Stuck fermentation?!

[Alross]

3 weeks ago I started a Golden Stag Summer Ale kit from Festival (my first beer, after a few ciders).

Fermentation proceeded well to begin with, but has since slowed and stopped. I gave it a stir a while ago and fermentation picked back up again, but The hydrometer reading has been the same for around a week now (1.013, whereas FG is meant to be 1.009 according to the kit)

I'd be quite happy with this as a finished beer, as strength isn't an issue for me. I'm just concerned that if I bottle now, it may be too early (which I doubt), or that the priming sugar will have no effect and I'll have a flat beer.

Would it be worth pitching more yeast? Will the beer be affected by sitting in primary for so long? Should I just go ahead and bottle it now and see what happens?

 

[Yooper]

1.013 is done. 1.009 would be a very low FG, and that would be uncommon in most beers.

 

[Alross]

Ok that's great thanks. I'd heard that the ABV quoted with kits tends to be optimistic so I thought that might be the case.

 

[MarcusKillion]

I get a lot of 1.012 . Hydrometer is not perfect and yours probably not either . After 3 weeks there is no chance of it being not done . the only time I get lower than that is with kits and using two packs of yeast.
you can leave that beer in the fermenter for months . i like 2 months but at least one .

 

[pschad]

Rather than start a new thread with same title, I'd like to ask a similar question. Nut brown ale with OG of 1.040 in cool brewing cooler for first time. With three 1 liter ice bottles at first (live in warm climate) temp went to 58-62 range. Kept for a day or two due to increased internal temp of fermentation. Fermentation started after about 5 hours with a yeast starter. Did ok for about three days and slowed greatly. Reduced to two ice bottles for a few days and now, after a week, one. Checked gravity today and it's 1.020 with little to no activity. Is it stuck? What can/ should I do?

 

[pschad]

I should add that the yeast was wlp002 English ale yeast

 

[MarcusKillion]

good question . i am waiting to see the the answer to that one also . Never had anything do quite that. Maybe the temp drop caused the yeast to fall out and they just had not came back to life yet .
I always do my nut browns at around 70 degree room temp give or take a few degrees . i have done some at around 68 degree room temp. I love nut brown ale . but I am usually using notty yeast

 

[glick]

Rather than start a new thread with same title, I'd like to ask a similar question. Nut brown ale with OG of 1.040 in cool brewing cooler for first time. With three 1 liter ice bottles at first (live in warm climate) temp went to 58-62 range. Kept for a day or two due to increased internal temp of fermentation. Fermentation started after about 5 hours with a yeast starter. Did ok for about three days and slowed greatly. Reduced to two ice bottles for a few days and now, after a week, one. Checked gravity today and it's 1.020 with little to no activity. Is it stuck? What can/ should I do?

Given the attenuation of WLP002 I'd say it's not done fermenting yet. Try warming it up a little and see if that helps.

 

[pschad]

Thanks. Should I do anything to the yeast cake or just let it be?

 

[tehnick]

Thanks. Should I do anything to the yeast cake or just let it be?

The yeast might have dropped out of suspension with the temps you posted. WLP002 is high in flocculation and will drop before the beer finishes if the yeast aren't happy or too cold. You might be able to rouse the yeast back into suspension and get results by keeping fermentation between 65-70 degrees. You may need to pitch fresh yeast.

 

[pschad]

What fg should I expect or shoot for?
Really appreciate all of the help.

 

[tehnick]

What fg should I expect or shoot for?
Really appreciate all of the help.

I would shoot for 1.013-1.010 but that is just a guess based on what info we have. Mash temp, if a starter was used, etc, would also help with troubleshooting it.