if there are any fermentability issues.
My plan is to drop a packet of s05 in and see if I can get it to drop a few points and I'm doing a sanity check on this forum to see if there's anything wrong with that. I guess my biggest question is should I drop it back to lager temps and pitch a lager yeast or is s05 ok? There are no homebrew shops within 60 miles but the grocery store has a limited amount of supplies, including a couple dry yeast varieties, s05 being the only one I'd care to use from there. Sooo what say you.