Stuck at 1.020...need to get FG lower. Advice?

[ThreeStrandsBrewing]

Hey, guys - I brewed a fairly modest brown Porter exactly 2 weeks ago today. My LHBS didn't have the Edinburgh yeast my recipe called for, so I settled on Windsor. After pitching, fermentation took off in no time flat, and after 2 days I was down to 1.020. I just took a gravity reading today, 12 days after the last, and I am still sitting at 1.020. Ideally, I'd like to get this down to 1.010 or a bit lower---my OG was 1.042. Any tips to get it down further? I've already gently rotated the Carboy to rouse the yeast a bit. My basement temp where the Carboy is is at around 66 - 68 degrees. Should I add a bit more Windsor yeast? Not opposed to that of it helps. Thanks!

 

[snowveil]

Are you using a hydrometer or a refractometer to measure the final gravity?

 

[ThreeStrandsBrewing]

Hydrometer. Typically, I've been able to get my beers right where I want them, but this, and another (oatmeal stout using US-04) have been high

 

[IslandLizard]

Extract or AG?

At what temperature did you pitch the yeast? Any aeration?

Adding more yeast is unlikely to resume fermentation, unless you add a starter at high krausen.
Place it in a warmer area, rouse carefully twice a day and see if it resumes.

 

[ThreeStrandsBrewing]

Thanks! AG batch, pitched at 66, 30 seconds of pure O2. Will warm it up and rouse over the next week and see what happened

 

[IslandLizard]

Since you've got 2 batches stuck, you're not mashing too high are you? Check thermometer?
Are you perhaps experiencing temperature drops overnight? That can coax yeast into dormancy. Many English strains are sensitive to that.

If you have a CO2 tank you can flush the headspace and prevent excessive oxidation with all the rousing.

I'd keep it at 72-75 for a week (with repeated rousing) and then check gravity again. If it still hasn't budged after that make a small batch, 2-4l, with lots of good yeast, and pitch it into the stalled fermentors when it's at high krausen.

That said, a sweeter oatmeal stout is probably acceptable.

 

[ncbrewer]

Windsor is a low attenuating yeast - that's at least part of the problem.

 

[Gavin C]

It's not going lower unless you take drastic measures like adding amylase or Beano. No experience with either but hear they are a crap shoot in the sense they can bring the FG way too low. I would advise against heroics. 1.02 is not ideal but will be totally drinkable. Not at all unpleasant assuming there are no other off factors in play.

This is related to some or all of the following.

• Recipe issues (% of unfermentables)
• Higher than planned mash temperature in the initial few minutes and throughout the mash
• Underpitching.

Nothing to be done but to package it up. My 2c

Adding yeast is futile. There are trillions of healthy viable yeast cells in the beer already many in suspension. Adding another 100-200Billion is a drop in the bucket. Pointless at this stage.

Swirling serves no purpose.

Warming may help but 2 weeks after pitching yeast in a sub 1.050 beer I doubt it immensely.

I'd move on and look at my process, data collection, recipe formulation, mash profiles etc. Lots to learn brew to brew in this hobby. Nothing wrong with incremental improvements.

 

[Calder]

If you want help, it would be beneficial if you would give us all the information; such as recipe, including all the specialty grains, and mash temp.

A high amount of specialty grains can result in a high FG, mashing high can result in a high FG. Combine that with your choice of yeast, and you can end up with a sweet beer.

Unlike Gavin, I would think the beer is very sweet and I don't think I would want to drink it.

You have less than 3% abv, I don't think that would be an issue if you added some more yeast. Assuming the recipe or method resulted in a lot of unfermentable sugars, I think you could get further with a different yeast. I think I'd try tossing in a pack of Notty and see what happens.

If I were in the same position, and I hope I never am, I think I'd actually make starter with a really aggressive yeast (like 3711) and then pitch the starter into the wort.