Advise on if I should bottle.

[badgerfan79]

2 weeks ago I brewed my first batch of beer, a dark Amber/light brown ale. I did a BIAB and exceeded my efficiency that I used for my recipe. I ended up with a 1.053 OG which is above the 1.046 that was my target. I took a reading 3 days ago and it was at 1.024 and the reading today was the same. My question is should I go ahead and bottle it now or wait it out some more?

 

[JonM]

Since the readings are stable you're probably good to go, but that is a little high. Were there lots of unfermentables in the recipe? Caramel malts, carapils, high mash temp, lactose, etc?

 

[kh54s10]

1.024 seems high. I would swirl it up gently and let it go another couple of days, warm it up if it is cool, then check the gravity again. You might also taste it. If it is too sweet and the gravity does not drop you might need a different yeast to dry it out some more.

What was your mash temperature. Recipe might help also.

If it tastes OK, go ahead and bottle it.

Assuming the reading was taken with a hydrometer and not a refractometer. Calibrated? Reads 1.000 at the calibration temperature with distilled water?

 

[dwhite60]

Exact recipe would help immensely.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[OswaldvW]

1.024 is very high for a 1.053 OG. If indeed this is a hydrometer reading, I would stir up the yeast in the hopes of dropping the gravity more before bottling.

If you did your reading with a refractometer, you will need to do a conversion (or get a hydrometer).

 

[badgerfan79]

This is for a 2.5 gallon batch.
4.5 lbs of American 2 row
1.5 lbs American Carmel/Crystal 60l
.5 lbs red wheat

.5oz fuggels 60 min.
.25 oz fuggels 30 min
.25 oz fuggels 10 min

Mashed at 158 for 60 min
60 min boil.

 

[casualbrewer]

Looks like a high percentage of crystal malt and mashed pretty high. If your thermometer is off 2 degrees in the wrong direction then your beer may very well be done.

 

[PADave]

Wow that's a high mash temp. Most likely your problem.

 

[treacheroustexan]

+1 on the mash temp.

 

[badgerfan79]

Thanks everybody. I will give it a gentle stir and see if it will start again. If not, I'll bottle it in a couple days and see what it turns out like and note the mash temp for later brews.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Thanks everybody. I will give it a gentle stir and see if it will start again. If not, I'll bottle it in a couple days and see what it turns out like and note the mash temp for later brews.

I mash most of my beer at 150-152. 154-155 if I want it sweet.

 

[badgerfan79]

I mash most of my beer at 150-152. 154-155 if I want it sweet.

I will remember that for next time. At this point, it is what it is. If the stirring doesn't get it to come down some more, I'll bottle it up and see what it comes out like. Chalk it up to a learning experience.

 

[The_Bishop]

Refractometer or hydrometer? Cannot use a refractometer once there's alcohol in solution.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Refractometer or hydrometer? Cannot use a refractometer once there's alcohol in solution.

You can, you just have to convert it, correct? I recently got a refractometer and am curious.

 

[The_Bishop]

In theory you can, but a more accurate measurement is obtained from a hydrometer.

 

[badgerfan79]

I stirred it on Saturday and it didn't start fermenting again. Took the gravity reading again tonight and it was still at 1.024. I decided to just bottle it and see what I come up with. I thought the taste was pretty good for my first time. I guess I'll just end up with a low abv beer.

 

[badgerfan79]

Update on this beer. It ended up being a sweet very malty beer when I first tested it a couple weeks ago. The sweetness has faded some as it has been in the bottle. All in all it is a very drinkable beer although you will probably never get drunk on it.

 

[badgerfan79]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1479815940.650895.jpg

 

[8rnw8]

Glad it turned out ok. In the future, something else you can try is adding a little amalyse enzyme, which breaks up the unfermentable sugars created by a high mash temp and lots of crystal malt.