Gravity not dropping? 4 batches at 1.026

[crbice]

So I have brewed 4 separate batches all have sat for over a month at different times but all are stopping at 1.026. All but one I have used a yeast starter with WLP001. They are fermenting at room temperature. I'm sick of waiting so I'm bottling any suggestions?

 

[beergolf]

So I have brewed 4 separate batches all have sat for over a month at different times but all are stopping at 1.026. All but one I have used a yeast starter with WLP001. They are fermenting at room temperature. I'm sick of waiting so I'm bottling any suggestions?

We need a lot more info. Recipes? All grain or extract? any other info you can give us?

 

[StoneHands]

How are you measuring FG? Refractometer by chance? If so, remember to correct the FG reading based on your OG.

 

[crbice]

it was intended to be an all grain American I.P.A.

Grains:
Marris Otter- 9.8lbs
Victory malt-2.8lb
Carm/cryst 40L-8 oz
Carm/cryst 60L- 12 oz

60 min boil.

O.G. ended up at 1.050

My counter flow was cooling off the wort maybe too cool (cooler than ambient temp) I dropped in the yeast starter and the next day it was bubbling vigorously. I have brewed 3 other brews with slight variations and im getting stuck around the same gravity (1.026) let me know if you need more info

 

[khawk95]

What temp did you mash at? A higher temp will lead to more unfermentable wort. What is your "room temp"?


Roed Haus Brewery

 

[BigFloyd]

How are you measuring FG? Refractometer by chance? If so, remember to correct the FG reading based on your OG.

I was wondering the same thing. If the 1.026 readings are from a refractometer, they're artificially high due to the presence of alcohol.

 

[beergolf]

I was wondering the same thing. If the 1.026 readings are from a refractometer, they're artificially high due to the presence of alcohol.

I am wondering the same thing. Was FG measured with a refractometer? To have four batches finish that high makes no sense unless maybe mash temp was way to high.

You did not indicate mash temp, so that is possibly another solution. Check your thermometer for accuracy.

 

[crbice]

:rockin:The mash has been a nightmare actually, we have been brewing in a garage and despite the best efforts of our propane heater its been a cold 1 record low temps in our city. I would say the garage temp was anywhere from low 60's to low 50's. Maintaining the mash temp was a battle. our strike temp was 170 our target mash temp was 160 and as i'm typing this and looking at the reicpie I can tell that is probably too high. but as it went we tried to maintain 160 through the mash but it would drop around 7-10 degrees. we made a jacket out of foaming insulator and foil and it still dropped significantly. I used both a hydrometer and a refrcatomerter to measure the gravity the 1.026 was measured from my hydrometer. let me know if there is anymore info I can give I want to figure this sucker out

 

[beergolf]

160 is a very high mash temp. If your thermometer is of by even a few degrees and you mashed higher that would really be too high. and could cause the problem.

 

[Calichusetts]

Higher mash temps will generally give you a higher fg.

 

[kombat]

Agreed, I blame the mash temperature. IPA's are supposed to be dryer. You should be mashing at around 148° - 152° F, max.

 

[crbice]

gotcha, and duly noted. is there any concern I should be have with bottling at such a high gravity?

 

[dobe12]

+1. Your mash temps are way too high. You should be mashing somewhere between 145-155 depending on the style and what you are trying to achieve.

To help with holding mash temps (once you get that squared away ) you should look into reflective insulation. That's what I use to wrap my mash pot. It's relatively inexpensive and does a great job. I can keep a mash temp within just a few degrees (1-3F) over an hour even outside in single digit temps.

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[dobe12]

gotcha, and duly noted. is there any concern I should be have with bottling at such a high gravity?

Nope... it will just be very sweet. The sugars left in your beer are unfermentable, so even if you bottle, that gravity won't drop. You'd have to try other things to get that gravity down.

 

[crbice]

we actually did start with that. we had a water heater jacket on it and it didn't quite fit and because of that we were loosing about 10 degrees. so we wrapped the kettle and foil and applied about a 3 in coating of foam insulator. Im confident that it will work we just need to be in a warmer environment. but if it doesn't ill try to get a better fit for the heating jacket.

 

[BigFloyd]

we actually did start with that. we had a water heater jacket on it and it didn't quite fit and because of that we were loosing about 10 degrees. so we wrapped the kettle and foil and applied about a 3 in coating of foam insulator. Im confident that it will work we just need to be in a warmer environment. but if it doesn't ill try to get a better fit for the heating jacket.

With those kind of ambient temps, consider setting up a mash tun using a 50qt chest cooler and preheat it with hot water before adding strike water and grains.

For an IPA, you will probably want to shoot for around 153*F +\- a degree.