Still a high gravity even after a month in secondary

[bellyofbeer]

First brew on 1/18/11, brewers best Imperial Stout , O.G. 1.080 as I expected. Slow to start fermenting(30-36hrs) but finished most activity within a week. Racked to secondary 1/24/11 SG1.040. Checked on it two weeks later as suggested and found my SG only at 1.033 which is where it approximately remains to this day two weeks later although there are still air bubbles every two hours or so. It has been in a stable temp of 68-70F and even tried gently shaking it a little to increase activity. It doesn't taste overly sweet, is it possible to bottle at this high of gravity. If not what should i do

 

[BendBrewer]

You could use your gravity sample and some dry yeast and try to make a starter. If the yeast takes off in the starter then you might want to think about re-pitching some yeast into your fermenter. In the future, leave it on the yeast cake in Primary longer. Minimum 3 weeks for the CarPort Brewery. The yeast weren't done doing their thing and you removed a whole bunch of the yeast when you transferred.

 

[giligson]

Possibly moved off the yeast a little too early.
One option is to add fresh yeast - eg pitch a starter would be best but you could also pitch a packet of dry yeast (rehydrate first)
You could move the fermentation to a warmer temperature and just wait it out.

Probably dont want to bottle at this FG, may not taste too bad but there is the potential for overcarbonation.

 

[bellyofbeer]

How far should i have let the gravity drop before racking to secondary. The krausen had dissipated and the air lock activity had dropped significantly as suggested by the instructions.

 

[iron_city_ap]

I wouldn't rack to a secondary until after a minimum of 14 days, I always wait longer, if I do it at all. On a bigger beer, like this one, its going to take a while. I think you moved it off the yeast way too soon. Sounds like its still fermenting, so that's good. Lots of people don't secondary their beer at all. Especially with darker ones. Secondary helps to clear the beer up, and so with dark beers, its a little pointless. As a basic rule of thumb, I try to not touch the beer for 21 days minimum and generally I leave them for a good 28. If I want a clearer beer, I might secondary at 21 and let it sit for another 7-14. If I don't secondary its the full 28 untouched.

 

[BendBrewer]

How far should i have let the gravity drop before racking to secondary. The krausen had dissipated and the air lock activity had dropped significantly as suggested by the instructions.

I don't take readings but it isn't just gravity. The yeast have some cleaning up of by-products to do even after fermentation has completed. What a vast majority of Home Brewers call 'Secondary' is really just 'Clarification' of the beer after all yeast activity has all but ceased. No changes in gravity readings form day to day and time to clean up by-products.

What you did is try to do a REAL 'Secondary Fermentation'. That is, initial fermentation in Primary and before it is complete, rack to another vessel to complete fermentation. This is tricky as you have to bring enough yeast over with the beer to Secondary to complete the task. People who do what you did, moving the beer before fermentation is complete stab their yeast cake in order to get enough yeast in their transfer. I am willing to bet that you racked carefully as you thought you should have and got very little visible yeast into secondary.

 

[bellyofbeer]

so if i pitch more yeast should i use the full amount for a five gallon batch or less as a result of the lower gravity

 

[bellyofbeer]

thats exactly what i did. Why would the instructions even suggest a week in prrimary and a two weeks in secondary.

 

[BendBrewer]

thats exactly what i did. Why would the instructions even suggest a week in prrimary and a two weeks in secondary.

Because people wouldn't buy it for the first time if the direction said to leave it in a closet for a month.

 

[wolverinebrewer]

I wouldn't even think of bottling it now. Last year I did the NB imperial stout kit which has similar ingredients to your kit and the lowest I got on the FG was 1.029. I moved it into glass after close to 4 weeks in the bucket and let it sit in the basement for 12 more weeks before I bottled.
I believe there are just too many unfermentables in these kits especially when they use so much dark LME. I think its something you just live with.
Anyway, after just 4 weeks, I'd leave it alone for a long time. This brew isn't meant to drink young.

 

[BendBrewer]

so if i pitch more yeast should i use the full amount for a five gallon batch or less as a result of the lower gravity

If you have a packet of dry yeast, re-hydrate half of it in a sanitized container with some of your beer in Secondary. A hydrometer's worth should be fine. If that shows signs of fermentation after a couple of days, dump it into your secondary and give it a week or two. If no fermentation activity occurs in your 'starter' then go ahead and bottle.

 

[bellyofbeer]

thanks a lot you've been really helpful. I'll give it a shot

 

[rxp]

I'm in the same situation as you: BB RIS kit, 1085 SG, 1032 currently and sitting in the secondary with little or no apparent activity. I wanted to rack mine onto some cherries and chocolate nibs so two days ago I moved it to secondary after seven days in the primary in order to catch some fermentation on the fruit. Next time I'll just let it finish on the primary completely.

Would you mind sharing the results of whatever you end up trying? Good luck!

 

[bellyofbeer]

yeah for sure. currently attempting the suggestion above to add dry yeast to sample of beer. now its just waiting time

 

[malkore]

How far should i have let the gravity drop before racking to secondary. The krausen had dissipated and the air lock activity had dropped significantly as suggested by the instructions.

You let it stop completely, at the expected (or near the expected) FG in the recipe.
Then you let it sit so the yeast can clean up off flavors like Bend is talking about.

Airlock activity has nothing to do with fermentation activity. Its tempting to use it for that, but its no good. Airlocks bubble or don't bubble for a variety of reasons unrelated to yeast fermenting sugar into ethanol.

Hydrometer...its the only way. Bottling at 1.040 will give you glass grenades. Re-pitch and active yeast starter to finish this beer out.