Yeast done eating, racked to secondary, still stuck at 1.032..

[MurphysLawBrewer]

This is a DME recipe with steeped grains, Irish Red. My gravity reading was 1.055 when I crashed the wort to 70 degrees, transferred it to the carboy, piched the liquid yeast vile and then covered the top and shook the bugger for about 5-7 minutes, plugged it and put in an airlock. Throughout the 7 day fermentation I kept the wort around 65 degrees, one day it got as warm as 75 degrees but the issue was resolved after around 10 hours of 70-75 degree temps.

An active fermentation began after 12-14 hours, it picked up steam pretty fast and it continued for 5-6 days. Between day 6 and 7 I didn't notice a difference in the gravity reading using a refractometer (no decrease) so I assumed the process was done enough to rack to secondary, however, I was concerned because my gravity reading (again using a refractometer) was 1.032, without accounting for alchohol content. As I'm writing this I realized that I should have trusted a hydrometer reading instead of using my refractometer (I didn't write down the brix numbers). I took a hydrometer sample but it was so foamy I had trouble getting a reading and I figured I could fall back on my refractometer so I didn't try very hard...

Needless to say the initial thesis was, beer stuck at 1.032 grav, it's in the secondary, I don't want bottle bombs so what can I do.. That has now evolved to what do my OG and FG readings tell me about the actual gravity of my beer, and then if it's still high, what are my options?

OG: 1.055
FG: 1.032 (using refractometer without compensating for alchohol content)

According to an online calculator:
OG: 1.055 = 13.6 brix
FG: 1.032 = 8 brix
FG with compensation for alchohol content: OBrix, FBrix =(using NB online calc)= 1.017 FG

If these calculations are actually correct or even in the realm of possible, I don't think I have anything to worry about, do you? Or do you know that these calculations are inaccurate/don't make sense?

Thanks for the help

 

[Calder]

If it was foamy in the hydrometer jar, it is an indication it hadn't finished.

Take an hydrometer reading. Let it settle for a while if necessary. Then drink the sample.

 

[MurphysLawBrewer]

if it turns out that my beer is indeed not done fermenting, have I just stalled it out a bit by throwing it in the secondary or do you think there will be enough yeast left to continue it's business (if even just delayed a few days to recoup).

 

[BigFloyd]

if it turns out that my beer is indeed not done fermenting, have I just stalled it out a bit by throwing it in the secondary or do you think there will be enough yeast left to continue it's business (if even just delayed a few days to recoup).

It's hard to say. Pulling it off the yeast too early can cause some problems in that respect. I'm still not sure why you felt the need to transfer this type of beer to a secondary at all. Following kit instructions maybe? If you had simply left this in the primary a few weeks and not used a secondary, that would have been a better plan.

Since your 1.032 refract reading is uncorrected for alcohol, why not run that number and your OG through a correction calculator so you get some idea of what the gravity really is? I took a comparison refract reading (1.035) one time along with a hydro reading that showed the the real FG was 1.017. That gives you some rough idea about how much the alcohol throws off the reading.

 

[MurphysLawBrewer]

It's hard to say. Pulling it off the yeast too early can cause some problems in that respect. I'm still not sure why you felt the need to transfer this type of beer to a secondary at all. Following kit instructions maybe? If you had simply left this in the primary a few weeks and not used a secondary, that would have been a better plan.

Since your 1.032 refract reading is uncorrected for alcohol, why not run that number and your OG through a correction calculator so you get some idea of what the gravity really is? I took a comparison refract reading (1.035) one time along with a hydro reading that showed the the real FG was 1.017. That gives you some rough idea about how much the alcohol throws off the reading.

Well, it's good to hear that the alcohol content can distort the refractometer reading by such a significant amount, it means I might have some hope. I think I'm going to have to just bite the bullet after a week and take a hydrometer reading to see where I'm at.

The reason I moved it to a secondary was because I wanted to dry hop it. I've had some dry hopped reds before that were fantastic. Some good hop aroma with a mild, malty beer, very smooth drink with lots of flavor. Definitely not the traditional route for an Irish Red but if I wanted traditional I'd just go buy a 6-pack from a professional rather than try to make something original

I appreciate the feedback you guys are providing, still learning a few things every time I brew!

 

[RM-MN]

When you discover that you really like this beer and want to make the recipe again, instead of using a secondary for dry hopping you can dry hop right in the primary when the ferment has completed. That way you avoid the potential for stalling the ferment by moving the beer too soon and you avoid the chance of infection. Many of us have quite using secondaries for anything by long term (months) aging of a big beer or for adding vanilla beans or oaking where the yeast may absorb some of the flavors we want.

 

[MurphysLawBrewer]

Yeah, I've been reading a lot about that, it sounds like the majority (and trust me, I know there are threads discussing this subject ad nauseam) are peeling away from using a secondary for clarification and dry hopping.

When you mention big beers are you talking beer with a high ABV and/or huge hop flavor and aroma? Or are there different characteristics? I ask because I have a beer in my primary (another reason I racked, to make space for my next brew in the 6.5 gal) that's target ABV is just around 10%, had 1.5oz Simcoe bittering hops (60 min), 1 oz citra flavor hop (15 min), 1 oz citra and 0.5 oz simcoe aroma hop (5 min) then I plan to (after 2+ weeks in the primary) dry hop with 1 oz simcoe 1 oz citra.

To me this seems like a pretty big beer, I ended with 5.5gal at about .008 over the target original gravity (post boil). The extra sugar is fine and the extra volume will help compensate for the 25oz orso wort the hops soak up during the dry hop. Would you recommend I take this beer and rack it to a secondary for dry hopping or should I just let it sit in the primary for a couple weeks, throw in my hops for a week and then transfer to the bottling bucket from there?

 

[jCOSbrew]

Wait two more weeks, then start checking FG with a hydrometer (not refractometer).
Skip the transfer to secondary next time.

 

[QuercusMax]

"Big" generally refers to OG. I wouldn't consider anything under 1.065 to be a big beer. (Although the definition may vary from brewer to brewer.)

 

[Setesh]

Another thought. You mention that you were at 65 for most of the time but it got as high as 75. If yeast get warm but then get chilled down quickly they will put up a protein coat and go to sleep. The yeast don't have any way of knowing you are going to stop at 65, they just react to the rapid temp change and go into preservation mode. This can cause a stuck fermentation very easily. Try warming the beer back up and swirling the yeast to get it back in suspension. It may just kick back into gear for you.

 

[BigFloyd]

Try warming the beer back up and swirling the yeast to get it back in suspension. It may just kick back into gear for you.

Unfortunately, he can't. He racked to a secondary.

 

[Setesh]

Unfortunately, he can't. He racked to a secondary.

Ahh, right you are. Well then, first I would take a hydrometer reading and make sure you aren't barking up the wrong tree. If after a week or so the hydrometer isn't moving in the right direction I would make a starter. Pitch a vial/pack of yeast into it and get that yeast churning really good. Pitch the entire thing at high krausen into your beer in secondary. The yeast should keep right on chugging and finish out your beer for you.

 

[MurphysLawBrewer]

Interesting stuff guys. I knew yeast would attempt to preserve themselves and go dormant after storing up some energy, I didn't realize that a temp swing of 10 degrees could potentially have that effect (when done quickly).

I think my first course of action will be to wait it out at least until the weekend, at that point I'll pull a sample and test it in the hydrometer to see if I've just been worrying about something trivial caused by using the wrong instrument for my measurements. If the gravity is just too high and bottling is going to be a problem, I'll make a starter and throw some more yeast at my problem and see what happens

Thanks for the input

 

[Setesh]

Sounds like a great plan, let us know how it turns out.

 

[MurphysLawBrewer]

So, I waited a couple weeks to check the gravity, not because I'm patient or anything but because I was just too busy. I didn't want to let it sit on the hops too long so I made sure I checked the gravity this weekend and prepared to bottle if it was ready.

I poured a sample into my hydrometer and BOOM, almost exactly on 1.01 gravity, putting the beer around 6% ABV. In the end it means this thread was just me being overanxious and perhaps a warning to new brewers that a refractometer is a mistake after fermentation has begun.

Fortunately after a week in the primary and two weeks in the secondary, this beer has some nice clarity and I'm really excited to see how it rounds out after a few weeks in the bottles.

Thanks for everyone's input, I figured perhaps people might be interested in some follow up on my part

 

[Setesh]

Congrats! I'm glad it turned out for you!