Og 1.038 fg 1.018?

[stevehardt]

Real noob here. 12 batches of Mr Beer under my belt. Hit a problem that has me stumped.

A littled over 3 weeks ago I pitched 3 MRB batches, each with 2 packs of fromunda yeast and with some steeped CaraPils. 2 hit FG no problem. A third batch, a MRB Stickey Wicket Oatmeal stout had an OG of 1.038. 3 days ago I started to check hydrometer readings. The Oatmeal stout tasted fine but had an FG of 1.018. Thought it might be stuck because I kept my temps around 64 degrees, so I pitched another pack of fromunda. Today I rechecked everything, and the stout was still at 1.018. Tastes and looks fine, and the hydrometer reading stable. I did calibrate the hydrometer.

What do you think happened, and should I bottle now?

Thanks in advance for your help. This forum rocks!:rockin:

 

[DJP00829]

How far off from your FG is the reading? If its fairly close, dont worry about it and bottle away.

 

[Jayhem]

Are you sure the OG on that stout was only 1.038. That sounds like a super light lager OG.

 

[Malticulous]

It's probably just unfermentables in the extract. That is a good FG for a Oatmeal stout. Give it the rest of the week. If it still reads the same go ahead and bottle.

 

[IXVolt]

Yeast frumunda..... lol I'm betting someone was drunk when they named that!

Ok all kidding aside, that's a pretty common FG for oatmeal stouts. As Jayhem said, the OG seems more off to me than the FG does.

 

[Malticulous]

1.038 is correct for standard Mr. Beer kits.

 

[Jayhem]

1.038 is correct for standard Mr. Beer kits.

Can you really make a 1.038 Stout? (1.038 - 1.018) x 131.5 = 2.6% ABV.

 

[Malticulous]

The formula is off for small beers (yeast growth uses a higher percentage of the energy available.) ABV is a little lower than that. Some stouts can be that low but not a Oatmeal stout. Mr. Beer fails BJCP.
http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style13.php

Originally stout was just strong porter. It's evolved into something else.

 

[quick5pnt0]

Can you really make a 1.038 Stout? (1.038 - 1.018) x 131.5 = 2.6% ABV.

I think your math is little off there there....

 

[jaytizzle]

I think your math is little off there there....

How so? His math looks pretty well dead on to me, although I use 131.25 for the calculation.