Bottled high FG Beer!?!

[xjiefx]

Hey guys...

I bottled my 3rd batch today. It was my first "commercial" extract batch. The 2 previous batches were done using my LHBS own extracts.

So, I made a coopers wheat beer + light LME. My OG was 1.042 wich I tought was a little low compared to the other 2 I had done. Pitched the yeast (that came with the kit) at a good temp (25ish Celcius) and fermented at 23-24 Celcius.

After one week, I transfered to secondary and took a gravity reading of 1.018... wich I tought was high compared to my big experience of 2 batches.

I Let it sit in secondary for 2 weeks until today.

Took a gravity reading before racking to bottling bucket: still 1,018.

I still added 290g. of priming sugar (for 5 imperial gallons) and bottled.

What will it turn out to be??? Some flat non-alchool brew? Some carbonated non-alchool brew? Some brew that I should dump?

I tasted Ok...

I feel like such a Newbie (maybe because I'm one). Fill me with all your knowledge please!

Thanks!

 

[efreem01]

The beer you brewed definitely is alcoholic. I calculate the ABV at 4.5%, which isn't that low compared to many commercial beers in the states. If i were you, I wouldn't worry about it. I doubt you'll get bottle bombs since 1.018 is respectable for a final gravity.

I bottled a Nut Brown ale once which had an FG of 1.024. I opened one of the last bottles at the 6 month mark and holy crap. It blew up the second i took the cap off! I'm guessing the yeast fermented the last of the fermentables in the bottle.

With regards to your lack of attenuation, i would say it's possible you didn't aerate your wort enough prior to fermentation. That can end the process prematurely. Also, the yeast in the kit may have been old. With dry yeast that's usually not as much of an issue.

 

[xjiefx]

Thanks for the reply!!!

I have another batch with the same problem. It is a munton's Irish cream ale + amber LME. It went from 1.043 to 1.021 and is now stuck there.

I have a pack of notthingham's left here. I wanted to add 1 cup of dextrose to the wort and repitch to see what it would do.

Do you think I shoudn't do that and just bottle it anyways?

I must do something wrong with those 2 batches... 2 stuck fermentations?!?

Thanks!

 

[brett]

I had the same problem with an Octoberfest-in-a-box I did for my first brew. 1.042 OG to 1.019 FG. It tasted OK during bottling, but was pretty sweet.

After a couple of weeks in the bottle, it tasted terrible (great carbonation however).

I'm not sure what to attribute it to, but I can guess that it was a combination of the following:

• Crappy/old yeast
• Not enough airation before primary fermentation
• Too much airation during bottling

Since that unfortunate incident, I have stuck with "Nottingham + Good airation = Crazy good attenuation".

 

[malkore]

1.042 to 1.018 is only 3.2% ABV...and I don't think its done. I'd be cautious with those bottles...they may restart fermentation and drop another 6 points...way too much for your bottles to hold.

put them in a rubbermaid tote while conditioning.

 

[xjiefx]

So... with all of your experiences... What sould I do with my cream ale that's stuck at 1.021???

Re-aerate the wort?
Add some sugar and repitch some yeast?
Bottle it?

I'm a little lost on that one!

 

[FSR402]

So... with all of your experiences... What sould I do with my cream ale that's stuck at 1.021???

Re-aerate the wort?
Add some sugar and repitch some yeast?
Bottle it?

I'm a little lost on that one!

I would take some notthingham yeast, pitch it on top and let it sit another two weeks.
The worst thing that could come of that, is you wasted less then $2 on the extra yeast.
If the notthingham does not bring it down, nothing will. That stuff is great. I have 15 gallons I brewed this past weekend and all were going strong in less he 5 hours from pitch.
Adding more sugar wont bring it down. There is sugar in there but the yeast are not eating it. Time to big in the big eaters.

 

[efreem01]

I may be wrong, but i remember hearing that Muntons LME has a lot on non-fermentables in it. So the FG tends to be higher than with other brands of extract. Perhaps that's a possible cause.

 

[ohiodad]

I may be wrong, but i remember hearing that Muntons LME has a lot on non-fermentables in it. So the FG tends to be higher than with other brands of extract. Perhaps that's a possible cause.

My first 2 brews were both brewers best kits (an IPA and a English Brown) that had Muntons LME in them and I could not get them to ferment below 1.019 either. I think efreem01 is right on here... Since then I've brewed about 6 more beers using Northern Brewer kits and recipes I've found on the net and they all finished better than those kits.. I think it is the combination of that Muntons LME and that Muntons dry yeast personally. I bottled both of them around 1.019 or 1.020 and I'm drinking them now with no issues other than to me they don't seem to have much alcohol in them.. My wife appreciates that though as I don't wind up quite as hammered.

 

[xjiefx]

ohiodad: you bottled those 2 batches with no problem??? How much priming sugar did you add? The usual amount or less because of not-fermented sugars?

I think that I'll add the nothingham's yeast tonight to my cream ale. If it doesn't go under 1.021... At least I'll know that it won't go lower in bottles creating bombs!

 

[FSR402]

ohiodad: you bottled those 2 batches with no problem??? How much priming sugar did you add? The usual amount or less because of not-fermented sugars?

I think that I'll add the nothingham's yeast tonight to my cream ale. If it doesn't go under 1.021... At least I'll know that it won't go lower in bottles creating bombs!

Good then give it a week or two would be even better before bottling.

 

[ohiodad]

ohiodad: you bottled those 2 batches with no problem??? How much priming sugar did you add? The usual amount or less because of not-fermented sugars?

I think that I'll add the nothingham's yeast tonight to my cream ale. If it doesn't go under 1.021... At least I'll know that it won't go lower in bottles creating bombs!

I added the 5oz that came in the kit and no bottle bombs at all... And both are actually drinking pretty well... Again low alcohol but drinking pretty well...