Looking for advice, possible stuck fermentation?

[Fezzinsk]

Hi, just looking for some advice.

I started a Youngs Harvest Scottish Heavy on 16/9/20. I used the 1.8kg tin that came with the pack plus 1.2kg Mangrove Jack Light LME, 500g of Muntons Light DME and 155g Dextrose.

Pitched a packet of Mangrove Jack Ale Yeast: Empire M15 at 25 C with a SG of 1.060.

After 12 hours there was notable vigorous activity in the airlock and there was a little blowout, amd changed the airlock. New airlock bubbles rapidly for a number of days, and then dropped off but still bubbling.

Its 23ltr in a 25ltr fv at a constant temperature of 24C using a heat mat.

Took a gravity reading after 6 days which showed as 1.022. I took another gravity reading today after 14 days and it still at 1.022. I've tasted the sample and it seems a little sweet not too much much only slightly.

I was planning to move to a secondary fv for a few days to clear before bottling.

I'm just wondering whether the fermentation has stuck and whether I should add extra yeast. Or whether its ok to move to the secondary and leave for another week before bottling.

This is my 6th brew

 

[Rob2010SS]

So, you're about 4 pts off from FG if that yeast were to hit 70% attenuation. You're sitting at 63-64% attenuation. In my experience, I've never had good luck getting a stuck fermentation started again - there's no oxygen for the yeast, there's alcohol present, etc. For 4 pts in gravity, I'm not sure I would take any extreme steps to fix it. Adding more yeast most likely won't fix it. There's already plenty of yeast in there. You COULD try adding an active yeast starter to see if that gets you there but again, never had much luck with that working.

Usually, we'd all tell you that a secondary is not necessary for this beer. However, that's the one time I was successful in restarting a stuck fermentation - by transferring to another vessel.

If it were me, I'd leave it as is in the vessel it's in. If you want to transfer to another vessel, you can but it's not needed. Sometimes the risk of oxidation from transferring to another vessel isn't worth the benefit.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Although...

That's a pretty low attenuating yeast. You could add something a bit more aggressive and it may do something. Like a US-05 yeast or something like that. That may get you there...

 

[Fezzinsk]

OK thanks. So it would be OK to bottle? Or should I leave it in the fv for another week? I dont want bottle bombs lol.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Personally, if it were me and I were bottling, I'd drop 2 packs of US-05 or some other high attenuating yeast in there. Rehydrate it first to give it a bit of a better chance. See if that gets you there. I'd give it a week.

If that doesn't get you there, I'd go ahead and bottle but keep the bottles in some kind of container, like a rubbermaid bin or something just in case you get some bottle bombs. Once carbonation is where you want it, put them in the fridge and good to go.