Attenuation issue with Big Stout

Hello,

I am having my first real fermentation issue with a beer. I brewed a Russian Imperial Stout and had an OG of 1.102. After 2.5 weeks, I took a reading and it's only down to 1.044!

I think I know why but is there anything I can do at this point to help the situation. I listened to the Jamil Podcast and he said you can mash as high as 156 if you like a "chewy" big stout (which I do).

So I mashed at 156 and that's probably why it's not drying out enough. I'm definitely going to give it a couple more weeks but should I do anything else right now?

I did give the carboy a slight, gentle swirl yesterday to try and rouse the yeasties.

What would you do?

I definetly don't think the beer is finished, but the first thing to do is possibly warm up the fermenter and then swirl it around to rouse the yeast.

Can you post the recipe and the yeast strain used and amount of yeast pitched? Mashing at 156 shouldn't cause a huge problem here. I had a beer stall at 1.045 before, I warmed the fermenter and pitched a starter and reached my FG perfectly.

If warming, swirling and/or repitching don't solve the problem you can try a little amylase enzyme powder from your LHBS. I had a RIS stick at 1.040 and sprinkled a wee bit onto the top of the beer, swirled up some yeast -- down to 1.022 a week later.

Not saying it always works, but if there's any question about conversion the AE will break up any remaining long chains you have and will not convert EVERYTHING like Bean-o.

permo said:

I definetly don't think the beer is finished, but the first thing to do is possibly warm up the fermenter and then swirl it around to rouse the yeast.

Can you post the recipe and the yeast strain used and amount of yeast pitched? Mashing at 156 shouldn't cause a huge problem here. I had a beer stall at 1.045 before, I warmed the fermenter and pitched a starter and reached my FG perfectly.

Click to expand...

Grain Bill:

82.6 19.00 lbs. Pale Malt Halcyon Great Britain 1.038 3
2.2 0.50 lbs. CaraMunich Malt Belgium 1.033 75
4.3 1.00 lbs. Special B Malt Belgian 1.030 120
6.5 1.50 lbs. Roasted Barley America 1.028 450
2.2 0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt America 1.029 350
2.2 0.50 lbs. Chocolate Malt - Light Great Britain 1.034 200
2.0 lbs. DME

Pitched 2 Rehydrated Packets of S-05