Iperial Stout

[Neuron_Theory]

I've had a 1.104 OG RIS in the carboy for 10 days now and it has dropped to 1.048 as of last night when I took the blow off tube off and put an air lock on. The airlock was bubbling soon after so it should still be fermenting. I want it to get to about 1.028. Should I rack it to a secondary to rouse the yeast some and get it off the dead stuff or just leave it alone as long as it keeps dropping? Just looking for opinions or experience, I've never done such a big beer before.

[pfooti]

In my big beers I will rouse the fermentation by just shaking up the fermenter (carefully). Anything over 1.100 probably can use that- pick the carboy up and carefully agitate it. I use buckets and just twist it like we did last summer.

[PhillyBrewer]

I surely wouldn't be worrying about autolysis after 10 days. I wouldn't want to compromise attenuation in a big beer by transferring off the yeast after 10 days either.

[Neuron_Theory]

I surely wouldn't be worrying about autolysis after 10 days.

I didn't think so either, but didn't know how a higher alcohol would effect autolysis. I'll just agitate it a little and measure gravity in another week. Thanks guys.

[brewinhard]

Definitely leave it in the primary for at least 3-4 wks before packaging or kegging. Give those yeasties time to clean up their hard work so you can have your delicious final product.

[riverfrontbrewer]

I wouldn't think there would be a need for "rousing" the yeast...they know what they're doing. As long as you used a proper yeast strain for that high of gravity......I would leave a RIS in the primary for a month, then transfer to secondary IF you wanted to bulk age or add anything to it.

Good Luck!

[whoateallthepies]

My 1.105 Iperial Stout (WLP007) pooped out at 1.040 this week. I left it about a week at that gravity.

Then this week I've had Wyeast 1056 on the stir plate. So I took 1L of the stirring yeast and transferred my IS to a new fermenter with the fresh yeast. No idea what's going to happen, but getting it down to 1.030 would be handy.

[BrewerJ]

A lot of your FG is your mash temp and percentage of specialty malt. Especially on those big beers. Did you use any simple sugar? 007 should have no problem taking that beer down to 1030-1025. Adding fresh yeast off of a starter should help finish the fermentables. What temperature are you fermenting at. I would be as close to 70 as possible when trying to finish a big beer.