To fix or not fix, that is the question

[cbrobertson]

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1023%20Irish%20Stout.pdf

Third batch of my 'career'. Irish Stout. Boil day 6/4/12
OG 1.046
SG 6/8 1.024 bubbles had stopped
SG 6/17 1.022 still no visible bubbles
Fermentation room temp 74
Bucket temp 73?

So, am I stuck? Should I fix? If so; with yeast nutrient? Oxygenator (which I don't own and would have to get). Be patient? Accept the 50% attenuation?
Seasoned brewers; input welcome.
Thanks.

 

[abt]

Looks stuck to me. Might squeak a few more points by rousing the yeast daily. By chance did you notice the exp date on the yeast? I've never used a BB kit but can imagine them sitting somewhere in a warehouse at 90° for a year. Beerworks has fresh yeast, right? Might be worth swapping the dry yeast next time.
Definitely don't add O2, and nutrients will as likely feed bacteria at this point. Swirl the bucket a couple of times for a couple of days and take another reading. I'd say taste it and if you like it, bottle and enjoy. There will be other, dryer beers.

 

[abt]

BTW, that's about five degrees warmer than I'd ferment that at.

 

[duboman]

As an extract recipe it is a common occur acne for them to just stall and finish around .020 or so for no apparent reason, there are many threads here discussing this phenomenon. You can try to swirl it gently to rouse the yeast or even re-pitch to get a few more points but most likely it's done

 

[day_trippr]

Time for some Beano?

Cheers!

 

[cbrobertson]

BTW, that's about five degrees warmer than I'd ferment that at.

Agreed, but best I can do. You think worth buying fermenter cooler? Seems like a lot of expense and space. There is a "domestic reason" (she sometimes reads my posts) that I have to keep this fermenting hobby as small a household footprint as possible.

 

[abt]

Understood. We don't all have the luxury of a fermentation chamber, lagering chamber, multi-tap kegorator, etc.
I would suggest you brew to the temp if can can't temp to the brew.
Saison, abbey strains, wits, all do well at that temp. You can also put the fermentor in a tub of water with ice packs of frozen water bottles rotated in and out. Kind of a pain, with mixed results, but assuming you can chill to 65°, it would take a couple of days and only three rounds of ice packs before you made it through that critical period.
What did you end up doing with the stout?

 

[cbrobertson]

Great advise on choosing brew styles. Thanks so much.
I swirled a couple times day for 4 days then let sit undisturbed a couple weeks. Bottled last weekend and is now conditioning. Smelled great. Didn't taste the flat beer on bottling day.

So sticking my neck out for possible riticule...
What about putting a fan on the plastic brew pale? Would "every little bit help" or waste of time?
BTW; trying an IPA kit (which I already had) and 36 hours into it room temp is 73.5 and pale is 77.0. May be time to buy her a something nice and then in a few weeks look at a real solution for the temperature issue. Hell, I've already doubled what I quoted for overhead cost. I'm doing the time; might as well compound the crime.
Wit is next on the list.

 

[abt]

Not so much the style as it is the yeast strain, but I can't imagine an IPA I'd want to ferment at 77°. It sure looks to me like you aren't chilling cool enough. If I chill to 65 it will take three days to get up to ambient 73....
If you keep your eye out, Craiglist will offer up a free fridge now and then, so long as you have the space for it. A temperature controller will run you $50-100 and you are done.
That will will be fine in the low 70's.