High final gravity

[brydo]

Hi guys, I have an american wheat beer in the fermented for 10 days now and two days In a row the gravity readings have been 1020. Just used wheat malt, lager malt and some carapils. The yeast was mangrove Jack's Bavarian wheat yeast. It tastes good but my question is it safe to bottle or should I stir the yeast back in from the bottom of the fermented? The original gravity was 1052.

Thanks for any advice

 

[jMac]

It may well have finished, though 1.020 seems a little high from 1.052 with that yeast, which should attenuate to about 70% (somewhere around 1.015). Personally, I’d leave it for another few days, maybe ramp the temperature up by a few degrees as you go and see if you can eke out those last few points.

What temperature have you been fermenting at?

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

Hi guys, I have an american wheat beer in the fermented for 10 days now and two days In a row the gravity readings have been 1020. Just used wheat malt, lager malt and some carapils. The yeast was mangrove Jack's Bavarian wheat yeast. It tastes good but my question is it safe to bottle or should I stir the yeast back in from the bottom of the fermented? The original gravity was 1052.

Thanks for any advice

What temperature did you mash at? The higher the mash temp the more un fermentable sugars will be left behind after fermentation = higher final gravity.

 

[brydo]

It may well have finished, though 1.020 seems a little high from 1.052 with that yeast, which should attenuate to about 70% (somewhere around 1.015). Personally, I’d leave it for another few days, maybe ramp the temperature up by a few degrees as you go and see if you can eke out those last few points.

What temperature have you been fermenting at?

It's been sitting at between 18 during the night and 20 during the day. Maybe a bit low but shouldn't stall it I would have thought ?

 

[brydo]

What temperature did you mash at? The higher the mash temp the more un fermentable sugars will be left behind after fermentation = higher final gravity.

It was mashed between 63 and 65, raised and dropped slightly but should have been accurate ad I was using my new brewster beacon with the pump on for circulation

 

[Scottyburto]

Is there anyway you can give it a gentle swirl without too much fuss or risk of oxygenation?

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

It was mashed between 63 and 65, raised and dropped slightly but should have been accurate ad I was using my new brewster beacon with the pump on for circulation

I would give it a little more time in the fermenter then. 14 days @ between 15 and 28c is often a good length of time and temperature range for Belgian / wheat yeast to do its thing.

 

[brydo]

Is there anyway you can give it a gentle swirl without too much fuss or risk of oxygenation?

Aye, well that's what I was thinking, maybe just a wee stir to rouse the yeast and trub that's settled at the bottom, but wasnt sure if that was kosher

 

[brydo]

I would give it a little more time in the fermenter then. 14 days @ between 15 and 28c is often a good length of time and temperature range for Belgian Yeast to do its thing.

It's not a problem that two days of the same reading is it ? Surely that will drop tomorrow ?

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

It's not a problem that two days of the same reading is it ? Surely that will drop tomorrow ?

Double check your Hydrometer is accurate too. Put it in some 20c water and see what the reading is. Mine is out by a reading of 4 and I always have to make adjustments for that.

 

[brydo]

Cheers for all the advice guys, much appreciated

 

[Scottyburto]

+1 extra time and a swirl

 

[brydo]

So I've swirled and given it two days but no movement on the fg. Could it be as simple as that's as low as I'm going to get it and bottle it anyway ? It doesnt taste overly sweet although when I tasted it from the trial jar, it was slightly fizzy, any idea what that could mean ?

 

[Dads_Ale]

If it was fizzy then this may be affecting your hydrometer reading as any fizz will lift it giving s false high reading. You need to leave it a while in the sample jar until it is flat and also spin the hydrometer to remove any bubbles sticking to it.