Fermentation slow to finish in primary

I love this thread! Maybe someone has answered the obvious already, but let's say fermentation appears to have stopped in the primary fementer (meaning there is simply no more bubbling in the airlock). So, I take a gravity reading and it shows that I am not at my desired target gravity. What now? Do I toss some more yeast into bucket and test again, or do I throw in a secondary fermenter carboy) and add more yeast?

BTW, I brewing a Westvleteren 12 clone next week, here:

http://homebrewingadventures.blogspot.com/2007/04/westvleteren-abt-12-clone-recipe.html

I am still stuggling with how I'm going to handle fermenation on this bad boy. I'm reading several different sets of guidelines on fermenting these big Belgium ales, and one in particular, from Dubuisson brewer in Wallonia, Beligum, says to ferment the beer in the primary fermenter for approx. 7 days or until fermentation slows, and then transfer to the secondary fermenter glass carboy. And then it says to let the beer sit for 8 additional weeks, and three days before this 8 weeks has ended, you add another does of yeast (in my case, I am using the single viles of White Labs Belgium Abbey Yeast 530). After this, you bottle, and then let condition further and carbonate for 6 more weeks. So, 15 weeks total!

Does this guideline seem extreme? My main question is about adding the second round of yeast. I guess this is to bring it all home in the last three days and ensure that there is no fermentable sugars remaining in the fermenter?

I am hoping to find an alternative way, because I have only 6 more bottle of Westy 12 storing right now, and I'm sure it won't last long!

Cheers,

Kris

I can't help out on the Westvleteren but for the current fermentation you may want to "rouse the yeast" by swirling the carboy and getting the yeast back into suspension.

Also make sure there are no bubbles sticking to your hydrometer as you take your FG reading, that would give a false-too high reading. Also when you rouse the yeast make sure the temp is correct for the yeast you are using (maybe move it into the high end for that yeast, if fermentation is most of the way along they should not release a lot of esters near the end, thats why a D-rest for lagers works)

All depends on your starting gravity and the attenuation of your yeast. Generally you can multiply your starting gravity (just the decimal part) by .25 and get your general FG. Now you can vary off that by a couple points and have no issues. If you are 10 points high (example predicted FG is 1.012 and you are at 1.022) then you probably need to swirl the carboy and get some yeast in suspension and put it in a warmer spot.

If you have already racked to secondary then there will still be yeast in there, so swirl it up and put it in a warmer spot (mid 70's) to make sure it finishes up.

If your OG was greater that 1.100 or so, I can't help you as you need to be very careful with your yeast when you are going for a big beer.

To answer directly, 1.018 may be finished depending on your starting gravity (somewhere near 1.070?). If this is a 1.040 OG beer... follow above advice.