Final Gravity too High?

[ericelmer]

I have had a belgian dark strong ale (extract, 5 gallon) in the primary for two weeks now. It was my first batch and I forgot to record the OG. Today is supposed to be bottling day but the FG is reading at 1.020 and but the recipe calls for 1.014.

I do not know when I'll be able to bottle again since I am going out of town for a few months. I tasted the beer, and it tastes great. The airlock bubbles about once a minute (and has been very slow for several days now) and there is nothing floating on top of the beer.

Will this be a problem if I bottle today?

Thank you!

 

[frazier]

You don't know enough to bottle. The SG needs to be stable over several days to be sure fermentation has stopped.

Your options seem to be: 1) Bottle it now, but put the bottles in some secure location where exploding bottles won't destroy anything; 2) Rack to a secondary, and bottle when you get back. I would vote for option 2.

 

[TipsyDragon]

i vote for leaving it where it is and bottle it when you can get around it it. the extra time wont hurt anything.

 

[ericelmer]

Thank you!

 

[ericelmer]

I don't have a secondary yet, just a bottling bucket but I plan to change this soon. I'm going to bottle my first batch when it's ready then brew another one to sit for awhile.

Does anyone recommend any styles of beer or have good recipes that will age nicely for 6 weeks in a carboy left at about 75-80 degrees?

 

[Beerbuck]

Sure it will!

 

[munche]

All of my extract beers have finished in the 1.018-1.020 range. I didn't get lower until I did my first AG beer. Actually, my "golden wheat" finished lower, but it had a bit of corn sugar in it.

 

[Zamial]

Does anyone recommend any styles of beer or have good recipes that will age nicely for 6 weeks in a carboy left at about 75-80 degrees?

This does not exsist. The temps are just to high. You can brew beer but it will probably be very fruity/banana tasting at the least.

 

[ericelmer]

So do you think my bottles will explode if I bottle now?

 

[ericelmer]

I guess I'll have to wait until I get back. My apartment during the day is normally about 75, and I'll have no control over it while I'm gone. I was hoping to have bottled the beer by then but if I have to wait to brew I wont have any other choice. I only have one primary and one bottling bucket.

 

[frazier]

So do you think my bottles will explode if I bottle now?

Not enough information. What was the gravity two days ago?

 

[TipsyDragon]

Does anyone recommend any styles of beer or have good recipes that will age nicely for 6 weeks in a carboy left at about 75-80 degrees?

belgian strong ales do good at those temps.

 

[ericelmer]

Not enough information. What was the gravity two days ago?

I'm not sure, today was the first time I've checked. I've been too nervous to open the fermentor because I'm nervous of contamination.

I'm going to leave it for a few more days to be careful.

 

[ericelmer]

Thank you for the tips!

Will a belgian wit do well at the temps of (70-80F) for 6 weeks in a glass carboy? I bought the ingredients for a recipe yesterday when I was anticipating being able to brew today. I'm not sure if I'll be able to return it to the brew shop.