Really stuck fermentation or just short on fermenatbles?

Mashing
1

I know, I know another stuck fermentation thread. I have read a few of them but I am still not clear as to what to do.

My not-quite-a-maibock has been stuck at about 8.4 - 8.6B (not great at reading refrac) for over a week.

It started at about 1.060. I used 2 packets of re-hydrated s-23.
My BIAB recipe is here: viewtopic.php?p=1008608#p1008608

Mashed @ 152 to 155* (bad notes!)

Missed my OG by 8 points. Due to not double crushing and not sparging/squeezing well enough. Fermented in the low 50s with reasonable airlock action for several days. After 2 weeks, I raised the temp to 60 for a week with occasional swirling of the bucket.

So through seanterrill.com I am getting an ABV of 5.2%

The color looks good, taste is okay, a bit sweet IMO. But I am not maibock expert either. I like them a lot, but don’t know the taste off hand.

Am I stuck or is this beer just done?

I’ve got a feeling this might just be done.
Would it be worth trying to rehydrate another pack of S-23 to try and finish it off? Or just lager the bugger and have a lighter beer come May?

Thanks! :cheers:

2

Nuthin?

3

I am not an expert on Brix at all. What is you current SG? Do you have a hydrometer?

4
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=114865&p=1006287&hilit=+refractometer#p1006287
5

refractometers dont read accurately when alcohol is present. you’ll either have to use a hydrometer, or find a calculator that adjusts for alcohol

6

Right.

I do have a hydro, but just took a refractometer reading to save some beer. If I just enter the same Brix reading at seanterrill.com, (i.e. Original RI and Final with the same 8.6) I get 1.0329 - still 14 hydro pts. higher than predicted.

I’ll take a full on hydro reading something this week, so see if it’s close to what the calculator gave me.

I’ll probably give it another swirl and see if I can get it up to the a solid 62* see if that kicks anything in more.

I have a feeling this comedy of errors, has just left me with a weaker Maibock. But 5% isn’t bad just not the kick I was hoping for.

7

How low do you thing it should ferment to?

It is at ~ 1.018 now, not 1.032.

1.032 is 8.6 brix without taking into consideration the alcohol present.

http://www.brewheads.com/refract-currentgrav.php
8

My calculator has you at FG of 1.017. PM me and I will send it to you. Its an xls spreadsheet.

9

Oops never mind, here is a link to my brewing Google Drive. Feel free to use these files as you choose. Anyone with this link may access it. I just opened up the permissions.

I just updated the link:

https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B0i_W ... sp=sharing
10

Cool thanks! I’ll have to take a close look after work. Obviously I am doing something wrong.
:cheers:

11

So after a proper hydro I am at 1.022. Much closed to the estimated and lower than my last test, even the refrac was lower. So it looks like it still might be working.

So thanks for the help! :cheers: