Problem with FG

[phendog]

Brewed a 5gal batch of a simple all grain summer Ale 6/24/16.
7lb 10oz 2 Row
2lb Vienna Malt
8oz Cara-Pils

Mashed for 60mins at 145degs w/fly sparge at 165degs

Pre-boil gravity = 1.037
OG = 1.050 (my target) - 60min boil

Aerated wort for 20mins using aquarium pump with good stone

Rehydrated 1 pack US-05 and pitched into 63deg wort (using temp controlled fermenter). No activity after 40hrs. Bumped the temp up to 67degs which did the trick. Airlock activity stopped 2 days ago and gravity at 1.022 for the past two days.

I know the yeast is still doing it's clean up (wort smells fantastic and yeasty), but will my gravity drop any further? What, if anything, can I do to get it closer to 1.010.

 

[Biscuits]

Attenuation of US-05 should be something like 80%....you should be able to get down to 1.010.

 

[meatcleaver]

its a long shot but, are you using a hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[kh54s10]

Refractometer? corrected for the presence of alcohol?

2 days of visible activity then a gravity reading on day 3 and 4? If so the gravity may still drop. 5-7 days - longer sometimes.

 

[Dcpcooks]

Why the rush? If your didn't see any sign of fermentation for 40 hour your at 6-7 days in primary Let the yeast do its thing it will be happy and so will you. The airlock is never an indicator of the completeness of fermentation. 05 will finish out its a beast. Rdwhahb

 

[phendog]

Refractometer

 

[Yooper]

Refractometer

Ah, that's why! Toss it aside and grab a hydrometer reading.

Refractometers are awesome pre-fermentation, but alcohol skews the reading so much that the reading is meaningless. You can use some software to help guestimate the probable FG (here is one the can be semi-accurate: http://seanterrill.com/2012/01/06/refractometer-calculator/) but a hydrometer here is priceless.

Your reading is probably more like 1.010-1.012.

 

[phendog]

Thanks everyone - that was the issue. Recently brought a refracto recently and been using it to ensure my end of runnings and pre-boil numbers are on target, but didn't realize fermentation FG would be skewed due to the presence of alcohol. Used a hydro this morning and I am at 1.010. Given the amount of yeast in suspension it may fall a bit further - bonus!!