Milk Stout - FG is low

[jerry1379]

I am brewing a Milk Stout that is in my primary fermenter. Fermentation was done at 68-72%. OG was 1.058 (expected 1.064). After 2 weeks, the fermentation is not as low as desired; it is at 1.026, but I was hoping for 1.022. My target abv is 5.5%, but I would be happy with 5.00% or 4.75%. Brewer's Friend calculated my actual abv at 4.2%. I was planning to rack into second fermentation on top of a vanilla bean extract today and let it sit for a week or maybe 2 to get the vanilla flavor added. After that, I planned to rack into another carboy or just the keg with 5 lbs of real strawberries. What can I do at this point to get closest to my ABV?

1) Let it sit on the yeast for a 3rd week and maybe gently swirl the yeast into a a bit of supension in hopes of getting a few more points. -or-

2) Rack now and hope that the strawberries will help to finish it out since the strawberries will cause a second fermentation anyways.

3) Rack now but transfer some yeast cake with the beer to help get some more fermentation going.

I used a 1.25 pounds of lactose which I am assuming is the primary driver of finishing too high.

 

[olotti]

I just learned this myself making a milk stout, that lactose adds .006 points to both you og and fg, so odds are is that it's done. You could try to swirl it gently and maybe take the fermenter to a warmer part of the house for another week but you may only get if anything a point or two drop. But my initial guess is that it's finished And 1.026 isn't terrible my beer tasted really sweet in the gravity sample but carbed and cold it's not neary as sweet as I thought it was going to be. My plan next time is to mash in the 152 deg range so the initial fg will b low enough before I add the lactose to finish in the 1.020-22 range. I also used 1 lb this time and will prob back it off to half a pound next time.