2nd Time Stuck

[mmiddleton]

Hi all!

I'm making my first batch of beer, and have run in to not one, but two stuck fermentations!

Background: I'm using the Brew House Pilsner kit, no modifications to start with.

The first one was likely my own fault - the temps in the room I'm using may have fluctuated a fair bit, and I didn't add enough water initially (fixed it after the first day of fermentation). The SG after getting the water right was about 1.054, but after more than 7 days, it had levelled off around 1.030. My local brewshop suggested repitching with a rehydrated batch of Nottingham yeast, and that brought the SG down to 1.021, but it won't go any lower (been there for at least 5 days).

So, the way I see it, there are 3 options here:
1) Repitch with yet another batch of yeast
2) Leave it longer in the secondary and hope it goes down eventually
3) Bottle it and hope for the best

It seems like the risk for (1) is that I could end up infecting the brew, but it seems like the most viable option for reducing the SG, which I suspect I need to do. Also, it's kind of a pain in the butt, which leads to (2) or (3).

So, what say you, experts of HomeBrewTalk?

 

[freisste]

If this is all extract, it may just be done.

 

[IslandLizard]

What yeast did you pitch the first time? How much?
What temperature were you fermenting at?

Although it maybe done at 1.021, 12 days is still too short for yeast to do its complete "thing." After the big bubbles subside it needs time to clean up after itself, and hopefully attenuate your beer a bit more. I'd give it at least another week, at around 70-75°F.

You realize you're not making a real Pilsner. It will be more like an ale (or steam beer) given the higher (uncontrolled) fermentation temps. Pilsner, or lagers in general, require low (refrigerated) temps, long fermentation and conditioning times, and amazing patience.

 

[mmiddleton]

It's been a total of 25 days since I started it, and about 9 since I repitched.

The yeast that came with the kit was something generic-pkg said Coopers, but nothing beyond that. The yeast I repitched with was Nottingham, which was recommended by my local homebrew shop.

I figure it's only an approximation of a pilsner (the colour is too dark to be the real deal). The instructions indicate the SG should be 1.020 or lower, but I'm guessing that's the same for most/all kits they make.

So, any risk in bottling at this point?

 

[Yooper]

So, any risk in bottling at this point?

No, not if it hasn't changed at all lately.

 

[BigFloyd]

Just to eliminate one potential issue - you're not using a refractometer, are you?

 

[mmiddleton]

Nope, using a floating hydrometer.