Stuck at 1.02

[13ONK]

Hi,

First time doing an extract brew, I've done several all grains already but decided to try an extract kit. I've done a lot of reading after the fact and it appears 1.02 is probably going to be my final number. I've read liquid malt extracts tend to finish a bit high and I didn't know about adding them late in the boil until after the fact. I stirred like crazy but the burner was still on full blast so I might have created some unfermentables... Is there any hope to bring the number down any more?

This is Morebeer’s 5 gallon firestone walker pale 31 extract kit. Ended up with OG @ 1.059. Water was built up for a light and hoppy profile from RO (numbers ended up around CA 75, MG 5, NA 10, CI 50, SO 150, & HCO 0). I fermented with the second generation of Denny's favorite that I had farmed from a fresh wyeast smackpack (so i guess it's second gen?). A 2 liter starter (stirplate) should have given me more than enough yeasties, but this morning I've decided to get anouther 2 liter starter going that I'll pitch after this weekend to try and lower my FG.

Fermentation was a bit slower then I'm used to at 62. I was wondering if I didn't airate enough, but I used my special venturi transfer hose and shake it pretty hard for a few minutes and usualy this works great. On the fourth day fermentation wasn't going as quickly as I wanted so I added a small amount of DAP and Yeast Superfood (think less than a 1/4teaspoon combined) and that didn't seem to do much. It took about 16 days to drop to 1.02 and hasn't really moved any lower since. I'm on day 18 now so it's looking pretty stuck. I've been rocking the fermentor every now and then over the last week and raising the temp a little and it's at 67 now but I don't see it helping.

Any thoughts on what I can do to lower the FG? Will more yeast help? Is it totally stuck? I've got another week before I need to start dry hopping (has to be kegged and gassed by November so my deadline is coming up quick). I appreciate any advise.

 

[duboman]

It's most likely not stuck, just done. As you are aware this is a common issue with extract and can be dependent upon the freshness of the extract, fermentability, aeration, etc. You have basically done everything that would be recommended to try and get it lower so if it hasn't moved it's done.

 

[13ONK]

Yeah it's a hard truth I don't want to accept but I guess that's how it goes sometimes. Hopefully the dry hopping and carbing will cover some of the sweetness.

 

[Calder]

I have a hard time buying this 1.020 myth. You started at 1.059, so should easily get down to 1.015. I don't think Denny's is the most attenuative yeast either which might be part of the problem.

Up the temp and maybe pitch some S-05 and see what happens.

 

[13ONK]

Would a pack of S-05 be any better then another 2L of Denny's? Specs put Denny's as a more attenuative yeast then S-05 on average and I would be pitching more active cells. Don't get me wrong, I love S-05 but it requires a trip to the LHBS.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

I have a hard time buying this 1.020 myth. You started at 1.059, so should easily get down to 1.015. I don't think Denny's is the most attenuative yeast either which might be part of the problem.

Up the temp and maybe pitch some S-05 and see what happens.

Would a pack of S-05 be any better then another 2L of Denny's? Specs put Denny's as a more attenuative yeast then S-05 on average and I would be pitching more active cells. Don't get me wrong, I love S-05 but it requires a trip to the LHBS.

You can pitch as much yeat as you want but like others have said, youve done everything you can to get it going again. Its a hard truth but its not a myth when it happens to 80% of extract brewers. The other 20% being perfectionests or adding almost all DME/LME at flameout to avoid scorcing/caramalization of unfermentable sugars.

When theres nothing left to eat, theres nothing left to eat!