Help!

[Joehova44]

Someone please help. I am currently brewing a oatmeal stout. Start date is 4/3/11 OG= 1.0426. Today (4/13/11) I transfered into a secondary and took a reading SG= 1.03528. Why is it still so high? Tastes fine. The temp has been fluctuating alot though due to the weather (temp has varied between 65 and 75)......... What is going on?

 

[jonmohno]

How do you figure the 28 part?

 

[Joehova44]

It is due to the +- due to temp..... Any thoughts on the gravity issue

 

[iron_city_ap]

Sounds like a stuck fermentation. Transfering it into secondary probably will help jump start it. Normally though, you don't need a secondary, especially for a Stout. In this case, it may have helped you. Look in on it tomorrow and see if you have any airlock activity. I'm curious too about your gravity numbers.

 

[Ravenshead]

Need the recipe and other details to help. Otherwise, I know less than you do.

Temp variation is not the problem though.

 

[alenub]

I bet it's still sweet as. It sounds like you have one of those expensive narrow range hydrometers, so do another reading in 24 hours. If it's still exactly the same I'd rack it back in your primary and repitch as you currently have a 1% ABV wort. Inadvisable unless you're brewing it for your old man.

 

[jonmohno]

Any chance temps hit too low during fermentation? What kind of yeast and was there a krausen ring,when you racked? I would check the reading again in four or so days.

 

[Joehova44]

There was a ring. I had a lot of airlock activity the first two days in which the temp was 75° but the airlock activity slowed drastically when the trip dropped back to 65°. The wort is still rather sweet. This was the first time I used specialty grains where I did the "steep to convert". Could I possibly have screwed this part up? Can I re pitch the yeast inn the secondary our should I transfer back into primary? That is if the fermentation doesn't restart...

 

[iron_city_ap]

Leave it in the secondary. If you REALLY want to, you can transfer it, but you are risking aeration needlessly. Give it a few days and re-check the gravity. Hopefully you'll notice air lock activity in a day or so. If the gravity hasn't budged, then I would re pitch, but be a little patient first. What type of yeast did you use?

 

[Joehova44]

It was the dry yeast that came with it

 

[jonmohno]

It was the dry yeast that came with it

Oh boy. It may be cheap old yeast, what kit/brand? Did you hydrate?aerate? Give it a few days still check the reading if it doesnt do anything within 5 days i would get a better yeast if it was just plain yeast.
Also did you use top off water when you took your first OG?Is the gravity suppose to be higher than what you had according to the kit? Sometimes you get false readings from the water not mixing well into the wort at first. Still, your FG is too high.Try keeping the temps at 70 steady.

 

[Joehova44]

Could the issue be that I did not steep the special grains right?

 

[Joehova44]

I repitched with some new yeast 24hrs ago and there is still no airlock activity ! What is going on with my wort??

 

[Ravenshead]

I need to see the recipe/technique you used to even try to tell you. Details are required at this point.

 

[jonmohno]

It sometimes takes longer than 24 hrs for it to start and your airlock doesnt mean jack especially if you have a pail.Your hydrometer is your best bet and it will take a few days.Also is you hydro correct did you check with 60 degree distilled water?

 

[Joehova44]

Hydro is correct. I got my water up to 165° and then added the specialty grains which were about a pound and a half. For some reason I couldn't get the temp to stay at 165 and may have steeped at a lower temp say between 135 and 145.... Is this were I went wrong? Is adding dextrose to the wort a good idea?

 

[Joehova44]

??