Potentiall Stuck Fermentation or Just done?

[elbrewers54]

Hi All –

Newbies here. Probably asking a question that’s been asked a hundred times, but I am really not sure what to do here… We’ve got two batches under our belt (Irish Stout and an English Pale Ale). Our question pertains to our 3rd batch.

We brewed a Brewer’s Best Imperial Nut Brown Ale (recipe here: http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1048_Imperial_Nut_Brown.pdf) on 4/7. Per the brewer’s best directions we pitched the dry yeast without a starter. Fermentation started about 24 hours later and petered out after about 6 days. We moved it to a secondary 2 ½ weeks later (on 4/25). I tested the gravity when we went to transfer and it was at 1.021 at about 64F. The recipe says our FG should be between 1.016 and 1.019 (FYI: We didn’t measure the SG because we broke the hydrometer and didn’t have a back-up.) There hasn’t been any action in the airlock for a while now both in the primary and secondary, though I can see trub (or maybe yeast) settling out on the bottom, so I tested the gravity again on 4/29 and it is still at 1.021. Is our brew just done with a higher FG or does this qualify as a stuck fermentation? Should we consider pitching some more yeast, or just bottle it? Any insight would be super helpful.

Thanks!!

 

[kvess]

I would say bottle it. The final numbers are always estimate. It will still come down more during conditioning. If the numbers stay the same for three days in a row it is done.

 

[duboman]

If the beer has sat for close to a week and the gravity has not changed, fermentation is complete so go ahead and bottle it up!

 

[turvis]

What temp was the reading taken at? Hydrometer are calibrated for a certain temp.. The high the temp the higher the reading will be.

 

[elbrewers54]

Thanks for all the input!! The readings were taken at approx. 64 degrees, which shouldn't put it off too much. Since the gravity hasn't changed we are just going to bottle. Thanks again!

 

[Spartangreen]

What is the calibrated temperature of the hydrometer? Mine is 60. It's located on the bottom bulb area.
64 to 60. May get you to 1.020, which is close enough to 1.019

 

[headbanger]

Drink it!