PM oatmeal stout issues

Hey HBT,

So I posted a thread last week about my oatmeal stout, and this is a continuation. I brewed a PM oatmeal stout recipe 2 weeks ago, and last week went to transfer to secondary, when I found out that the FG was 1.028, with OG 1.060. So attenuation was crappy, and I left it another week. Checked again today, and same thing, so I transferred to secondary. Please help with what you think went wrong, here are some things I was thinking:

1) Used windsor yeast, which usually leaves a higher gravity beer (will use nottingham next time)

2) When I PM, I think the temp was more like 158 as opposed to 155, so I think I got more long-chained dextrose molecules, meaning more unfermentables and a higher gravity

3) Temp dropped a little, to around 60F, although the airlock activity stopped after 24 hours, so don't think this makes much of a difference

I hit the OG pretty much spot on, so not sure exactly what the issue was. Oh well, it smells good and is pretty clear after 2 weeks in primary. I will leave it for at least 2 more weeks in secondary, and then bottle. I may have changed it from an oatmeal stout to an OS/sweet stout mix, but hopefully it will still be good. Where it stands now it as about 4% alcohol, so maybe more of a session brew. Thanks!

Jason

that beer's not done. it's only at 53% attenuation. why don't you throw some nottingham in the secondary?

do you know what brand of extract you used?

DeathBrewer said:

that beer's not done. it's only at 53% attenuation. why don't you throw some nottingham in the secondary?

do you know what brand of extract you used?

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I get my extract from SF brew craft, and they buy in bulk, so not sure. I used the same extract before on my West Coast Amber Ale, and got 72% attenuation with Nottingham (1.054-1.015). I don't have any nottingham right now, but would there be a problem leaving it where it is? Thanks

Jason

A sweet stout has milk sugar (lactose) added to it, which you didn't add. Let it go for a bit in the secondary. What temp is the secondary at now?

avidhomebrewer said:

A sweet stout has milk sugar (lactose) added to it, which you didn't add. Let it go for a bit in the secondary. What temp is the secondary at now?

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Yeah I know, just thinking that there may be some residual sweetness do to unfermentables. I dont have a fermometer on the carboy, but when I transferred 2 hours ago, the primary said around 58F...its been damn cold for SF, at least for us Californians!

Question: should I add some rehydrated nottingham to secondary, leave another few weeks and see what happens? Or should I say screw it and leave it be, and have a higher body stout?

Jason

I've had an ale poop out around 1.020 using Windsor before with around the same OG (not by my brew log at the moment).

You seem to have a handle on the problems. I'd add some Nottingham and try to warm it up to 65F or so. If that doesn't get it going, you'll need to add some alpha amylase to break down some of the long-chain sugars.

Remember, the long-chain sugars contribute to OG just like the short ones.

david_42 said:

You seem to have a handle on the problems. I'd add some Nottingham and try to warm it up to 65F or so. If that doesn't get it going, you'll need to add some alpha amylase to break down some of the long-chain sugars.

Remember, the long-chain sugars contribute to OG just like the short ones.

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Ok, so I decided to pitch a pack of Nottingham, and placed the fermenter on a heating pad. Seems like fermentation might be starting up again, thanks for the replies! I'll check in a week or two to see if the FG has fallen.

Jason