Help I'm Stuck'

[KageBrew]

Help!! I should have bottled my Midwest Supply Apple Ale kit about two weeks ago. I have been holding out because the gravity is only 1.030. It says I should get down to about 1.014.

At one point the temp did get down to 64F. I noticed it about 3 dats after, and turned up the heat to keep it beer around 68F. I'm using US-05 so I'm right in the temp range.

I waited another 4 days after I turned up the heat, checked gravity no change.
I then tried to repitch yeast with some nutrients and a small bit of desolved corn sugar. (By small amount I mean like a 3 tbs in 1/4 cup water)

I then waited another 4 days, I just checked the gravity again... Surprise suprise no change still 1.030.

Do I just call it done? What should I try to do go get the FG closer to where it should be!?

 

[Quaker]

Are you checking your gravity with a hydrometer or refractometer?
Was your OG on target?
If it's at 1030 do not bottle it due to the risk of bottle bombs.

 

[KageBrew]

Are you checking your gravity with a hydrometer or refractometer?
Was your OG on target?
If it's at 1030 do not bottle it due to the risk of bottle bombs.

I am using a Auto temp correcting refractometer.

The kit says the OG should be about 1052... Mine was 1061. I used the alternate instructions to add 1 gal of unpasteurized cider after the boil so my OG will be higher that expected to start...

However there was a TON of simple sugar in the cider... so I would think I should be able to get close to 1000 as a FG. Am I right on thinking that?

 

[Dirt_McGirt]

Refractometer doesn't give accurate readings in the presence of alcohol. Get a hydrometer and try taking a reading with that.

 

[McKnuckle]

Yup. You can't use a refractometer to measure gravity once there is alcohol present.

If you go to one of the online calculators for this, such as http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/resources/refractometer-calculator/

...You will see that if you enter 15 brix as your starting gravity (approx. 1.061) and 7.5 brix as your present gravity (approx. 1.030), that your actual gravity is about 1.010. Much better!

However, nothing beats a hydrometer post-fermentation. It's a tool you should have anyway, so do get one if you can.

 

[ncbrewer]

Yes - hydrometer. And since you have a refractometer for checking OG, I recommend buying a bottling hydrometer now. The scale on mine is 1.000 - 1.040, and you can read it to the nearest .00025 units (hash marks every .0005, and interpolate between). It's really good for taking readings 2 - 3 days apart to determine whether fermentation is finished.

 

[Quaker]

I had a hunch. I was there once upon a time as well.

 

[KageBrew]

Thanks all! I will have to retest tomorrow!... This also explains why my IPA is on the verge of being bottle bombs!... I checked my FG with the refactometer. Way to early and didn't think about why it was stuck at 1.036.

 

[KageBrew]

Yet again some really good advice from the HBT forum!... After checking the gravity with a hydrometer I was at 1.004 for a FG! Much better than 1.030!