Stuck on 1.020 again! Who Cares?

[duffman2]

Ok, I've done it before and now it's happened again. I seem to be stuck at 1.020 and this is getting stupid! I had this problem regularly for 5 or so batches and then my last 3 or 4 have went down to FG or close enough to it.

My question is, I want to get down closer, and I want to avoid this from happening, but since it's happened before I've eventually bottled these beers that stayed at 1.020 and they have turned out fine. The only problem is the headaches and heartburn I get trying to drop points and getting ticked off when they don't drop.

So, after 9 days with a dry yeast (Nottinghams) should I still try to drop it by repitching and stirring, or just let it go and relax knowing that sometimes the beer gods won't let me hit my FG?

 

[thunder]

Ok, I've done it before and now it's happened again. I seem to be stuck at 1.020 and this is getting stupid! I had this problem regularly for 5 or so batches and then my last 3 or 4 have went down to FG or close enough to it.

My question is, I want to get down closer, and I want to avoid this from happening, but since it's happened before I've eventually bottled these beers that stayed at 1.020 and they have turned out fine. The only problem is the headaches and heartburn I get trying to drop points and getting ticked off when they don't drop.

So, after 9 days with a dry yeast (Nottinghams) should I still try to drop it by repitching and stirring, or just let it go and relax knowing that sometimes the beer gods won't let me hit my FG?

check your fg in a week and see if it has dropped.

 

[TipsyDragon]

let the beers finish. if you bottle and the beer gets unstuck you could end up with bottle bombs.

 

[ChshreCat]

Was this an extract brew? Have you been using the same kind of extract?

Some extracts have more unfermentable sugars than others.

 

[NorCalHB]

Duffman... I had this same problem with my first batch (extract). FG was supposed to be 1.016 and for about a week it stayed at 1.018-1.020. Per the advice on this site, I went ahead and waited a few more days and bottled (just finished bottling about an hour ago). From what I have heard, extract batches have a tendency to finsh a little high. I know I am a rookie, but this rookie took the advice of experianced brewers who said to go ahead and give it a few more days and bottle.

Also, if your worried about bottle bombs as I was, put your bottles in a cardboard box, seal up the lid and you will be okay. If you have a bottle bomb you wont have to worry about it getting everywhere.

 

[Hardleft]

Jamil once said that most extracts are created with the expectation of the brewer using sugar.

 

[duffman2]

No this was not an extract batch its lil sparkys AG Nutty Brown beer. Its been 10 days with the Nottinghams and went from 1.055 to 1.020. I've got no problem waiting and I already planned letting it sit about 2 more weeks. My real question is how bad is it for beers to finish this high? If u let them wait for a month and the gravity does nothing, should u worry every time about trying to drop the gravity or is the beer usually just fine at 1.020?

 

[Hardleft]

What did you mash at?

 

[kryolla]

FG is just an estimate, did you re-hydrate the yeast and aerated the wort? Check your thermometer you might be mashing to high

 

[duffman2]

What did you mash at?

Mashed at 150 for 60 minutes, but when I took my temp at the end of the mash it read 152.......so, between 150 and 152 for the mash.

 

[duffman2]

FG is just an estimate, did you re-hydrate the yeast and aerated the wort? Check your thermometer you might be mashing to high

Yeast was a washed 2L starter of Wyeast 1272, and yes I did aerate the wort. I might have mashed a little high, but I don't think it was more than 2 degrees

 

[Suddy]

are you adjusting the numbers for the temperature your taking your reading at?

 

[BeerClaw]

I bottled a Honey Pale Ale a couple weeks ago at 1.020. It stayed there for three weeks even after repitching champagne yeast. If it has not moved for a couple weeks just bottle the sucker.

 

[eppo]

From experience and from what I have read:
first of all if you are a couple points off and the beer is definitly finished and it tastes fine don't worry about it.
Adding more yeast will probably not help.
Maybe try warming I up a bit and tryto get the yeast back into suspention.

 

[coastwx]

I've used Notty for almost every batch so far (9) and it's taken every beer from 1.060 - 1.075 to around 1.012. I just hydrate the yeast for a few hours and pitch. One tool I found that works well is a propeller-type paint stirrer that attaches to cordless drill. It will aerate the heck out of your wort. I aerate, pitch yeast and then aerate a little more before draining into the primary. One beer finished around 1.020, but I forgot to add 1 lb of flaked rye in the MT until the sparge process, which may have added more unfermantable sugar. It was a thick beer, but nice for winter.

 

[bja]

Mashed at 150 for 60 minutes, but when I took my temp at the end of the mash it read 152.......so, between 150 and 152 for the mash.

You were probably somewhat higher than 152.

 

[Catch-22]

You were probably somewhat higher than 152.

Agreed. If after an hour you were two degrees higher than initially tested, your temp could have been much higher than the late reading of 152. Could be the problem but +1 to letting it sit another week. If it doesn't change it will still probably be a great beer that you can enjoy with desserts and such.