Stuck at 1.020

[jlmcgrath]

Hi all,

Made an APA from BCS about 12 days ago and it seems to be stuck at 1.020.
I had a few initial problems with the ferment. Pitched a package of US-05 after I had aerated and properly rehydrated it. After 3 days I had no change in gravity, no airlock activity, nothing. Reaerated and rehydrated another package of US-05 and it was bubbling away after 12 hours. After 9 days, the gravity is stuck at 1.020.
Pretty sure it wasn't my mash temp as I had 2 thermos. Brewed the same recipe yesterday and pitched 2 packets of US-05. Would it be possible to topcrop this new batch and pitch a bunch of it into the stuck APA? Would this possibly bring the gravity down?

Cheers

[spiderwrangler]

Possibly... even though you have two therm, have you checked calibration on them? I'm assuming you are keeping an eye on ferm temp?

[EL TIZZO]

I had this same problem but the other direction...my beers were over attenuating and thin in body because my mash temp was consistently 5 degrees too low...check your thermometers with the lab/calibration ones you can get from various places (I know more beer has them)...in fact this is the only thermometer I use these days and my consistency has never been better...

[Afterlab]

Would it be possible to topcrop this new batch and pitch a bunch of it into the stuck APA? Would this possibly bring the gravity down?

Technically yes you can top crop from your new batch, however if that new batch doesn't ferment below 1.020 either then you don't want that yeast to help further attenuate your first beer because it simply isn't going to. If you harvest yeast that becomes accustomed to chronic under-aeration then that strain will gradually mutate into a strain that under-attenuates future batches and takes longer to ferment due to low viability.

What sort of wort aeration practices are you using? Under-aeration and under attenuation typically go hand in hand so I think the problem may lie there.

[BrewerJ]

I would wait until that second beer is done fermenting probably day five or so and rack to another carboy to secondary. Then rack your 1020 beer on top of that healthy fresh yeast cake. If that doesn't do it then you know its a fermentable sugar issue.

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

What was your estimated or your target final gravity? If you are within .05-.08, I would call it good.

[jlmcgrath]

Thanks for all the quick replies guys,

Beer was in the ferm fridge at 19C(67F) and I am using 2 glass/alcohol thermos. Both have been calibrated with boiling H20 and H20 with ice.
Using an aquarium pump and a 2 micron stone for aeration. Puts a bit of foam on the top of the beer after about 30 min, but wondering if it may not be powerful enough. Was hoping for it to finish around 1.012-1.013

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

Thanks for all the quick replies guys,

Beer was in the ferm fridge at 19C(67F) and I am using 2 glass/alcohol thermos. Both have been calibrated with boiling H20 and H20 with ice.
Using an aquarium pump and a 2 micron stone for aeration. Puts a bit of foam on the top of the beer after about 30 min, but wondering if it may not be powerful enough. Was hoping for it to finish around 1.012-1.013

I remember Jamil's attempt at a brown ale a couple years ago on Can You Brew It? and he missed his OG and FG but still cloned the beer. Have you sampled the beer? Personally, I think you're close enough to RDWABIAHAHB.