Hello

[lucky dog]

Wanted to say hello and that I am glad to find this forum. Yesterday I transferred my first batch to my secondary after one week. I made the LD Carlson Irish Stout kit as per the instuctions that came with. Right before I pitched the yeast (which had been stirred into the warm water it had been sitting in for aproximately 20 minutes) I used the supplied hydrometer in the euipment kit and took my first reading as the instructions stated. This was done in my primary after I added my make up water, I spun the hydrometer like the instructions said, my first reading was 1.060 and the temp of the wort was right at 70 degrees. I took another reading using the same technique right before I transferred to the secondary (the temp was at 65 degrees) and I got a reading right at 1.030. The air lock on the primary, for the first few days had really good action and slowed considerably, by the fifth day I had about one bubble every five minutes and none on the sixth. I had about an inch of sediment in the bottom of the primary and I left about a pint and a half on top of that after racking to secondary, it didn't taste too bad , a little strong. I am worried about the high gravity, I can't see it dropping 15 points over the next couple of weeks.

[Wilson]

I think you should be Ok. What kind of yeast did you use? It will more than likely drop a few more points, so I suggest waiting it out and testing again after its been in secondary for about two weeks. You may want to gently swirl the secondary to get some more yeast into suspension, but over all I think you'll be fine. If it doest drop to the recommended Final Gravity, it'll still probably be a good beer.

If it doesnt drop anymore....you may consider repitching some yeast so you dont get bottle bombs. But wait a few weeks before you do this.

[lucky dog]

The yeast I used was Danstar Nottingham Ale, it seemed to have very good air lock action for about four days. Here are the other ingredients:

6.6 lbs. Muntons Dark Malt Extract
8 oz. Malto Dextrin
12 oz. Crushed Crystal Malt 60L
2 oz. Northern Brewer Hops (bittering)
½ oz. Fuggle Hops (finishing)
4 oz. Crushed Black Patent
4 oz. Crushed Roasted Barley

I gently swirled my secondary a few times there was some activity for a couple of minutes but this seems to be just gas escaping because there was no sustained activity afterwards. The temp I have it at is a pretty constant 65 degrees. Thanks for the help.

[mookow]

Nottingham is a pretty attenuative yeast, and you should have a much lower FG unless your wort had a lot of unfermentables in it. I doubt it had that much unfermentables in it, though. The Malto-dex isnt going to ferment, but the Munton's Light LME I've used ferments pretty well. The Dark LME probably isnt going to ferment as completely.

I would guess that you have a stuck fermentation. Go to your LHBS, and buy some yeast nutrient and another package of Nottingham. Toss in the recommended amount of yeast nutrient, then throw in the Nottingham (after rehydrating it in some 105°F water for ~10 minutes).

[lucky dog]

Thanks guys. I think I will check it again this weekend. I checked it earlier and there was no foam just dark beer. The beer barely had the .030 mark covered. It tasted like flat Guiness, I will take that as a good sign.:)