Should/can I Pitch More Yeast?

[Juzz]

I was attempting to make an extract high alcohol Chimay type clone and I am unsure if I have stuffed it up. I dont have the ingredient list with me but off the top of my head it was something like:

1.5kg LME
1.2kg DME
300g Honey
400g brown sugar
200g roasted grain
US-05
I cant remember the hops composition

Volume = 17ltrs
OG = 1060
Yeast was pitched at about 20 degrees.

I had vigorous fermentation for about 4 days, then nothing. FG is constant at 1016. It has been sitting for about 8 days @ 18 degrees. A taste test reveals a very ordinary beer; in fact it is worse than ordinary. Can this beer be done after 4 days? a gentle shake of the barrel does not evoke anything.

Due to the fermentables should I have pitched 2 yeast packets? Is it too late to add another yeast? If the yeast was pitched at a higher temp then I would not be supprised about a quick ferment, but it was a good temp. Am i worried about nothing? Any thoughts appreciated.

Juzz

 

[buttersd70]

1016 sounds about right for this. 1060-1016 is 73% apparant attenuation. US05 is a funny bugger. Sometimes it can chew through it quickly. Given that there was a reasonable amount of easy fermentables (ie the honey and the sugar), I'm not hugely surprised that it went off in 4 days, even at 20c. I'd be giving it a couple of days to rest out on the cake, but wouldn't be overly concerned about the attenuation of it. The flavour being ordinary is a differant story, though.....

 

[Bribie G]

I've made some high alcohol brews that have attenuated in less than a week using such ale yeasts as S04 and Nottingham. I did an 8% stout that went ballistic for four days then settled down very quickly after that (s04) and was in the bottle only ten days after pitching. I've never used US05 personally but it sounds about right. If you have a good seal and aren't in any hurry to bottle then there's no harm in letting it sit for an extra week under the CO2 blanket, it shouldn't come to any harm.