stuck fermentation

[jolemi]

hi guys,

i may have a stuck fermentation. my winter warmer ale went on last monday and had a nice crust of yeast which went on thursday. i've taken two readings one on sunday and one tonight and i'm getting a gravity of about 1008 ish (its not reading the 1004/1005 the last two kits i had)

now just for a bit of back ground info i added 500g of dry malt extract on top of the kg of sugar. should i add another sachet of yeast and try for another fermentation or bottle it at the weekend as planned?


cheers

John

 

[BigYin]

1008 is a perfectly good finishing gravity :thumb:

What was the starting gravity??

 

[jolemi]

yeah.... that would have involved me measuring it wouldn't it? if it helps it was a geordie winter warmer...

i've also seen on another one of my posts that people have used an electric fan oven to sanitise/sterilise glass bottles, have you tried this before?

thanks for your response.

John

 

[BigYin]

in fact, just had a look over my notes from my last 7 brews - ALL finished at 1012 or over - at 1008 it ain't stuck, it's finished :thumb: Bottle away!!

 

[jaymondo]

at 1008 i would say its finished rather than stuck. do you check your temp when you take your hydrometer readings as 1004 sounds like a very low fg. i would check it again in another couple of days and if theres still no movement then i'd rack it to bottles or keg.

 

[jolemi]

in fact, just had a look over my notes from my last 7 brews - ALL finished at 1012 or over - at 1008 it ain't stuck, it's finished :thumb: Bottle away!!

awesome thanks, edited my post asking about using an oven to sterilise bottles, have you ever done this?


Cheers

John

 

[BigYin]

Not convinced the oven would be a good way to sterilise bottles... they'd need to cool down a lot before you put the beer in...

I use Videne - get the antiseptic solution version of it from your chemist - dilute it in a spray bottle 1.5 ml to 500ml water - spray in the bottle, let any excess run out, beer straight in - no rinse - really quick and easy, very cheap, and very effective :thumb:

 

[the-erl]

now just for a bit of back ground info i added 500g of dry malt extract on top of the kg of sugar. should i add another sachet of yeast and try for another fermentation or bottle it at the weekend as planned?

Did you add any DME to your previous brews? By adding extra malt it will nearly always increase your FG as not all the sugars in the malt are fermentable. If you had taken a hydrometer reading before pitching your yeast (OG) you would have seen that it would have been higher than if you hadn't have added the extra DME. Hope that makes sense :thumb:
In saying all that though, 1008 sounds like it's done to me also. :thumb:

Erl :drink: