FG not reached - wait or move to secondary?

[yummy]

Why, hello! I apologize if my question has been asked over and over again, but I do have some specific questions to ask which I could not find on the forum.

I brewed the Austin Homebrew Supply's "AHS Budget Stout" (Mini-mash) with the "Mauribrew ale dry yeast" and "BrewVint Yeast Fuel" last monday (12/23/13) and added a couple extra things to do: 1/2lb maltodextrin, 8oz cocoa powder. I am trying to make an inexpensive Double Chocolate Stout.

When I pitched the yeast it was under the appropriate temperature, and I just sprinkled it on top of the fermentation vessel and let it sit there overnight. I completely forgot to mix/shake it up afterwards, so it wasn't until the next day that I did that. I left to travel to my significant other's family's house for Christmas a few days (12/24-12/26) and completely forgot to set the furnace to not drop as low as it normally does in the day (60 degrees). So while I was gone the fermentation would have jumped from 60 to 68 3-4 times. Oops! When I returned home (12/26) the bubbler was going crazy (once per second) so I know at least some of the yeast made it past the temperature swings. A day later the bubbling had stopped (12/27). Since then I've only allowed the house to drop to 64 degrees (a 64-68 degree temp change) in hopes to salvage it.

OG: 1.047 (right on target)
G on 12/28: 1.033
G on 12/30: 1.026 (today)
Target FG: 1.011

It's currently in the primary, and the directions say to move it to the secondary in 5-7 days when it is within 3-4 points of the FG. Well, it has been 7 days, and it is not within 3-4 points. What should I do?

1. Should I pitch more yeast (maybe a different strain: US-50)?
2. Should I ride it out longer in the primary since it did still drop from 1.033 to 1.026 over a couple days? What happens if it doesn't move, should I then pitch more yeast?
3. Should I move it to secondary and see if it continues to drop its FG? Will it continue to ferment as much in secondary?
4. Is there something else I'm not aware of I should do?

 

[Yooper]

With 1/2 pound of maltodextrine, which is mostly unfermentable, you won't get anywhere near a FG of 1.011. You may drop a few more points, but maybe not.

Leave it in the fermenter for at least another week. Check the SG again. If it's the same, it can be bottled.

 

[yummy]

With 1/2 pound of maltodextrine, which is mostly unfermentable, you won't get anywhere near a FG of 1.011. You may drop a few more points, but maybe not.

Leave it in the fermenter for at least another week. Check the SG again. If it's the same, it can be bottled.

Ah! So really I should have calculated out what the maltodextrine would have added to the OG and then brought the OG to that point, not what the recipe (which didn't include the maltodextrine) said. Correct?

Would at this point it be alright to move it to secondary (glass carboy), or should I leave it in primary (plastic bucket) a few days with all the sediments and then move it over to secondary?

 

[norsk]

Would at this point it be alright to move it to secondary (glass carboy), or should I leave it in primary (plastic bucket) a few days with all the sediments and then move it over to secondary?

Leave it where it is and follow Yooper's advice in leaving it for a week... Forget about secondaries... until you start adding fruits and saving yeast...

 

[flars]

Ah! So really I should have calculated out what the maltodextrine would have added to the OG and then brought the OG to that point, not what the recipe (which didn't include the maltodextrine) said. Correct?

Would at this point it be alright to move it to secondary (glass carboy), or should I leave it in primary (plastic bucket) a few days with all the sediments and then move it over to secondary?

Leave it in the primary for the yeast to finish the fermentation. If you plan to dry hop move it to a secondary after fermentation is complete.

 

[yummy]

Leave it where it is and follow Yooper's advice in leaving it for a week... Forget about secondaries... until you start adding fruits and saving yeast...

That makes perfect sense. Thank you very much!

 

[sweetcell]

even dry-hopping doesn't require a secondary. it certainly can be used, but plenty of people dry-hop in primary.

but the main point here is to never move your beer out of primary if you want (or hope) that the gravity will continue to fall. by racking to secondary, you're taking the beer off the yeast cake - hence leaving behind some of the critters that you need to get back to work.

"rack to secondary after X days" is old-school advice. nu-skool is to wait until gravity has stabilized near your desired FG.

i would warm up the beer if you can. that will help activate the yeast. maybe you have a room or part of the apartment/house that you keep at 72?

next time you use dry yeast, look up the manufacturer's recommendations for rehydrating it. Ex: www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SFA_US05.pdf‎