High FG...what to do?

[The_General]

I made the Old Monster American Barleywine recipe from Brewing Classic Styles about two and a half weeks ago. Fermentables-wise, I followed the recipe exactly and mashed at 152 for 90 minutes. I pitched onto a US-05 yeast cake from an IPA. The OG was 1.109 and the FG (as of now) is 1.042. I was at least hoping to get down to the 1.020s. In five years of brewing, I've been lucky enough to never have this issue. What would you do?

Here are the things I'm considering:

-RDWHAHB - hope the gravity will slowly drop to where I want it
-rouse the yeast - tried swirling a bit to get things kicked up but didn't get down in there that much
-pitch a new starter of yeast (US-05 or other)
-pitch something like Champagne yeast to dry it out

So what do you think? Where do we go from here?

 

[Bmorebrew]

First thing I would do is check the calibration of your thermometer. Place it into boiling water and read (212), and then in a big glass of ice water (32). Start with that and then check the calibration of your hydrometer.

 

[The_General]

Good call on the thermometer. I'll check that out. Though I did use it two weeks before without any issue.

I used a refractometer (with the appropriate corrections for using one with a fermented wort). I did check the calibration on that and it's fine.

 

[stevedasleeve]

First thing I would do is check the calibration of your thermometer.

? Sounds slightly non sequitur to me.

If it were me I would rouse the yeast and up the temperature a few degrees f before adding any more yeast. I have not had this issue before however!

 

[Brewenstein]

? Sounds slightly non sequitur to me.

If it were me I would rouse the yeast and up the temperature a few degrees f before adding any more yeast. I have not had this issue before however!

If the thermometer was off and reading on the low side, he could have mashed quite a bit higher than intended. Higher temps can result in a less fermentable wort, which equates to high FG. I had this problem recently. All of my FG's were coming in higher than expected. Checked my thermometer and it was about 4-5 degrees off. So some of my mashes were in the 159-160 degrees range . Beer still tasted pretty good though .

 

[The_General]

I haven't checked the thermometer but I doubt it's an issue since my last few beers have gotten pretty dry (sub 1.010 with 1.060-ish OG).

Roused the hell out of the yeast this morning so we'll see what happens. If all else fails, is 1.042 FG way too high considering it started at 1.109? I vaguely remember some commercial beers finishing that high (Dark Lord maybe?).

 

[npauley88]

I haven't checked the thermometer but I doubt it's an issue since my last few beers have gotten pretty dry (sub 1.010 with 1.060-ish OG).

Roused the hell out of the yeast this morning so we'll see what happens. If all else fails, is 1.042 FG way too high considering it started at 1.109? I vaguely remember some commercial beers finishing that high (Dark Lord maybe?).

don't forget about Ten Fidy!! (1.050 FG)

 

[Yooper]

Check it with a hydrometer, not a refractometer. Even with adjustments for alcohol, you've got a very high ABV environment and the hydrometer would be far more accurate. Before you decide that the beer is stuck, a hydrometer reading has to be taken!

 

[The_General]

Ok, I still haven't checked by hydrometer but by refractometer I'm down 6 points. I guess I just needed to rouse them a bit.