High FG...Add sugar?

[Brew-Dog]

I brewed an oatmeal stout six days ago. OG was 1.064. Pitched two packets of re-hydrated S-04. Fermented at 64f. Over the past three days the SG has been stuck at 1.03. At first I thought the fermentation stalled, then I realized that about 50% of my grain bill was unfermentables. I didn't realize my software counted everything as fermentable.

Anyway, it's a little sweeter than I want and I'd also like to raise the ABV a little. Would adding some sugar (dextrose?) accomplish this, or is it a bad idea? I'm hoping to lower the my FG, reduce sweetness and increase alcohol.

 

[pdxal]

6 days? Wait.
Even if there were only a small percentage of unfermentables 6 days is too short a time to be finished. Wait until at least 2-3 weeks and a temperature raise to 70ish before you decide it is stalled.
Sugar would raise the ABV and perhaps dry it out a tad, but not much. Mixing with another batch would be an option if it stays this sweet, as would upping bitterness or roast malt to balance.

 

[unionrdr]

Maybe swirl up some yeast & raise the temp a tad? That's a bit high,even for your situation. Better safe than sorry.

 

[MichaelBrock]

I brewed an oatmeal stout six days ago. OG was 1.064. Pitched two packets of re-hydrated S-04. Fermented at 64f. Over the past three days the SG has been stuck at 1.03. At first I thought the fermentation stalled, then I realized that about 50% of my grain bill was unfermentables. I didn't realize my software counted everything as fermentable.

50% unfermentables? Aside from some sugars (like lactose) all grain and adjuncts provide fermentable sugar. What is your grain bill?

 

[Brew-Dog]

6 days? Wait.

I do intend on waiting at least another two weeks (for it to clean up). However, I really don't think the gravity is going to go any lower. S-04 is a beast. Most, if not all of the fermentation is finished. I really don't think this is an issue of stuck fermentation. I split this batch between two fermenter (so I could add coffee to the second) and both of them have had the same SG for the past three days. Hydrometer is calibrated.

Maybe swirl up some yeast & raise the temp a tad? That's a bit high,even for your situation. Better safe than sorry.

Thanks for the advice. I actually tried this before I realized it wasn't a stalled fermentation issue.

I guess I'm trying to figure out if I raise the alcohol (by adding sugar), will it balance out the sweetness a little more?

 

[Brew-Dog]

50% unfermentables? Aside from some sugars (like lactose) all grain and adjuncts provide fermentable sugar. What is your grain bill?

Marris Otter 45%
Roasted Barley 12.9%
Chocolate 12.9%
CaraFoam 7.2%
Wheat 5.7%
Crystal 90L 5.4%
Quick oats 5.4%
Minute rice 5.4%

 

[unionrdr]

with the wheat in there,you might not have needed the carafoam. More alcohol isn't always a cure for an unbalanced beer.

 

[tennesseean_87]

That's a whole lot of dark malt! Have you tasted it yet? The wheat, rice, and oats will all ferment if properly mashed.

 

[Brew-Dog]

That's a whole lot of dark malt! Have you tasted it yet? The wheat, rice, and oats will all ferment if properly mashed.

Yup, it is a lot of dark malt! It smells and actually tastes pretty nice, but it's just a little sweeter than I'd like and the body is a little heavy. Normally I'd just leave it alone, but the last stout I made was a sweet stout, so I wanted to try something less sweet this time.