Three weeks

[Backwoodsbrewing]

Is three weeks a suitable time at the same gravity to establish finished gravity. I brewed a scotch ale on November 3 took gravity readings on November 9,16,and the 23 all three readings were 1.026-028 ish. I have shook it re pitched it and nothing will make this sucker budge. How much longer should I wait till I crash this bad boy and consider it finished. I can't imagine it's not finished. This was a pike kilt lifter clone with a starting gravity of 1.082 the recipe stated og as 1.068 beer smith puts it at 1.072. Fg should have been 1.018. I don't want to rush things but how long should this beer sit before i consider it done fermenting

 

[SEABrewer]

Is three weeks a suitable time at the same gravity to establish finished gravity. I brewed a scotch ale on November 3 took gravity readings on November 9,16,and the 23 all three readings were 1.026-028 ish. I have shook it re pitched it and nothing will make this sucker budge. How much longer should I wait till I crash this bad boy and consider it finished. I can't imagine it's not finished. This was a pike kilt lifter clone with a starting gravity of 1.082 the recipe stated og as 1.068 beer smith puts it at 1.072. Fg should have been 1.018. I don't want to rush things but how long should this beer sit before i consider it done fermenting

What's the fermentation temp? What yeast did you use?

I'd say that normally 3 weeks at the same FG (especially with a shaking/repitching in there) would typically indicate your fermentation is done, but knowing the fermentation temp and type of yeast would be helpful. If you're fermentation temp is a bit on the cool side, you could try moving the beer to a warmer spot (or using an electric blanket, etc to bring the temp up) to see if the yeast wake up then.

Have you tasted the beer?

 

[Backwoodsbrewing]

What's the fermentation temp? What yeast did you use? I'd say that normally 3 weeks at the same FG (especially with a shaking/repitching in there) would typically indicate your fermentation is done, but knowing the fermentation temp and type of yeast would be helpful. If you're fermentation temp is a bit on the cool side, you could try moving the beer to a warmer spot (or using an electric blanket, etc to bring the temp up) to see if the yeast wake up then. Have you tasted the beer?

i pitched white labs 028 Scottish ale yeast and used a fermwrap on the bucket for the first week and on the carboy for ten days with a Johnson a419 controller and kept it at 69 degrees I racked it because I needed the bucket. I re pitched champagne yeast and left it in for ten days. There was a few days I let it sit in between repitching when I wasn't sure what I should do. I tried to keep it between 67 and 70. And I feel reasonably sure it did just that it was in a 60 degree heated room the whole time so the fermwrap only had to maintain 9 degrees or so

 

[SEABrewer]

i pitched white labs 028 Scottish ale yeast and used a fermwrap on the bucket for the first week and a Johnson a419 controller and kept it at 69 degrees I racked it because I needed the bucket. I re pitched champagne yeast and left it in for ten days. There was a few days I let it sit in between repitching when I wasn't sure what I should do. I tried to keep it between 67 and 70. And I feel reasonably sure it did just that it was in a 60 degree heated room the whole time so the fermwrap only had to maintain 9 degrees or so

Sounds like you had the temperature about right. Your attenuation is about 68%, which is on the low end for that yeast (White Labs site claims 70% to 75% attenuation for WLP028). Still, if it's been stable for that long, it's probably done. There are so many variables involved that you may never be able to fully nail down what happened, but I wouldn't sweat it too much.

 

[dinnerstick]

by the way, champagne yeast (if all the internet sources are to be believed) has a very healthy appetite for simple sugars and no appetite for even moderately complex sugars. since in a stalled fermentation it's generally the longer and branched sugars that remain in the beer, champagne yeast is of no help. to get a sluggish wine or cider going again, sure, but for a beer you need an active and voracious ale yeast (i have heard the wlp san diego strain mentioned in this situation). anyways, as seabrewer asks, how does it taste? some bigger full bodied beers finish with a high FG and taste just right, some fermentations stall out and taste like syrup.

 

[Backwoodsbrewing]

by the way, champagne yeast (if all the internet sources are to be believed) has a very healthy appetite for simple sugars and no appetite for even moderately complex sugars. since in a stalled fermentation it's generally the longer and branched sugars that remain in the beer, champagne yeast is of no help. to get a sluggish wine or cider going again, sure, but for a beer you need an active and voracious ale yeast (i have heard the wlp san diego strain mentioned in this situation). anyways, as seabrewer asks, how does it taste? some bigger full bodied beers finish with a high FG and taste just right, some fermentations stall out and taste like syrup.

It tasted pretty good actually a hint of hops fairly malty but not syrupy I was wondering what would happen if I added some bourbon or scotch to cut the malt a bit I would have liked it a bit drier than it is.I suppose since it was intended as a desert beer I planned on serving with toffee pudding for Christmas. It would not be a big deal that it may be a very filling beer as most would only have one. I would still like to dry it out. I made a chocolate porter that came out this way also it was great with homemade vanilla ice cream but very filling also

 

[duboman]

Adding liquor will not dry it out or get the FG lower, simply it will add to the ABV and alcohol flavor. Since you don't mention a starter I will assume you under pitched. Also, if this was an all grain recipe you may have mashed too high and got less attenuation but this info was left out as well.

In all it sounds as though the beer is done if the gravity hasn't changed in three weeks and you have a nice malty scotch ale!

 

[hellawaits77]

It's done. Bottle/keg it.