Am I on the right track?

[rjwoody]

First of all, this is an awesome site for someone just starting out in homebrewing. Didn't take me long to figure out that I needed to join here. Got a kit from Northern Brewer last month and currently have Block Party Amber Ale (extract w/ steeping grains) in the primary as of Feb. 13. Has been fermenting at about 65 deg. since then. Took a gravity reading today and it was 1.018. OG listed in the recipe is 1.042, didn't have hydrometer on brew day. Beer smelled good but had a green apple taste. Assuming that the beer is still "green", so I moved it to the garage freezer with my newly assembled stc 1000 temp controller. Set it to 67 deg and plan on leaving it for another week or so before i take another reading. Am I right in thinking that it still needs more time fermenting?

 

[Calder]

1.018 seems high. I'd move it to a warmer location (70+) to see if it moves lower.

You are past the point where you need to control temp.

 

[rjwoody]

Yeah, didn't finish the temp controller until a couple days ago. I do have a paint can heater in the freezer, maybe i will bump that up to around 70.

 

[ibrewmyown]

I agree. The temperature control is most important during fermentation and you're almost done. That Gravity is still too high for that beer. It still needs to move lower (maybe 1.010-1.102) but don't think it would move much more being that's it's been fermenting since 2/13.

You might as well let it go another week and see what happens. If it doesn't go lower you have a couple options. You either drink it as is which will likely taste too sweet, or mix up a big starter and repitch it. You'd need a good size starter because there's already alcohol in it so you'd need to pitch it while it's active so it hits the ground running.

 

[rjwoody]

Thanks for the advice. Gonna leave alone right now and take another sample next week. I'll let you know what happens...

 

[rjwoody]

Well, after a week of keeping the beer at 72 degrees and rousing the yeast back into suspension a little, checked the gravity and got 1.017. Going to take another reading Friday and if it's the same.....in the bottles it goes. Probably just going to just chalk this batch up to experience and hope it turns out ok. Thanks for all the help folks!

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Extract brews tend to finish higher. Don't sweat it. Sounds like you're good to go. Bottle it and enjoy. Cheers!

 

[ZmannR2]

Also check your hydrometer in water and see if it's at 1.00. Maybe it's just reading a little high

 

[jtratcliff]

Extract brews tend to finish higher. Don't sweat it. Sounds like you're good to go. Bottle it and enjoy. Cheers!

I've heard it called the 1.020 wall... I think maybe @yooper called it that in some thread I read a year or two ago...

Edit to add:

Here's the 1.020 curse... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=63896

 

[rjwoody]

Hydrometer is good. Thanks for the link jtratcliff, great info on the 1.020 issue. Just going to follow bluehouse's advice and relax and enjoy. If it sucks I can always try again!