Is my IPL stuck?

[ScroatesMcGoats]

Brewed my favorite IPA into an IPL 2 weeks ago. I subbed in Omega Lager 1 yeast (arrived on a hot Monday, which also means it sat all day Sunday with USPS with the cold pack warm), made a 1L starter (took 60-72 hours to actually start which was odd). Wort came out at 17 Brix (1.070) for an OG. Tested the gravity after a week when I noticed the airlock settle, it was 13 Brix, and then tested it again at week 2 and its only at 12 Brix. The top is still frothy, so seems like there is still activity, but I don’t make many lagers so I am not sure how much I should expect my gravity reading to drop in 2 weeks.

I had planned on taking it out of the 52 degree fridge on Friday for D-rest, then moving it to the secondary and lagering for 4 weeks starting this Sunday. Is this schedule still a good idea, or is the gravity falling too slowly and do I need to go buy new yeast?

 

[doug293cz]

Are you measuring the SG with a refractometer after the start of fermentation? Alcohol drastically affects the refract readings, and you have to use a correction calculator to get a reasonable estimate of the actual SG. I recommend this calculator.

Also, your yeast health sounds suspect. I've never had a lager fermentation take as long as yours to get so little attenuation (if it isn't just measurement error.)

Brew on

 

[ScroatesMcGoats]

I measured the OG with a refractometer and a hydrometer. The SG was measured with just a refractometer.

I worry about that as well. Like I said, the cold pack was warm by the time I got it, and it arrived during a heat wave. Started the starter on a Friday, and it wasn’t until Monday morning that there was any action in the flask sitting on the stirplate.