Need help to get final gravity down -- advice sought!

[Bhamsteelerfan]

I am currently brewing a british IPA from extract. I used 8.8 pounds of pilsen malt extract along with some steeping grains (12 oz. crystal 60, 2 oz. roasted barley, and 2 oz. smoked malt) and used White Labs British Ale Yeast. I created a yeast starter about two days before brewing day. Action in the airlock was pretty vigorous for a week or so. Beer has been in the fermentation bucket for about 16 days now. I just checked took a hydrometer reading and was disappointed to discover it read 1.020. I can't figure out what I did wrong or what I can do at this point (I'm still a relative newbie -- have done about four brews so far).

I do have a pack of Safale s-04. I was wondering if I should pitch it in there to get the final gravity down. Thoughts? Advice?

 

[cfonnes]

Seems to be a common problem - having extract stall at 1.020.

What temperature is it sitting at? You could try warming it up, 75 -80 F.

 

[Bhamsteelerfan]

Currently sitting at 68. It's consistently been between 66-68 during the 16-days it's been in the fermenter.

 

[wmcc75]

If warming and rousing doesn't work. You could always add some table sugar maybe a pound or so.

 

[RPCidery]

You could throw a little EC-1118 in it. That yeast doesn't know the meaning of non-fermentable sugars.

 

[DeBAD]

With all those fermentables sounds like you have an OG at least 1.07 so you likely under pitched your yeast. Now that you are 16 days into fermentation I'd just let it go and bottle it when you feel like its ready. It's gonna be awesome dude, you'll see!

 

[itchygomey]

I had a heck of a time with beers stalling at 1.020 until I switched to late addition.

 

[BobAgain]

I experienced a similar issue with an old IPA kit. It just quit at 1018 so I'm very interested in solutions here, too.

 

[itchygomey]

I think you'll find the general consensus to be that due to long boil time, some of the sugars are now unfermentable. This is one of the reasons late extract has become more popular. It hasn't stalled, it's done and will never reach the gravity you desire. Bottle it and enjoy. It will taste fine but have less alcohol.

 

[itchygomey]

Oh, and adding sugar as suggested could up your alcohol, but will likely dry it out.