Chronic Stuck Fermentation --- Buy a new hydrometer

[ttuato]

I, like many here, have battled "stuck fermentations" over the course of many batches recently. Thanks to HBT I know all the major "causes" - mash temp, use of unfermentables like crystal, underpitching, etc. And all of the major "answers" - rouse yeast, raise temp, add more yeast, add enzyme, add higher attentuating yeast, etc...

I have been using Wyeast 1318 or WLP644 - Most (all grain) batches OG 1.065-1.070, 3% Carapils max, mash temp 151. Each time I was getting ~72-75% AA but the FG has consistently been 1.017-1.020 which was higher than most everyone here. I had yet to strike the sought after 1.012-1.014 range....

The most recent batch - OG "1.066", 2% Carapils, mash 151, Wy 1318, 1.5L starter, O2 - "stalled" at 1.020 after three days, same at day six ----- no reasonable issues..... Angry because I was here yet again - I did everything at once: I pitched a 500mL starter of US05, one pound of sugar, raised the temp, roused the yeast off bottom, added 1/2tsp amylase enzyme. After two days 1.016 - somewhat of a success, but I was frustrated with is still stopping at 1.016 and all I had to do to get it there. What could I do differently......I thought maybe my hydrometer is off.....

two days later - old hydro (BSG triple scale) - 1.016, new Brewer Elite - 1.010.....:smack::smack::smack::smack:

Moral of the story - buy a new, non-cheap hydrometer

Now I have a keg of Braufessor NEIPA that is actually ~8.5%, oh well.. ABV

 

[flars]

I'll check my hydrometer each brew day in distilled water. My hydrometers are calibrated at 60°F. The hydrometer should read 1.000 at that temperature. Sometimes the card inside slips. One hydrometer is now reading 0.004 points high.