Fermentation is slooow.

[Squill2k4]

So I currently have an Irish Stout (a kit from my local homebrew shop) in secondary right now and when I put it in there it has a gravity of 1.022. Well I checked it again today (12 days later) and the gravity is at 1.021. So it's dropped only 1 point in 12 days. Is my fermentation stuck? I'm okay with letting this sit in secondary for awhile longer but I just figured it would have dropped a little more than that.

 

[morticaixavier]

transfering to secondary can cause stuck fermentations as you have removed most of the yeast (or rather reemoved the beer from the yeast) This is one of the reasons it is not advisable in most situations. How long was it in primary? What was your OG? Recipe? If you want to add more yeast you could rehydrate and pitch a packet of US05 or similar dry yeast or make a starter with some liquid yeast and pitch when it is as high krausen.

 

[FastAndy]

We need your recipe/process to really answer this question.

 

[Squill2k4]

It was in primary for 7 days. The instructions called for transfer to secondary as soon as fermentation started to slow down. Here is the recipe. My OG was 1.043


OG: 1.041 - 1.044
FG: 1.010 - 1.014
1 Can Dark Malt Extract
2 lbs of dark dry malt
6oz Malto Dextrin
18ox crushed grains
1oz bittering hops and 1oz finishing hops.
Dry Ale Yeast (Doesn't say what kind and I can't remember what it was).

FYI This was a kit at a homebrew store.

 

[ETCS]

7 Days in Primary was not nearly long enough. Next time, go at least 3 weeks in primary and you can skip the secondary and go straight to bottle or keg.

What was the O.G.?

 

[FastAndy]

With that malto and specialty grains being steeped i wouldnt be surprised if its done where it is. I'd make sure its in a warm enough location and give it a couple more weeks then check and see if gravity stays the same.

 

[morticaixavier]

well I see a few things to try next time. First Don't head the instructions for the kit. There is little reason to rack to secondary and certainly not just when the ferm starts to slow down. second with all that dark extract you are going to get a less fermentable wort to start with and the addition of malto dextrin will make that even worse.

third don't head the instructions for the kit.

Generally you want to leave an ale in primary for at least a couple of weeks but really you want to monitor the gravity after the first week or so, when you get two readings a couple of days apart that have not changed then it is done fermenting. But even then the yeast is still working to clean up after itself and it isn't a bad idea to give it a little more time before bottling. This can all be done in primary with no need for a secondary at all.

 

[Squill2k4]

What was the O.G.?

The OG was 1.043

 

[ETCS]

well I see a few things to try next time. First Don't head the instructions for the kit. There is little reason to rack to secondary and certainly not just when the ferm starts to slow down. second with all that dark extract you are going to get a less fermentable wort to start with and the addition of malto dextrin will make that even worse.

third don't head the instructions for the kit.

Generally you want to leave an ale in primary for at least a couple of weeks but really you want to monitor the gravity after the first week or so, when you get two readings a couple of days apart that have not changed then it is done fermenting. But even then the yeast is still working to clean up after itself and it isn't a bad idea to give it a little more time before bottling. This can all be done in primary with no need for a secondary at all.

Yes to all of that IMO, with the exception of taking the gravity after the first week or so, I wait for at least 3 weeks before I take a gravity. As a matter of fact, most of my beers I don't even take a gravity until I go to the keg or the bottle.

Happy Brewing!!!

 

[Squill2k4]

Thanks for all the help everyone! This is only my 3rd brew so I'm still new at all this. I'll just leave it in secondary for awhile and see how it turns out later.

 

[FastAndy]

Thanks for all the help everyone! This is only my 3rd brew so I'm still new at all this. I'll just leave it in secondary for awhile and see how it turns out later.

Best part of that plan is.....you made beer!

Cheers

 

[Squill2k4]

Best part of that plan is.....you made beer!

Cheers

Haha yup! Plus this means I'll just have to start a new batch sooner than I had planned