FG steady but a little high

Ok so I'm brewing my first batch, a scotish ale with speciallty grains. I can post the recipe if neccesary but here is the general info temp had been between 60-62
2/22 OG 1.050 Actual OG 1.057
2/27 Racking Gravity 1.013 Actual 1.029
3/8 FG 1.011 Actual 1.022 (Steady for 4 days)

So can I bottle since the FG is a little high? I have tasted the sample, tastes ok, a little light on flavor, but not bad considering first batch.

What could cause my OG to be high and what exactly does it mean if there is a higher G, more particulate?
thanks
-capn

I'm confused....Let me see if I'm reading you correctly...

You racked after 5 days to secondary...The you took readings in secondary and over 4 consequetive days....

am I right?

If so then you racked too early...You take consequtive readings in your Primary, if it hasn't changed then you rack to secondary to clear...or go straight to bottles....you should never move it from primary until AFTER fermentaion is complete....And that usually takes a minimum of a week for fermentation to complete...sometimes longer for bigger beers....

Before you bottle, I would give the carboy a swirl to reagitate the yeast and let it sit for a few days....then see if it completes fermentation....If you bottle to soon then you open yourself up to gushers or bottle bombs....

Revvy

My lhbs told me to rack it early so I did, he said it could complet fermenting in the secondary. I checked the fg on the 8th and it was the same yesterday. so I assume it has been steady.

I hope that helps.

So if i bottle with a higher gravity it could be over carbonated? I will give it a swirl to see if it the FG is lower. there is about a 1/2" of stuff has settled out.

Thanks again

for future batches, I would not take the advice of your LHBS. there's really no good reason to rack any beer before a full 7 days in primary, and several great reasons to let it sit for 10 days.

if you bottled now, it might not just be overcarbonated...it might cause bottle bombs. glass grenades are not cool. been there...its a mistake you'll only let yourself make once. bottled at 1.024 instead of waiting...lost the entire batch of beer.

capn said:

Revvy

My lhbs told me to rack it early so I did, he said it could complet fermenting in the secondary. I checked the fg on the 8th and it was the same yesterday. so I assume it has been steady.

I hope that helps.

So if i bottle with a higher gravity it could be over carbonated? I will give it a swirl to see if it the FG is lower. there is about a 1/2" of stuff has settled out.

Thanks again

Click to expand...

It's also possible that your yeast simply weren't viable enough to attenuate fully to the 1.010-15 range. What was the recipe/yeast used? Did you use a starter of any sort?

My first beer got stuck at about 1.020 but I bottled it anyway. I didn't have any bottle bombs, and it came out tasting very good, just a little sweet. I'd say it was lucky I didn't have bottle bombs, though.

The yeast was a dry ale yeast (dont remember which company, it was in an orange packet). I followed the directions for the starter, boiled the water, waited for it to cool, pitched at the proper temp.

I tried swirling it today, not much of the yeast came off the bottom... I'll give it a day or two more and see what happens.

If the sg doesnt drop can i pitch a second time? Or just make sure these bottles are stored in a place where it will be easy to clean up and no one gets an eye poked out.