Being extra cautious...stalled fermentation?

[malkore]

Let me preface this by saying I hadn't brewed in 7-8 years until this batch of Wiezenbier last Saturday. I stopped due to time, space constraints, and the fact that I had 3 batches of beer come out bad for various reasons that were all my fault.

Thus I'm being paranoid on this comeback batch. Its a brewer's best kit, all extract, Munton's ale yeast, proofed.

The issue: brewed last week and my starting gravity came out at 1.042 (temp. corrected). A little shy of 1.050 the kit said, but I did have a boilover, and there's a smidge over 5 gallons of liquid in the bucket.

I did my best to aerate the wort, and the next morning I had vigorous fermentation.
Monday, the airlock was dead. However the fermenter was a balmy 77F, so its quite possible the bulk of fast fermentation was over.

So, Tuesday I took a reading, and it was 1.013 (temp. adjusted). So, really close figuring about 1.010 for a final gravity. (does that value sound right?) It was suggested I swirl the bucket gently to resuspend some yeast. DId that 3x Wednesday. None after that.

Tonight I took another reading...and of course it's 1.014 ....so either i didn't get all the bubbles knocked off, or my test the other day was off somehow.

So the question is...should I swirl some more? I do have a 5gal carboy I could rack to secondary for another 4-5 days, and see if that doesn't mix up enough to finish it off?

or should I just be patient, take another reading sunday?

the beer looks clear and after tasting it, I wouldn't say its malty or sweet, so could it be done at 1.012~13?

 

[pfranco81]

Yeah, two points is really close to your target FG, so I would think it would be done. With all the days you mentioned i got a little lost, how long total has your beer been in primary?

 

[DeathBrewer]

just let it sit in the primary for 10 days. it sounds like it's pretty much done, but let it condition a bit...then bottle. no need to rack for a hefeweizen.

 

[malkore]

at 6pm tomorrow (july 16) it'll be exactly 7 days in primary.

I've read a few different calculations for estimating final gravity. what's the consensus? I'm figuring mine based on 42 multiplied by .25, giving me about 11 (1.011)

 

[DeathBrewer]

using this formula (from white labs):

[(OG-FG)/(OG-1)] x 100

i show you have about 69% attenuation.

you already swirled it up a bit and it hasn't dropped in the last couple days, i'd say it's done.

with extract you won't always get great attenuation. there's a lot of unfermentables. i rarely got under 1.020 until i started aerating and taking special care and i never had a bottle bomb.

no matter what, at 1.013, i would NOT be concerned. go ahead and bottle or keg after 10 days.

 

[DeathBrewer]

also, maybe your OG reading was a little off, too. Was it mixed really well? you might have better attenuation that you expect.