Chocolate Milk Stout stuck at 1.021- Can lactose cause that?

[formula2fast]

I have a chocolate milk stout that I brewed over 3 weeks ago. It has a pound of lactose in it. This is my first time using lactose. I used a yeast starter and it started fermenting about 4 hours after pitching and was done bubbling by day 3. I let it sit for an additional 3 weeks in the primary and it is still at 1.021. My OG was 1.057. I know that for some beers, up to 1.024 is acceptable. I am not scared because it tastes amazing, but I just want to be sure if I prime it, I am not going to have bottle bombs.

Can lactose (being unfermentable) keep my FG higher than usual? I am going to let it sit another week or two and see what happens, but I am thinking that she is done.

 

[Pogopunx82]

Yup, it'll do that.

 

[bassmaster911]

Depending on your recipe you could be at final gravity. Lactose will raise your final gravity. Same reading on your hydrometer for three days you should be good to go.

 

[wilsojos]

I've got the exact same thing on my chocolate milk stout. I did some research and we are right where we should be.

 

[deflagratio]

For the fun of saying what everyone else is saying:

Yes Lactose will cause a higher than normal FG. I know my milk stout normally finishes around there and It is one of my absolute favorites.

 

[Krazykripple]

mine is around 1.022 and seems to be finished. after looking around it seems to be pretty normal

 

[MaltnHops]

My milk stouts usually finish between 1.020 and 1.024, so you're done.

 

[formula2fast]

Hearing this makes me feel better about it then. I only questioned it because in my BeerTools it said that I should be at 1.014 for FG based on my recipe, but my OG came out 3 points higher than BTP said too.

Thanks guys...Can't wait to try the finished product.

 

[daksin]

Lactose is 100% unfermentable, and has a PPG of about 36. That means a pound in 5 gallons will raise your OG and FG by about 7 points. I would imagine that Beertools is using it to calculate the OG, but then just calculates the FG as a percentage of the OG based on the yeast you choose (% Apparent attenuation), without taking the ingredients into account.

 

[iamperplexed]

Same issue here. 12 days in the primary and 3rd reading at 1.022 with an O.G. of 1.050 however I only used 8oz of lactose. I'm in no rush so i'm going to let it ride a little longer but I did notice all airlock activity has completely stopped as of last night. I know it's no way to judge but it sure is quiet even after a nice sloshing around in the bucket earlier. I'm sitting right at 64 - 66 degrees constantly which seems about right to me. Any thoughts? I kind of was hoping to get this thing racked over and bottled in time for December-holiday-fiasco-dinner and such.

 

[Yooper]

Same issue here. 12 days in the primary and 3rd reading at 1.022 with an O.G. of 1.050 however I only used 8oz of lactose. I'm in no rush so i'm going to let it ride a little longer but I did notice all airlock activity has completely stopped as of last night. I know it's no way to judge but it sure is quiet even after a nice sloshing around in the bucket earlier. I'm sitting right at 64 - 66 degrees constantly which seems about right to me. Any thoughts? I kind of was hoping to get this thing racked over and bottled in time for December-holiday-fiasco-dinner and such.

8 ounces of lactose should add something like .004 to the final gravity since it's unfermentable. So, yes, I'd say you're about right for a sweet stout.

 

[iamperplexed]

8 ounces of lactose should add something like .004 to the final gravity since it's unfermentable. So, yes, I'd say you're about right for a sweet stout.

Thanks for the info. I'm a new guy, trying to figure all of this out. Where exactly can I find that kind of information on my own? I plugged my recipe into the recipe builder at hopville and it says my O.G. should be 1.013. Is there a calculator I can use to project gravity?

Thanks again.

 

[JLem]

Thanks for the info. I'm a new guy, trying to figure all of this out. Where exactly can I find that kind of information on my own? I plugged my recipe into the recipe builder at hopville and it says my O.G. should be 1.013. Is there a calculator I can use to project gravity?

Thanks again.

This issue is that lactose does not ferment, but most (all?) calculators determine FG as a percent of OG, without taking into account the fermentability of the ingredients. So, when using lactose you just need to add about 7 points to the estimated FG per pound of lactose (assuming a five gallon batch).

 

[wilsojos]

I'm sure you're fine. That's about where I'd expect you to finish.

 

[iamperplexed]

So how about figuring abv? Does that mean I need to subtract the lactose variable? 1.050 OG to 1.022 FG lands me at about 3.7%ABV if I'm not mistaken. Pretty low for a stout.

Hate to keep beating this drum but I'm still a little concerned about moving forward to secondary. I've noticed I'm hearing some airlock activity the last couple of nights. I've moved my primary out of the closet and placed it next to the floor vent for the heater in an effort to warm it a bit. I have noticed some activitiy after the heater cylcles during the night. Is it just temperature change causing the bubbling or is that a sign that it isn't done and in fact needs to warm up to finish?

 

[brycelarson]

My milk stouts usually finish between 1.020 and 1.024, so you're done.

mine too. tasty and sweet.

 

[JLem]

So how about figuring abv? Does that mean I need to subtract the lactose variable? 1.050 OG to 1.022 FG lands me at about 3.7%ABV if I'm not mistaken. Pretty low for a stout.

Hate to keep beating this drum but I'm still a little concerned about moving forward to secondary. I've noticed I'm hearing some airlock activity the last couple of nights. I've moved my primary out of the closet and placed it next to the floor vent for the heater in an effort to warm it a bit. I have noticed some activitiy after the heater cylcles during the night. Is it just temperature change causing the bubbling or is that a sign that it isn't done and in fact needs to warm up to finish?

You use the standard ABV calculation - doesn't matter if you have lactose there or not. (OG - FG) x 131

Given your numbers in the original post (OG = 1.057, FG = 1.021), you're at about 4.7% ABV.

As for the bubbling, it is most likely just off-gassing as a result of both you moving it and the temperature change - both agitation and increased temperature will cause co2 to come out of solution. So, you're probably good to bottle - no need to move it to secondary.

 

[iamperplexed]

You use the standard ABV calculation - doesn't matter if you have lactose there or not. (OG - FG) x 131

Given your numbers in the original post (OG = 1.057, FG = 1.021), you're at about 4.7% ABV.

As for the bubbling, it is most likely just off-gassing as a result of both you moving it and the temperature change - both agitation and increased temperature will cause co2 to come out of solution. So, you're probably good to bottle - no need to move it to secondary.

I agree with the bubbling but unfortunately my OG was 1.050 and not 1.057 so that puts me a little lower. Either way, I'm moving forward with the bottling soon and appreciate all of the input.

 

[JLem]

I agree with the bubbling but unfortunately my OG was 1.050 and not 1.057 so that puts me a little lower. Either way, I'm moving forward with the bottling soon and appreciate all of the input.

Sorry. I went by the numbers in the original post - I thought you were disregarding the lactose addition for the 1.050 number you gave. I bet you have a nice, tasty session beer.