Bottle bomb or damp squib?

SwissRico · Apr 9, 2015

So learned a life lesson - leave it in the primary till it's done. My IPA OG 1.064, bottomed out at 1.026. I racked to secondary and left it a week, still 1.026. Moved to 70F and after 2 days 1.024, and one week later 1.024.
I'm using Wyeast 1056, which should have got me down to 1.016, but I figure I racked before it was done, and now I don't have enough of the yeast left active in the brew.

Good news is it tastes great.

Should I bottle? If so should I add priming sugar?

Or should I try something else first?

SnakeRidge · Apr 9, 2015

I don't really have a lot of advice for you. I guess you could pitch a packet of US-05 and see if that does anything. I'm just replying to let you know that you just named my English IPA.

Ye Old Damp Squib sounds like a winner!

Gavin C · Apr 9, 2015

Gravity unchanged over a week. It's done.

Yes bottle it

Yes use priming sugar in the correct amount for volume and style of beer.

I'm thinking it will be just fine. A little sweet perhaps but you will improve the process next batch.

To easily avoid racking to a secondary vessel before ferment is complete, don't use a secondary.

PLOVE · Apr 9, 2015

All grain? If so, what temp did you mash at? If not, it could be stuck. How are you checking gravity? is your sample degassed if you're using a hydrometer?

Terek · Apr 9, 2015

Its fine. After a week with no change, it will not drop any more. If you did all grain, you might have mashed too low a temp, and converted some of the sugars into something not fermentible. Adding more yeast will not drop it anymore. Bottle as normal, plenty of yeast to carb, they just need a bit of sugar to do it, so prime as normal. And as gavin c said above, the best way to stop secondary problems is to not secondary. Its not needed at all for 95% of beers. Unless you are doing a barley wine, or something big that will sit in the fermenter for over 3 months, there is no need.