How can I lower my FG?

[madjack]

I brewed a batch of IPA 14 days ago (partial mash) and dry hopped it 8 days ago. I just took a gravity reading in hopes that it was time to bottle. My targeted FG is in the 1.01 neighborhood. Current gravity is hanging out at 1.021. It tastes overly sweet to me as well. Do I just let it sit for longer? Add more (alcohol resistant) yeast? If I'm going to let it sit do I need to remove the hop bag?

Thanks!

 

[sdochughes]

What temp did you mash at? What's your grain bill? What temp have you been fermenting at? had it remained steady? Finally, regardless of your answer here, you could potentially pitch more yeast into it. Sometimes this helps with a stuck fermentation.
Cheers

 

[madjack]

mashed at 155-165 (which i realize may be the problem). fermenting at ~67 (in my apartment, not temp controlled so likely fluctuating). grains were 2 row pale malt, white wheat malt, flaked wheat, LMEs were pale and wheat. i went a little overboard on the LME. would pitching fresh yeast be preferable to rousing the yeast already in there? thanks!

 

[beergolf]

The high mash temp is the culprit. If it was 155 it may go lower but if it was much higher your brew may never go lower. Pitching more yeast will just be a waste of money.

Let it sit for while longer, maybe let it warm up some and take a gravity reading. If is the same you are probably as low as you are going to get.

 

[david_42]

One option would be to add a pound of cane sugar. That will raise the ABV by 1%, lower the FG and dry out the flavor.

 

[downwardzspiral]

You could always look into adding some amylase enzyme to it to convert those complex sugars if mashing too high was your culprit. Never done it myself, and have heard mixed reviews on using it. Not sure how dry exactly it will go.

 

[crysond]

What gravity did you start at? Did you aerate or add a yeast nutrient?
it could be possible your yeast just petered out

 

[madjack]

started at 1.055. i aerated the yeast to start. just pitched another packet. we'll see what happens!

 

[duboman]

I too believe your mash temps were too high, especially since you offered a range of 10 degrees Most likely the additional yeast wont help but for next time be sure you use a calibrated thermometer and pay more attention to those mash temps. 150-152 would be ideal for a nice medium body beer.

 

[crysond]

could always try to finish it with some champagne yeast if that doesn't work

 

[daksin]

could always try to finish it with some champagne yeast if that doesn't work

Why does this myth persist? Please stop telling people this.

Champagne yeast will only work on simple sugars which are almost certainly depleted by the time a fermentation stalls out. Champagne yeast is good for bottling, though, because of its high alcohol tolerance and the fact that it will ONLY eat your priming sugar and not any unfermented malt sugars, so you have a lowered risk of bottle bombs.

You could add a small starter of yeast at high krausen if you really think your yeast crapped out early, and I've had luck with adding a small amount of simple sugar to wake the yeast back up, resuspending the yeast, and warming (all together).

Honestly, though, your beer is probably done. Lots of extract and high mash temperature just means you're going to get a less fermentable wort.

 

[lunshbox]

You could always drop some Brett in. I had a thanksgiving ale that finished at 1.025. It was unpalatable. I dropped in some Brett brux and ended up with something great.

 

[sdochughes]

I agree with these folks. High mash temps are probably the culprit. The Bret idea is a great one. It can chew up some complex sugars.