Stalled fermentation help

[adamdillabo]

Brewing an extract ipa with an OG of 1.069(according to recipe) using WLP090 SD super yeast. Fermented a week and stopped bubbling. SG at 1.025 at that point. Swirled the bucket and it bubbled along the next few days. I've been keeping it in kitchen because there's no radiator and a window. But one morning it was really cold in there. Maybe 50f but I try to keep around 65f

Just checked it at 1.020. Should I swirl the bucket again and move to some place warmer?

I used a 1L starter and aerated well using electric whisk and sloshing it back and forth a few times.

 

[Chrisrapp0122]

Fermentation is probably done. Extracts seem to stop around 1.020 especially when temperature is in fluctuation. I would give it 1 more week and then dry hop for 7-14 days, if you're planning on dry hopping of course.

I don't think swishing it around would hurt, but probably wouldn't help too much either. And I wouldn't let it warm up past 70 degrees, 65 is fine.

 

[adamdillabo]

Yeah I've had problems before with stoping at 1.020. I hoped a starter, nutrient and O2 would help. I don't want 5gallons of syrup. Guess it's pancakes for me the next few years.

I'll swirl it again. Can't hurt at this point it's really to sweet to drink.

 

[h22lude]

Seems to happen with some extracts. It is probably done.

 

[aprichman]

Yeah I've had problems before with stoping at 1.020. I hoped a starter, nutrient and O2 would help. I don't want 5gallons of syrup. Guess it's pancakes for me the next few years.

I'll swirl it again. Can't hurt at this point it's really to sweet to drink.

It shouldn't be undrinkable. Honestly you should have only fermented down to 1.015 anyways and that's with 100% optimal yeast conditions. Using extract and having big temperature swings you're getting 90% optimal yeast conditions which should still make decent beer.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

You will be unlikely to tell the difference between a 1020 brew and a 1015. If you had ended up around 1025 you might find it too sweet. But at 1020 I doubt it will taste overly sweet so enjoy it.

 

[Calder]

With IPAs I usually add some table sugar to help lower the gravity and dry them out. I like IPAs dry.

If you do something similar, replace a pound of extract with a pound of table sugar. 1 lb of table sugar will account for .009 in 5 gallons, or about 13% in your beer. Since sugar ferments over 100% (apparent attenuation), it will help provide a lower FG. In this case, it could potentially have bought your 1.020 beer down to 1.016.

Personally I like to get my IPAs down below 1.010; I think that was one of the reasons I moved to partial mashing to help create a more fermentable wort.

 

[mrdail87]

I'd let it sit another week as well. If it's sitting on the floor put a folded towel underneath it to keep it insulated.

If the ambient temp drops to 50, the floor is sure to be even colder (especially if you're on the ground floor).

 

[TheMilkMan]

I personally don't think extracts are a problem, unless you used mainly really dark extract that is high in unfermentables.

I'd say either:

1. Too many steeped unfermentable malts. Like say, 1.5 lbs of crystal 120 in a 5 gallon batch.
2. Fermentation temperature was too low and your yeast fell asleep.

If #2, I'd give the fermenter a good couple swirls and let the temp rise, hope for a few more points. If #1, you're screwed, just drink it.

But, for kicks, can you post the exact recipe?

 

[adamdillabo]

5 lbs light LME
4lbs amber LME

.5 20l crystal
.5 40l crystal
.5 victory malt

I picked up the fermenter last night and just kind of rotated my arm. Trying to to add to much oxygen. Bubbling away this morning at 1 every two seconds. Now that it's filled with CO2 I might give it a more vigorous swirl.

 

[h22lude]

I wouldn't go too crazy trying to get this below 1.020. Extracts are known to stop around here. What was your OG measured and FG estimated? You could be at your FG and not know it without those numbers.

 

[adamdillabo]

I feel like an ass ever time I say it. I don't take my OG. It's hard to get it fully mixed up and when you do there's so much foam you can't read it or be sure it's accurate.