Session IPA High Final Gravity

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by porterada, Apr 1, 2016.

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  1. porterada

    porterada Initiate (0) May 5, 2015 Massachusetts

    Hello Brewers,
    I recently made a tangerine Session IPA for my friend. Here's the recipe for 5.5 gal.

    6.5 lb Marris Otter
    2.5 lb Dark Munich
    0.5 lb Crystal 60L

    Mashed at 154F for 60 Minutes.
    Hops:
    0.5 oz Galena @ 60
    0.5 oz Galaxy @ 15
    0.5 oz Amarillo @10
    0.5 oz Mt. Hood @ 5
    Tangerine Zest @ 5
    Hopstand for 30 minutes with 0.5 Oz galaxy, 0.5 oz Amarillo, 0.5 oz Mt. Hood
    White labs liquid yeast (I didn't write down which one I used -__-)

    Original Gravity 1.044 (I was shooting for 1.046 and 4.5%)

    It was in the primary for 11 days, and I saw a little bubble action, but not a crazy amount. Last night I transferred to the secondary, the gravity was only 1.022, giving an ABV of 2.89%. I tasted it, and it was sweet, much like the original wort before I pitched any yeast. Usually my gravity after a few days in the primary is close to the FG, this is not close (looking for 1.013). I've fermented at about 70F.

    SO my question is, what do I do? Do I add some Safale-05 to the secondary to kick start it? Though I'd rather not have a 2.9% beer, I'll drink it. I'm concerned though that there isn't enough viable yeast to carbonate it once I bottle, and I really don't want flat <3% beer.

    Any other suggestions you may have??
     
    #1 porterada, Apr 1, 2016
    ShemS likes this.
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    If the agitation of transfering to secondary didn't re-start the fermentation, then I would probably add yeast. But I would take another gravity reading first, to make sure it isn't actually still moving.
     
    #2 VikeMan, Apr 1, 2016
  3. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    It sounds like you have brewed before, but just in case... What temp is your secondary at?
     
    #3 wspscott, Apr 1, 2016
  4. porterada

    porterada Initiate (0) May 5, 2015 Massachusetts

    Thanks VikeMan. I'll pick up some yeast on my way home today and see what the Gravity is before I add anything. If it's not changed, how long would you recommend keeping it in the secondary? I was planning on about 2 weeks. Is that still sufficient?

    wspscott- Its at 70F as well.
     
    #4 porterada, Apr 1, 2016
  5. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Until it's done attenuating, plus another couple days for cleanup. At that point, if it taste good, package it.
     
    #5 VikeMan, Apr 1, 2016
  6. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    I missed the fermentation temp in the original post. It seems very odd that a "normal" yeast (next time pay attention to this :slight_smile: ) would not have been done with that grain bill and gravity in 11 days. How sure are you of your thermometer and mash temp? I would check before brewing again if I were you.

    For this beer, I would pay attention to VikeMan's suggestions and wait until the gravity stabilizes before bottling.
     
    #6 wspscott, Apr 2, 2016
  7. porterada

    porterada Initiate (0) May 5, 2015 Massachusetts

    Thanks for the input wspscott. Yeah, I usually write the yeast down in my brew log, just forgot this time. In any case, it wasn't a crazy particular yeast, and therefore should have been down within a few days, definitely within 11. The thermometer for my mash is good. I checked it the day I brewed, as I usually do to adjust for any bumps the thermometer might have incurred.

    As an update, I re-hydrated one pack of Safale-05 and added that to the secondary. It bubbled for about 2 days, but not SUPER crazy. I'll let this sit for a while and take the gravity again and see where we are at.
     
    #7 porterada, Apr 4, 2016
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