Yet another fermentation question

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muthafuggle

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I'm doing an all-grain APA. I overshot my temp on the batch sparge (I wanted 154 but I was closer to 156-7) So I know I might not get as low a gravity as I wanted for this beer.

Add that my boil wasn't very vigorous (trying to brew inside) and I overshot my volume by almost a gallon. My SG was 1.053 (goal was 58, but it's pretty close and I didn't have any DME). I left it for a week (very active fermentation) and the SG was 1.019. A week after that (today) I measured at 1.018... a bit higher than I really want (the recipe calls for 1.010)

Two almost identical gravity readings 7 days apart... that means the yeasties are done, right? I tasted my sample and it was pretty good, but a bit on the sweet side. (but not too much, you know...)

I used Wyeast 1272 and make a starter that was very active.

SO here's the questions: do I throw my hands up in the air and say "it's not what I thought I was making, but it's beer and how can that be a bad thing?" or try to awaken a stuck fermentation... and if so, how?

Part 2: Where did I go wrong? Mash temp too high? too much wort because of a weak boil and new equipment? Failure to please Ninkasi in some odd way?

Thanks in advance...
 
I'd guess it was the mash temp. If I want to brew a sweeter/maltier beer, I mash at 158. If I want a dryer beer, I mash at 150-152
 
First off, what temperatures are you reading these S.G.'s at and have you calibrated your hydrometer (1.000 in distilled water). Also, how did the hydro sample taste after fermentation?

Mashing at 156 will result in fewer fermentable sugars, which could be your issue. A weak boil won't really effect the fermentability of the wort. I don't really think this is a stuck fermentation, I think it's finished. The main concern here will be if you want to drink it as is. If it's truly not something you like then resort to more drastic measures.
 
Also, since you overshot your volume by about a gallon you will get a lower OG. Combine that with high mash temps and there's your problem. I'm sure the final product will be just fine.
 
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