First Brew, Stout, Pessimism

[cscoggin]

OK, have my first attempt at homebrew in primary and just took my first mid/post fermentation gravity reading. Visible activity stopped some time last night or this morning so I figured it was time. I know I need to take another reading tomorrow or the day after to verify things have truly stopped but this is what I got.

OG was ~1.066 @78-79 degrees
Yeast is WLP002

My reading today (~4.5 days from pitching the yeast) was ~1.026.

By what I have been able to figure my final should be something like 1.019, yes? Does it sound like things are on track? The instructions with the kit said I should be done at about 5 days. That sounded short but as things appear to be petering out now I am not sure. I have read that 002 needs to be rousted up off the bottom due to the high flocculation but I tried and couldn't manage to swirl the carboy with enough vigor to get anything back in suspension for fear or sloshing and aerating.

Also, I tasted the sample and it was sweet (I guess to be expected at this gravity) and thin (for want of a better word). Is that likely to change with time in secondary and bottle conditioning?

I know the answer to all this is don't worry (and have a homebrew (I don't have one yet!)), but I am the worrying type.

 

[JonK331]

Either let it set in the primary for at least a couple weeks or transfer to a secondary. Five days is not enough time for the yeast to finish up. 1.019 is okay for a sweet stout but way too high for a dry one. It would help if you posted your recipe. Don't do anything to it yet, 5 days is just not enough.

 

[steinsato]

I would definitely leave it in primary for atleast one more week. Don't bother taking any gravity reading til it's been in primary for 14 days. I'm sure the yeast is still doing its thing. Relax, don't worry, have a store bought brew.

 

[KevinW]

Recipe would help, did you do extract or all grain?

Besides the recipe, you can ignore most of the instructions!
Let it sit for 3-4 weeks in the primary(it will be fine). No need to transfer to a secondary. Check your gravity 2-3 times/days beforehand then prime and bottle!
Give it at least 3-4 weeks in the bottle(its OK to sample 1 or two) to let everything condition then you should be talking good beer!(patience is the hardest part of homebrewing but it does pay off)

Or not!

 

[cscoggin]

Thanks for the reassurances. I was mainly looking at secondary to free up the bigger carboy for graff/cider.

Sorry, I knew I should have added the recipe but misplaced it.

Steeped:
.5 lb Black Malt
.5 lb Chocolate Malt
.5 lb Roast Barley
.5 lb Dark Crystal

6.6 lb Northwester Gold LME (they did not have the full 8lb so they subed the rest with...)
2 lb Dark(?) LME

1oz Cluster for 60min
1oz Fuggle final 15min

One vial WLP002 pitched at 78-79 degrees.

No proper temp control but I have managed to hold at right around 70-72 since.

 

[Pappers_]

Thanks for the reassurances. I was mainly looking at secondary to free up the bigger carboy for graff/cider.

In that case, I would leave it in the primary for one more week (a total of two), then rack to the secondary/bright tank. The yeast will continue to do some work in secondary. Leave it in secondary for a couple of weeks, take a hydrometer reading and bottle.