Stuck advice (again)

[SwissRico]

Extract IPA 19l/5gal wyeast 1056, brewing in cellar at constant 63F

OG 1.064
SG 1.030 day3
SG 1.026 day6
SG 1.026 day12 and clearing

I was expecting to hit 1.016. Measuring with hydrometer.

Now it's Easter weekend in Switzerland. No LHBS, and shops are now shut till Tuesday, so I'll have to manage with what I've got... I do have some Nottingham but no dme.

Should I just keep the notty and accept my failed brew? Or try to MacGyver it with what I've got? It's pretty far into the brew now.

 

[jschein]

It's only been 12 days. No need to take gravity readings until at least 2 weeks, I usually wait 3

 

[madscientist451]

Try moving to warmer temperature, like 68 or even 72. it should drop some more, I wouldn't add any more yeast. 1056 is very reliable;
what is your malt bill and mash temperature/schedule?

 

[SwissRico]

All extract mad scientist. LME and DME hops (Galena/Cascade) 2x wyeast smack packs.

 

[JonM]

Huh. Sounds like you've got plenty of yeast. Were the smack packs reasonably fresh? And are you oxygenating?

 

[flars]

As masdscientist451 has said, warming to 68°F to 70°F, is your best option at this point.
Post some details on how the yeast was pitched. Temperature and especially the production date, for viability, of each pack of yeast. Two packs of WY 1056 should have taken care of your beer very easily unless it was very old.

Did the packs of yeast swell, after breaking the nutrient pack, and warming to room temperature?

 

[SwissRico]

Spent lots of time oxygenating, both packs swelled well and I pitched at around 72F. The batch was already active 4 hours after pitching. The activity died down after 4 days.

I think the reason that I'm stuck is that I decided to try my first transfer to secondary to dry-hop. I usually listen to the "hive mind" but this time thought I'd try and get my own opinion... I now have an opinion! I'm thinking now I should have just left it where it was. I thought I was about 80% through the attenuation on day 6, but that's where it's stayed.

Will move to the warm and report back

 

[SwissRico]

We have some movement! Thanks for the advice! it dropped to 1.024 in 2 days at 70F

I'm now planning on leaving it where it is and checking the SG on Friday. If it doesn't move any more is it best to add another pack of 1056 (or US-05)? I'm thinking that I left my active yeast when I racked to secondary.

It still tastes good though (with all these SG readings I'll drink it all before it gets in a bottle)

 

[beardown2489]

Leave it at 70 until you want to bottle. You will be fine.

Maybe dryhop again after you see it's done converting.

 

[joshesmusica]

It's only been 12 days. No need to take gravity readings until at least 2 weeks, I usually wait 3

i dare you to check your SG at day 7 on your next brew. while i'm sure your timeline works well for you, it's not accurate info to tell someone not to check readings before then.

OP. i don't personally go to secondary (because i have no need for long term aging, and i don't use fruit - yet), but i would assume you would want to wait until it's about 90% finished with fermentation. if i ever go to using a secondary, i will personally likely wait longer, just to ensure complete fermentation, and the purpose of the secondary isn't necessarily fermentation (unless of course you're actually doing a secondary fermentation), but mainly for clearing out the beer, in my opinion.
what a lot of people seem to be doing with ales these days is starting out ferment anywhere from 15-18C. Then after the first 5-7 days (the most vigorous part of the ferment), allowing that temp to raise up to 20-22. By that time the warmer temp will encourage the yeast to finish their job, which includes eating up the rest of the fermentables, but also cleaning up after themselves. they can do that in that lower temp range, but it just takes longer.
If it's not moving any more in a couple more days, and it's not tasting overly sweet right now, you might as well bottle it, and learn for next time. the carbonation will help bring out the perceived bitterness, which should counteract a lot of the residual sweetness. you could even go a bit higher, like 2.5 volumes CO2 instead of 2.4, when calculating for priming sugar.