High final gravity

[dfouty]

I just brewed a chocolate milk stout and it has fermented over the last week. Very few bubbles are coming out and I checked the gravity and it is 1.028 down from 1.053. That seems very high. Is it because it needs more time or because I didn't put enough air in it? Or maybe something else. Please advise!!

-Dave

 

[peterj]

Are you checking with a refractometer or hydrometer? What was your recipe? Lactose is not fermentable so you will have a higher FG on a milk stout than you may be used to.

 

[NedStackey]

What was the final gravity supposed to be of the recipe? I would say give it a little bit more time, perhaps another week. Can't really hurt. I usually do a primary of 7 days and then a secondary for 7 days before kegging. Also, have you adjusted the gravity reading for the temp? Air lock activity doesn't really mean much honestly. I've had some go a full fermentation period with little to no activity and they came out fine. Let us know how it comes out.

 

[hou_me]

What temp? Check it again in a couple days and see if it drops at all. It may not be done yet, or it may be stuck, either way it's fixable. RDWHAHB


-ben

 

[TexanRudeboy]

It's only 4pts above BJCP (FG 1.012-1.024). I don't think it will make much of a difference. Post the recipe and fermentation conditions for the best responses.

 

[bobeer]

My milk stouts come out higher than my other beers due to the lactose. Give it another week and check it again. If it hasn't dropped bottle/keg it up and enjoy. Maybe make a more fermentable wort next time if, this was an AG recipe, to drop it a few more points.

 

[dfouty]

Thanks for all the advise everyone! Turns out it just needed a little more time because I put the bung back on and it started bubbling like crazy. Why it wasn't before I'm not sure but I'll give it a little while longer

 

[peterj]

As NedStackey said, airlock activity doesn't really mean much. All it means is there is higher pressure inside the carboy than outside. This could be from many different reasons. A change in barometric pressure, slight temperature changes, vibrations, or jostling of the beer can release CO2 and make the airlock bubble. And a lack of airlock activity means even less. It usually just means you don't have a great seal and CO2 is escaping some other way besides the airlock (which is fine).

If it's been going for a week, you're probably pretty much done with most of fermentation. Just let it go another week or so to clear out a little and take a couple of gravity readings to see when it's done and ready to bottle/keg.