Gravity stuck

[Ozzy2001]

So I'm in the process of fermenting a kit Russian Imperial Stout. The SG was 1.082. I checked the gravity after 1 week the gravity was 1.032. I checked it again last night (a week later) and it's still between 1.030-32. It still has bubbles, but I assumed it would have been lower by now. I have been rocking it a little every day to hopefully keep the yeast in suspension. It has a banana smell, which if I remember is not a good sign.
Do I need to pitch some more yeast? Not sure what to do here.

Also forgot to mention it is a steady 68F and dark where I have it located in my basement.

 

[jwalk4]

How much and of what yeast strain did you pitch in the first place?

 

[Yooper]

No need to rock the fermenter to keep the yeast in suspension, unless you used a very flocculant yeast. In general, the yeast on the bottom are finished anyway, and the yeast still in suspension are doing the work. Rocking it just will risk oxidation.

I assume you're using an accurate hydrometer, and not a refractometer?

It really depends on the yeast strain, but with a bit under 7% ABV, the yeast shouldn't be done yet. It also depends on the rest of the recipe- if it used a lot of less fermentable ingredients like, say, dark liquid extract, it could very well be done.

 

[Ozzy2001]

I'm not home right now. I'll take a pic of some of the stuff when I get home. It was a dry ale yeast though that came with the kit. I kept everything so I would be able to reference for these situations.

 

[Yooper]

I'm not home right now. I'll take a pic of some of the stuff when I get home. It was a dry ale yeast though that came with the kit. I kept everything so I would be able to reference for these situations.

Good idea to keep everything!

If it was Windsor yeast, the beer is definitely finished as that yeast is a notoriously low attenuator. For other yeast strains, it still could be finished but we'd have to take a look at all of the ingredients as well.

 

[Ozzy2001]

Here's the yeast

And liquid malt

There was also DME as well.

 

[Ozzy2001]

Dbl post

 

[Ozzy2001]

Dbl post

 

[Ozzy2001]

Dbl post

 

[Ozzy2001]

Forgot to add that I used one packet and directly pitched it into the wort. It was 70F when I pitched into it.

 

[Calder]

You didn't answer Yooper's question. Did you use an Hydrometer or a Refractometer to take your gravity reading.

 

[Ozzy2001]

Hydrometer

 

[Yooper]

Hydrometer

I'm stumped, but think that the culprit is the dark extract which can be fairly high in unfermentables.

 

[Ozzy2001]

I may pitch another packet of the same yeast in and see what happens. I'm in no hurry so I can wait it out.

 

[Pkrd]

That high OG you really want to rehydrate and pitch two packs.

 

[Ozzy2001]

That high OG you really want to rehydrate and pitch two packs.

Yeah. It was my first brew. The kit said to just dry pitch it. That is the last time I will do that. I rehydrated the last batch I made and it's doing great.

Thanks for all the tips guys.

 

[fantomlord]

I'm stumped, but think that the culprit is the dark extract which can be fairly high in unfermentables.

how/when did you add your extract, and how long did you boil?

 

[Ozzy2001]

Brought the water up to a boil and added all the extract while stirring. Then boiled for an hour.