High final gravity

I just brewed a chocolate milk stout and it has fermented over the last week. Very few bubbles are coming out and I checked the gravity and it is 1.028 down from 1.053. That seems very high. Is it because it needs more time or because I didn't put enough air in it? Or maybe something else. Please advise!!

-Dave

 

Are you checking with a refractometer or hydrometer? What was your recipe? Lactose is not fermentable so you will have a higher FG on a milk stout than you may be used to.

 

What was the final gravity supposed to be of the recipe? I would say give it a little bit more time, perhaps another week. Can't really hurt. I usually do a primary of 7 days and then a secondary for 7 days before kegging. Also, have you adjusted the gravity reading for the temp? Air lock activity doesn't really mean much honestly. I've had some go a full fermentation period with little to no activity and they came out fine. Let us know how it comes out.

 

What temp? Check it again in a couple days and see if it drops at all. It may not be done yet, or it may be stuck, either way it's fixable. RDWHAHB


-ben

 

It's only 4pts above BJCP (FG 1.012-1.024). I don't think it will make much of a difference. Post the recipe and fermentation conditions for the best responses.

 

My milk stouts come out higher than my other beers due to the lactose. Give it another week and check it again. If it hasn't dropped bottle/keg it up and enjoy. Maybe make a more fermentable wort next time if, this was an AG recipe, to drop it a few more points.

 

Thanks for all the advise everyone! Turns out it just needed a little more time because I put the bung back on and it started bubbling like crazy. Why it wasn't before I'm not sure but I'll give it a little while longer

 

As NedStackey said, airlock activity doesn't really mean much. All it means is there is higher pressure inside the carboy than outside. This could be from many different reasons. A change in barometric pressure, slight temperature changes, vibrations, or jostling of the beer can release CO2 and make the airlock bubble. And a lack of airlock activity means even less. It usually just means you don't have a great seal and CO2 is escaping some other way besides the airlock (which is fine).

If it's been going for a week, you're probably pretty much done with most of fermentation. Just let it go another week or so to clear out a little and take a couple of gravity readings to see when it's done and ready to bottle/keg.