High FG reading need to know how to proceed

[echoexist]

I just brewed my first beer Oct 20th. So I know I made a lot of mistakes on the way. Was wondering if I can get some advice. I left my beer in the primary fermenter for about 11 days. 24 hours after pitching the yeast (which was munton & fisons dry yeast) I noticed some activity in the airlock. Not much though. Over the course of two days it never really took off. I've read that that can happen so I wasn't too worried. I just let it ferment for about a week and a half before I racked it to the secondary. My first mistake was that I didn't take the OG reading. I am making an IPA, I used 3 bags of Alexanders Amber malt (9 lbs.) The guy at the brew supply store I bought it form told me based on that he would estimate my OG to be at about 1.065 and that my FG should be around 1.01625 - Well, it's been in the secondary fermenter now for almost 6 weeks. I was thinking it was time to bottle so I took the specific gravity measurement and it shows 1.030 - Which is obviously high. It tasted OK. Definitely on the sweet side but not too bad. Anyway, I'm curious to know how to proceed. Do you think there is enough yeast to rouse and then just be patient? BTW, my basement is on the cold side. The temp gauge on my fermenter was always about 60-62 degrees give or take. Thanks for any advice.

 

[JonK331]

Try warming it up to 68F. If that doesn't work, try adding a packet of Safale 04 or 05 or a packet of Nottingham. My guess is that you are fermenting a bit cold or that the yeast you pitched was old and unhealthy.

 

[echoexist]

Thanks for the advice - I have warmed it up to 68 and thereabouts by bringing it upstairs. Would you suggest I wait a week and take another gravity reading. Should I expect to see any bubbling when I warm it up? The yeast I pitched was bought from a brew supply store and I kept it in my refrigerator until I was ready to use it which was only a few days. So I wouldn't think that it would be unhealthy or old.

 

[sunblock]

I wouldn't expect lots of bubbles but it may pop a every now and again, I would let it sit a week and check again .. if its still high then I would pitch some more yeast, nottingham or safeale. Did you check the date on your yeast or brew kit if you used one?

 

[Limited Visibility]

Make sure that you check your dates on your yeast packs that you buy. Yeah they might be kept in the fridge but I have seen some at my old LHBS that were well over a year old.

 

[echoexist]

Great advice! Many thanks!

So if I need to pitch more yeast do you recommend a specific amount?

 

[echoexist]

Well, it's been a week after warming my beer up to 68 degrees and I just checked the specific gravity again. It went down a little. It's now about 1.027 - Should I keep letting it sit or would you recommend pitching some yeast at this point?

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

You're still very high @ 1.027, the only time I had a beer finish over 1.020 was when I planned for a big burly Russian Imperial Stout to finish at 1.030. That beer is like drinking motor oil. The glass easily stains with this stuff.

I'm on the fence about what I recommend for you. I half way want to tell you to re-pitch some Notty, but the other half wants to tell you to wait. However, you've had it in promary and secondary for what 2 months? So I am leaning toward telling you to re-pitch...

 

[nstorm1121]

However, if the gravity is going down now, you are probably fine. Just keep checking it after a couple days, if it keeps moving you should be fine. No sense in being in a hurry to pitch new yeast... it has already sate for 2 months, what's another few days? The warmth has obviously re-started the fermentation.

 

[Calder]

It may be done. That yeast is not a high attenuator. 58% still seems low. Did you have any other fermentables that could have raised your OG? I am assuming the extract was liquid malt extract and not dry malt extract.

If it was dry, you would have started with 1.081, and at 1.027 would be 67% attenuation. If that is the case, then you are definatly done.

 

[dcp27]

Although fermentation does seem to be continuing, if your LHBS is close I'd just grab a pack of notty or S-05 and throw it in there. in the future, skip secondaries unless you're aging for a long time (months), its not necessary and adds more opportunities for things to go wrong. dont forget about a dry hop once the SG is all set

 

[echoexist]

@ Calder - it was liquid malt extract. I don't know if this matters but I put in some toasted oak chips. Other than that there was nothing out of the ordinary I guess.

@ dcp - I did a dry hop when I put it into the primary fermenter. Are you recommending something different?

Appreciate all the advice!

 

[dcp27]

you typically dry hop the week or 2 before you bottle. did you add them before or after fermentation ended? if before, some of your hop aroma was carried out with the CO2 and I'd recommend following it up with another

 

[echoexist]

Oh boy.. I must've done that wrong then. I put it in before fermentation ended.

 

[JonK331]

I would pitch some more yeast at this point myself.

 

[echoexist]

Well, it turns out that re-pitching yeast worked. I got my FG down to 1.017 so I've now bottled labeled and am patiently waiting to try it in a week or so. Thanks for all the advice.