Vigorous ferment but low FG

[royco]

BTW I did search the forum before asking this newbie question
My first AG IPA brewed in the garage was utter chaos. Working alone, the odd cell phone crisis, A.D.D. kicking in etc.
OG was 1055. Ferment went vigorously for 2 weeks. Now has slowed to 10 minutes between "burps". Took refractometer readings 2 days ago and today -- at the 3 week mark -- and the FG is stable at 1025.
Questions: can I now move to secondary, as the fermentation seems to be over? Will the FG drop some more in the secondary, as this FG is so high?
I used Coopers yeast as could not find the recommended Safale and the pack was smaller than the Safale, so this may be the problem. But, what threw me is the fact that it fermented so vigorously and for so long. I'm writing this off to experience but just curious. Incidentally the second brew went better (just mild chaos) and am about to do a third now, having sorted a few issues.
Useless Info: when I built electric guitars as a hobby the talk on forums was that you only begin to get the hang of it at build#20. Maybe it is similar here!

 

[bethebrew]

What temperature is it now? That gravity, while stable, seems a bit high to risk bottling. I'd be inclined to wait a few days yet.

As to getting the hang of it, ditch the idea of secondary in a beer like this, for one example. Most books and recipes suggest it, but a lot of us just do a primary for 3 or 4 weeks (if needed) and never even do a secondary. Allows the yeast to clean things up better.

 

[RM-MN]

BTW I did search the forum before asking this newbie question
My first AG IPA brewed in the garage was utter chaos. Working alone, the odd cell phone crisis, A.D.D. kicking in etc.
OG was 1055. Ferment went vigorously for 2 weeks. Now has slowed to 10 minutes between "burps". Took refractometer readings 2 days ago and today -- at the 3 week mark -- and the FG is stable at 1025.
Questions: can I now move to secondary, as the fermentation seems to be over? Will the FG drop some more in the secondary, as this FG is so high?
I used Coopers yeast as could not find the recommended Safale and the pack was smaller than the Safale, so this may be the problem. But, what threw me is the fact that it fermented so vigorously and for so long. I'm writing this off to experience but just curious. Incidentally the second brew went better (just mild chaos) and am about to do a third now, having sorted a few issues.
Useless Info: when I built electric guitars as a hobby the talk on forums was that you only begin to get the hang of it at build#20. Maybe it is similar here!

Your refractometer is a super tool to use.....before fermentation starts. Once there is alcohol involved, accuracy is never assured. Use a hydrometer to tell where your gravity is to see if you are ready to bottle or if your yeast stalled. Even with the correction tables, refractometer readings for FG are not accurate.

 

[royco]

Thank you bethebrew and RM-MN, and especially RM-MN for explaining so nicely how I have wasted my cash
I was very happy with my pro series glass hydrometer but then "everyone" said refractometer was the way to go!
Surely if it is not accurate, it should at least be consistently over or under reading? It is exactly stuck on 1025.
bethebrew, the temp is 22°C or 71°F which is ambient. I am happy to leave it for another week or two and see what happens.

 

[RM-MN]

Thank you bethebrew and RM-MN, and especially RM-MN for explaining so nicely how I have wasted my cash
I was very happy with my pro series glass hydrometer but then "everyone" said refractometer was the way to go!
Surely if it is not accurate, it should at least be consistently over or under reading? It is exactly stuck on 1025.
bethebrew, the temp is 22°C or 71°F which is ambient. I am happy to leave it for another week or two and see what happens.

I beg to differ. I didn't say you wasted your cash, just that you have another specialized tool. As you keep on brewing AG like you say you are doing you will find that refractometer to be quite useful. I have to chill a sample before I can test the wort with my hydrometer to see if I hit my target. You just take a couple drops of hot wort and within seconds you can see what your OG is and adjust by adding malt extract while it is still hot.

I hope you didn't get rid of the hydrometer when you bought the refractometer. Both belong in your toolbox.

 

[chickypad]

Yes, you can still use the refractometer to see if the readings are stable. For the correction I find Sean Terrill's calculators to be more accurate than many of the other ones, usually comes in within a couple points (his website seems to be down right now but he has spreadsheets on there for download). I still use a hydrometer to confirm FG as a routine practice though.

 

[feinbera]

What temperature did you mash at? If you mashed warm – 158°, 160°, something like that – you produced a wort with a lot of unfermentable sugars in it, which could also contribute to finishing at a higher gravity than you were expecting.

But, I'd still see what your hydrometer says.