Is my fermentation stuck?

[Gene]

Hello everybody. My second brew, Brewers Best Irish Stout, has been in the bucket for 11 days. I took a gravity reading today and with the temp correction I'm getting 1.025. My OG was 1.043. Is my fermentation stuck? I also was wondering if it's ok to give the beer a stir. Am I being impatient? Thanks for the help.

 

[gotmud99]

Do not stir it. I would take another gravity reading tomorrow and see if it changes. If it does let it keep going.

 

[Homebrewtastic]

Your beer should have fermented more by now.

At what temperature are you fermenting? Did you make a starter? If not you may have had unhealthy yeast.

 

[Gene]

I did make a starter. I has been a steady 68 degrees in the room.

 

[Calder]

Probably got cold. Just an assumption, you gave no details. You didn't say what yeast, I'm assuming basic Coopers or Muntons.

If the wort is below 65 F, move it to somewhere warmer, and if it doesn't start working again in a day, give the yeast a very gentle stir to get some of it back into suspension.

DO NOT RACK THE BEER OFF THE TRUB.

 

[Gene]

A few days into fermentation, the temp did get down to 63. I then moved it to a room where 68 is a constant. The air lock kept bubbling the whole time. I used White Labs WPL004 and made a starter. The only thing I may have missed was stirring after pitching, I really don't remember.

 

[Revvy]

You're probably winding down. When I brewer with Brewer's best kits, including that one, they tended to get the "1.020 curse" finishing at 1.020. They tasted fine, but with some extracts, they seem to finish that high.

 

[jwplessner]

Second that, my bb irish stout stopped at 1.020, came with a packet of notty. No bottle bombs, a little on the sweet side. Im going to give it six weeks in the bottle.

 

[Gene]

Should I wait a few more days, then take a gravity reading? 1.025 seems high to me, but if its a constant reading can I bottle it? Also should I lower the amount of priming sugar used to bottle? Sorry for so many questions, I new at all this and one can only learn so much from books.

 

[Revvy]

Should I wait a few more days, then take a gravity reading? 1.025 seems high to me, but if its a constant reading can I bottle it? Also should I lower the amount of priming sugar used to bottle? Sorry for so many questions, I new at all this and one can only learn so much from books.

Give it another week or more. Many of us these days leave our beers in primary for a month. So if you give it time the yeast will more than likely take you close. If not...wait a week maybe.

 

[Hang Glider]

you could give it a gentle swirl to rouse the yeast, but your temps were absolutely fine!

Carbonation will pull off some of the perception of sweetness at that FG, but you could also do a little dry-hop. Had a dry-hopped stout the other day - quite tasty - and the flavor/aroma of hops will counteract the sweet as well.

So - give it 4-6 more weeks (it IS a stout, albeit a tad light), then taste & determine next steps.

 

[Gene]

I just took another gravity reading and its at 1.023. Should I just let it go or is it finished?

 

[ajf]

So 4 days ago the gravity was 1.025, and today it's down to 1.023.
This clearly shows that fermentation is not finished.
Take another gravity reading once a week, until you get two consecutive readings that are identical. Then it will be finished.
You made a starter, and that is good, but did you aerate the wort before pitching? I have found that inadequate aeration prior to pitching almost always results in poor attenuation, and slow fermentation.

-a.

 

[Gene]

ajf, I did aerate it but I don't believe it was enough. I'm going to take another reading tonight. We'll see.

 

[Special Hops]

Do not stir it. I would take another gravity reading tomorrow and see if it changes. If it does let it keep going.

I don't stir but sometimes give the fermentor a good shaking. At this point all of the oxygen should be driven off and a nice layer of CO2 on top. Not risk in oxidizing.

 

[MilesLong]

I have this same kit working now - or maybe not working. It has been in the primary for over 6 weeks - stuck at 1.020 - Same temp as the op-
good two day ferment and temp dropped to 63 - moved it to raise it to 68-70 after a week-No change
I just used the dry notty sprinkled on top, I had good aeration...I even stirred it last week to try and resuspend, crickets. I was going to try and secondary to see if that would bump it. I thought about repitching, but didnt have any yeast on hand. Also thought about drinking a 6 pack of hefe and peeing in the carboy as a starter...But became concerned about being true to the style.
I may just bottle it if others have seen higher FG with this one.

Brightside, it will complement other BB kit - my cloudy, sweet, flat IPA that has been bottle conditioning 8 weeks