Trust My Tastebuds, Or Science?

[RobH]

I am re-posting this in it's own thread as I think my reply sorta didn't fit in over in this thread and got overlooked.

Last Friday I mixed up a Coopers English Bitter, with 1.5kg of LDM, Morgans Ale Yeast, and filled fermenter to 18L

For the last three days this brew has been maintaining a SG of 1025 ... which is 10 more than what the spreadsheet calculated the FG to be (i.e.: 1015).

I did use 1.5kg of LDM and no other sugars, and the fermentation appeared to be quite vigorous 24 hours after pitching ... with a krausen ring about 10cm above the beer.

The thing is, it tastes just right - no sweetness or over-powering maltyness, and just the right bitterness.

Is 1025 just too high? Unheard of?

I'd like to leave it in the fermenter another week and only rack it when I go to bulk prime for bottling - if it is still at 1025 this time next week should I be concerned about bottling it - or is that just asking for trouble in the form of bottle bombs?

 

[Flash_DG]

I had a beer that stayed about 1020, I gave it a bit of a shake to get some yeast up off the bottom and it seemed to get back in to gear and finished about 1012 after another week.
I'd do the same and give a swirl and let it sit for a bit longer yet

 

[Adamt]

It's not done. If you bottle it at 1.025 you'll either get no carbonation, or the yeast will kick back into gear and create a box of glass grenades.

 

[glaab]

looks way too high to me. Try swirling the fermenter to raise the yeast back into action. Has the temp dropped too low overnight and caused the yeasties to drop out?
The taste from the fermenter isn't really what it will turn out like in the keg/ bottle. It will seem to have much less bitterness after a couple of weeks in the keg. Cheers

 

[petesbrew]

I'd guess it could drop further. It's only been a week, so do as FlashDG said. Give the fermenter a bit of a shake to get the yeast going again.

 

[Pennywise]

Can you rack it off to another fermenter to see if the yeast takes off again?

 

[thelastspud]

Did you test your hydrometer? Put it in plain water and it should read 1000 sometimes the paper moves inside the tube.

 

[RobH]

Thanks for the replies ... hydrometer is good ... looks like I am gonna rack it and see how that goes.
It's funny the different opinions you get ... I was just down at CB in Kingswood & he rekoned I should bottle it tonight!

 

[Renegade]

I wouldn't bottle it !

That said, you will read from time to time people bottling a high beer, but the important thing to recoghnise is the attenuation - ie how much has it dropped from your SG. Based on your fairly standard homebrew ingredients, your figures suggest that this is not ready. All the tips & tricks have been given above, and you will get it fermenting again. Just be patient, and ignore the shop's advice (good advice in itself in many cases). With apologies to the reputable retailers who actually do know what they're on about.