Racked to keg too Soon. Advice?

Fat Squirel Brown Ale Clone. Starting gravity was 1.051. Safale US-04. I was foolhardy and racked to the keg too early. I'm out of brew on tap so I was hasty to get this ready for quaffing. Beer was in primary for 14 days. I assumed it was done. I had racked half the beer when I took a gravity reading and I'm at 1.018/1.019. What nonsense I have caused!

I've left the keg at room temp (68-69 in the basement). I was considering dry hopping it with an oz in a set of used/sanitized hose right int he keg. Now,I'm not sure if there are going to be enough yeast to finish the duties. I realized if I add more yeast the dry hopping will probably be a waste.

I'm hoping for a FG of 1.013 or 1.012. I see a couple of options:

1) Do Nothing,...... and prey.
2) Rack to a glass carboy and pitch some dry yeast - then prey

Lesson learned. More gravity readings. More patience. Minimum 3 weeks in primary (with the possible exception of hefeweizens). Thanks for any advice you can provide!

Leave it in the keg at room temperature for another 2-3 weeks. Then dry hop for a week.

If it is going to attenuate any further, it should not make a difference whether it is in the keg or the carboy. Just check the pressure daily to let it vent, in case it is still going.

It's very possible that you already hit your FG. Pitching a little more yeast might squeeze out a couple more points. There really isn't a need to move the beer even if you choose to do this, as you can just pump out the yeast from the bottom with the first couple of pints.

Good news. I vented the keg after work today and quite a bit of C02 was released. Going to check the gravity after a week in the keg. If it's satisfactory (1.013/1.012) I may dry hop in a pair of nylons and put c02 on it (at room temp).

Just my opinion, but Fat Squirrel has almost no hop aroma or flavor. It's a nice nut brown ale. If you dry hop, it won't be a Fat Squirrel clone.

YooperBrew said:

Just my opinion, but Fat Squirrel has almost no hop aroma or flavor. It's a nice nut brown ale. If you dry hop, it won't be a Fat Squirrel clone.

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Thanks Yooper! I'm gonna take your advice on dry hopping.

My wife and I went out to dinner last night and I ordered a Fat Squirrel in the bottle. Very balanced beer, a little more carbonated then I would imagine for the style, but a rather dry finish. My beer has a mighty bit of attenuating to do before it's in the ball park. I'm just hoping there are enough yeast to finish the job!

If I dry hop in the future I'd rather do it a traditional 5 gallon glass carboy. Considering that I'd like to get this brew on tap soon so I have a small beer to drink; dry hopping would not help my time line.

Is there any evidence that suggests force carbonating with C02 will somehow inhibit the performance of the remaining yeast? Is it generally a bad idea to force carbonate while using a keg as a secondary (at room temp of course). Try to storm brain ideas to bring this on tap relatively soon without negatively impacting the beer. I want to allow the yeast enough time to clean up the brew before I throw it in the keezer. Afterall, it's my fault for running out of small beer!

I checked the gravity today. It's down to 1.017 from 1.019. Last few days little to no C02 coming out. I'm going to pitch some dry yeast and give it another week. I'd like to get it down a few more points if possible.

Given the choice between using Nottingham and US05, what would you fine home brewers recommend?

Sorry. One more question. When I pitch dry yeast to hopefully get this beer down a few point, how long should I let it sit? 1 week? 2 weeks? I'm assuming that whatever the dry yeast is going to do will be done relatively quick. Any help is appreciated.

TristanL said:

Sorry. One more question. When I pitch dry yeast to hopefully get this beer down a few point, how long should I let it sit? 1 week? 2 weeks? I'm assuming that whatever the dry yeast is going to do will be done relatively quick. Any help is appreciated.

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I doubt the dry yeast will do much now. You can certainly try, but I don't know if it'll help. If it's 1.017 now, it might drop a couple more points though in the next few days, even without adding more yeast. I'd wait at least another week before assuming it's stuck at 1.017.

YooperBrew said:

I doubt the dry yeast will do much now. You can certainly try, but I don't know if it'll help. If it's 1.017 now, it might drop a couple more points though in the next few days, even without adding more yeast. I'd wait at least another week before assuming it's stuck at 1.017.

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Will do! Thanks!

Just to give a long overdue update,..... the beer attenuated a few more points. I drank a few samples and polyphenols up the wazoo. The lawn was drunk after it quickly sucked down 5 gallons of this clone.

I would have let it sit longer, that bitterness will mellow out.

Different strokes for different folks. It was a good excuse to brew something else