Here we go another 1.020 question

[SCARYLARRY]

Made a American style Nut Brown ( Brewers Best) Started this batch 3 weeks ago. Racked after the 1st week and planed on bottling this weekend just checked S.G. and it's sitting at 1.020. Gonna check it again tomorrow and Saturday if it stays the same I'm bottling. But from what I've read sounds like it might be stuck or not going to get any lower. What could have changed to get complete ferentation, it's been about 70 the entire time. The sample tasted great and no twang. Here is my brew log on this beer.


1st. Brew Day 1/09/09

KIT

Brewers Best

Recipe

Bold Series American Nut Brown
Crushed crystal 4oz
Chocolate malt 4oz
Black patent 1oz

LME amber 6.6lbs
DME amber 2lb

Willamette bittering hops
Willamette finishing hops
Columbus aroma hops

Danstar Nottingham yeast

WORT
Seeped grains for 20 min at 170-175, brought to boil added malts and bittering hops, at 45 min, added finishing hops and at 55 min added aroma hops. Total boil time 60 min.

Cooled wart in about 25 min.

Pitched yeast at about 75 degrees

Brew went good. Sterilized everything . Did not boil add in water?

Primary- 5gal. Better Bottle


Gravity reading- 1.070 1/09/09

1/10/09-Fermenting started early in the morning! 

Racked on 1/16/09 S.G. 1.029

1/21/09 - S.G. 1.025

1/29/09 – S.G. 1.020

 

[AFAJ Brew Guy]

Well you did get about 71.4% attenuation. Could have been a bit better but I would have to say go with it. Also IMHO 70 degrees seems a bit warm. That is right at the top end of the yeast, in the future you may want to get that close to the mid to low 60's.

Other than that give it a few more days, if the gravity is still at 1.020 go ahead and bottle or keg.

Congrats on the brew!

 

[Vic_Sinclair]

Why are you racking off the primary yeast cake before fermentation is where you want it? Despite its name, very little to NO fermentation usually takes place in the secondary. A more accurate name would be "Clearing tank" or "Brighting tank". People use them to clarify or lager beers. Fermentation should be finished before you rack to secondary.

 

[ifishsum]

1.020 isn't too bad for a beer that started at 1.070...it might have gone a little lower if it spent a bit more time in the primary but no sense worrying about it now. If it's still there in a couple more days I'd bottle.

Vic is right though, it should be finished in the primary before racking to secondary. It will usually drop faster and finish more completely in the primary, the secondary is for clearing and aging not fermentation. I give mine at least 10-12 days in primary before checking gravity, and rack only if it's at or very near my expected FG.

 

[AFAJ Brew Guy]

I also keep my beers in the primary for about 2 weeks, some less depending on what the OG was. However I have had several beers, the last one just this last batch that I have taken gravity readings for a few days that were steady. Racked to secondary and fermentation started up again and they drop another few points.

So while it is always best to let the beer "finish" before racking, sometimes the beasties just like the change of scenery!