Hoppy Wheat Stuck!

[Kmacbbrewin]

Hey all, my first post I am a long time follower/user of this forum but normally just able to read other's posts to get an idea.

I have a hoppy wheat I expected to get down around 1.012, (OG of 1.065) but even after about 45 days it's still stuck at about 1.040. I just transferred to a corny thinking, it must be done, but when I took the sample, still way too high!

We did have some periods of very cold weather and I couldn't keep my closet above about 58 -60, so I think it slowed down about. But I though if I let it sit longer (hence the 45 days), it would get there. I was using Safale US-05. It was my first time using a dry yeast for beer. Normally, I've used the Wyeast smack packs.

Also, for what it's worth, this was an extract recipe.

Any ideas on how to get the gravity down? Should I try to add more yeast or make a starter? I've got the keg at room temp. I also have a lid with a hole in it, if I need to add another air lock to it.

 

[kristiismean]

wow, try a different hydrometer. us-o5 will be slow, but still should work at 60 (58 is the low end) so is it possible that your Thermometer is off and it's colder?

you don't need another airlock, one is perfectly fine

If the sample at 70 (or the temperature that the hydrometer is calibrated at, will be printed on the hydrometer) is still at 1.040 post up a pic, but yeah, repitch another safale us-05 on it. I might hydrate the yeast so I don't have to stir it in as much adding more oxygen than can be removed at this point. (keep the stiring to a real bare minimum..

your hoppy wheat is going to lose a lot of it's hoppyness after 45 days as well.

 

[Kmacbbrewin]

Thanks for the info. I am using a refractometer, but I don't have another device to check it with. I did verify it zeros correctly at 1.000 with distilled water. However, it may have gotten colder. I just have one of those stick on fermometers on the carboy.

I made sure it got up to 70 degrees for about 24 hours, but still no movement, and then I re-pitched sa-05 today. I had bubbles within an hour or so.

Good catch! I didn't think about it not being hoppy after so long. I may try a round of dry hopping while I keg condition to add something back.

wow, try a different hydrometer. us-o5 will be slow, but still should work at 60 (58 is the low end) so is it possible that your Thermometer is off and it's colder?

you don't need another airlock, one is perfectly fine

If the sample at 70 (or the temperature that the hydrometer is calibrated at, will be printed on the hydrometer) is still at 1.040 post up a pic, but yeah, repitch another safale us-05 on it. I might hydrate the yeast so I don't have to stir it in as much adding more oxygen than can be removed at this point. (keep the stiring to a real bare minimum..

your hoppy wheat is going to lose a lot of it's hoppyness after 45 days as well.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Thanks for the info. I am using a refractometer,...

That's your problem right there. Refractometers are not even close to being accurate once alcohol is present and they will read way higher than actual. There are conversion calculators available online that can help you get a closer reading. My advice is to get yourself a hydrometer for FG readings. I'm sure your beer is long past being done by now. Taste it and if it tastes okay, package it up. And get a hydrometer.

 

[Kmacbbrewin]

Oh man! Good call. I didn't even think about that. According to the Northern Brewer calculator, that means it's estimated down around 1.023. I like using the refractometer, so you don't have to take such a big sample. I guess I need to get another hydrometer as a back up or at least to jog my memory.

That's your problem right there. Refractometers are not even close to being accurate once alcohol is present and they will read way higher than actual. There are conversion calculators available online that can help you get a closer reading. My advice is to get yourself a hydrometer for FG readings. I'm sure your beer is long past being done by now. Taste it and if it tastes okay, package it up. And get a hydrometer.

 

[Alain2]

You should taste your beer before kegging or bottling anyway. I always use the hydrometer sample to taste my beer so it doesn't go to waste.

 

[IslandLizard]

Refractometers can be as accurate as hydrometers, and agreed, it's easier to take a few drops out than a 4-6 oz sample. But it won't hurt to have a hydrometer to calibrate against.

I use a refractometer during mashing, lautering, boiling, and fermentation to know how far along the beer is. I use a hydrometer when filling the fermentation vessel as that exact value will be used in the gravity calculations using the refractometer later. Also to get the real FG when kegging, for the record. It is usually within 2 points of the corrected refractometer reading.

The wort correction factor is important, so know how to use it. I most often use Sean Terrill's calculator (and algorithm).

 

[IslandLizard]

After 45 days any (non-sour) beer should be done. An FG of 1.023 is pretty high for US-05.

How does it taste? If it's good, then FG is immaterial. I brew Wheat IPAs that are in the 1.020 range (Little Sumpin' Sumpin' clones), and they are wonderful.

I would definitely drop a hydrometer in a sample to get a better reading on her true gravity.