Possible stuck fermintation

Hi all.

Just a little background first. This is my second batch. Irish Stout, Draught.

The recipe:
Starting Gravity: 1.054+/-
Terminal Gravity: 1.011 to 1.018
Alcohol 4.0 +/-
Color Rating: 50
IBU: 44
5lbs Dark DME
2c Chocolate Malt
2c Crystal Malt - 120L
2c Flaked Barley
1c Roasted Barley
1.5 oz Centennial pellet hops - 8.5 alpha

Steeped specialty malts for 30 minutes. Added DME and brought to a boil. Added hops, boiled 35 minutes then added whirfloc tablet and boiled another 10 minutes. Cooled to 71 degrees and poured into fermenter. Topped off to 5 gallons, stirred vigorously and pitched rehydrated Windsor yeast.

My second batch has been in primary now for a week. The FG is 1.024. The recipe calls for 1.011 to 1.018. My first batch was made using the same kit and it finished at 1.022. When it came out a bit high I assumed I had done something wrong and caused it. But this time everything seemed to go right.

Any ideas as to why my FG is so high or is it close enough to not worry about?

Thanks for any and all advice you can give me.

Try giving it a bit more time. Even though the fermentation may have visibly subsided, it might not be fully done. Another full week or more in primary won't hurt anything. If it doesn't finish lower, then you will most likely need to re-pitch some new yeast.

Are you kegging or bottling? If bottling, then you definately do not want to do so with that high of a FG. From what I found via google and here on HBT, Windsor yeast does not attenuate as fully as some other types. You might consider using a different yeast in the future.

Try giving it a bit more time. Even though the fermentation may have visibly subsided, it might not be fully done. Another full week or more in primary won't hurt anything. If it doesn't finish lower, then you will most likely need to re-pitch some new yeast.

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My first batch I didnt check the SG. I did check it after a week in primary and it was 1.022. I racked it to secondary and checked it again after a week and it was still 1.022 so I bottled it. I have sampled a few of them and none of them have had much carbonation.

Are you kegging or bottling? If bottling, then you definately do not want to do so with that high of a FG. From what I found via google and here on HBT, Windsor yeast does not attenuate as fully as some other types. You might consider using a different yeast in the future.

Click to expand...

This batch will be going into 5L mini-kegs. Perhaps the Windsor yeast has done all it can do.

It comes down to pitching enough healthy yeast cells and controlling temp. With a 1.054 OG, you would need 2 @ 5gram dry yeast packs or 1 @ 11 gram dry yeast pack. I don't know what the attenuation of that yeast is or the optimal temp but it should say right on the package. To go from 1.054 to 1.024 is 54% attenuation which is very low for any yeast.

Raise the temp to 72, sanatize a spoon and stir that yeast cake up thoroughly, then let it sit 3 or 4 days. Adding new yeast will not work because the yeast will not survive the alcohol.

Eastside.......

If the bottles are not carbonated and the beers are finishing high, it sounds like a yeast problem. I would pitch yeast again. You may want to swith to nottingham. I do not think there will be a problem.

Temp is about 70. I'll sanitize a spoon and give em a gentle swirl and check it again in a few days.

Thansk for the advice.