Stuck at 1020

[Wombat175]

any suggestions would be great to new guy to home brewing. Cooper sparkling age kit, last 2 batches stuck at 1020 and no matter how long I leave, hydrometer checked, tried different types of water, temp varies between 22-30c.
Really annoying as I want bottle some beers!

 

[swiftyb]

Hey Wombat, give the fermenter a good shake or two - the temperature you're fermenting at seems quite high - usually I try to keep it below 24 degrees. You may have killed off some (or all) of the yeast. If you can get the temperature down to 18-20 and have some spare yeast - maybe throw it in and see how you go. Otherwise, try the shake and some patience and hope for the best

 

[ThirstyFish]

How does it taste? About right or too sweet?

Would be worth trying a different hydrometer.

 

[Wombat175]

The last 2 batches were stuck at 1020 so screw it I bottled 10 long necks from each, left for one month and they taste ok.

I just checked hydrometer at in tap water and sitting at 1010 so better get a new one

 

[Garfield]

Hey Wombat, give the fermenter a good shake or two - the temperature you're fermenting at seems quite high - usually I try to keep it below 24 degrees. You may have killed off some (or all) of the yeast. If you can get the temperature down to 18-20 and have some spare yeast - maybe throw it in and see how you go. Otherwise, try the shake and some patience and hope for the best

Yeast actually thrives at high temperature. For flavour sake we ferment at lower temperatures (below 20 for example). Yeast won't die or even struggle at 30c but you'll be building a lot of fusel alcohols which taste foul and give headaches.

Cans are notorious for low fermentability and the best way to compensate is pitching bucketloads of healthy, good quality yeast (not the packet under the lid). Try making a yeast starter in a few litres of low gravity wort or repitching half the yeast cake from previous brew.

Best of luck