# I can't get my brown ale to finish fermenting



## Wiccan_Lager (May 20, 2013)

Hello everyone,

I picked up a Brewers Best Brown Ale the about a month ago. I got that bad boy fermenting and it stopped about half way through. Hydrometer has been steady at 1.030 for weeks (Starting Gravity was 1.070 or in that range). I tried racking hard, stirring and pitching more yeast but nothing. I know the temp in the room is fine as the other 2 beers were able to ferment without incident. And it's a comfortable room tempurature in my basement. The carboys are off the floor as well.

Is this batch destined for the drain?


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## pjd (May 20, 2013)

Wiccan_Lager said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I picked up a Brewers Best Brown Ale the about a month ago. I got that bad boy fermenting and it stopped about half way through. Hydrometer has been steady at 1.030 for weeks (Starting Gravity was 1.070 or in that range). I tried racking hard, stirring and pitching more yeast but nothing. I know the temp in the room is fine as the other 2 beers were able to ferment without incident. And it's a comfortable room tempurature in my basement. The carboys are off the floor as well.
> 
> Is this batch destined for the drain?


 
Are you sure of the accuracy of your hydrometer? The Brewers best Brown Ale kit has a starting gravity of 1.045 - 1.049 and a final gravity of 1.011 - 1.015
It looks to me like your hydrometer is off by a couple points.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (May 20, 2013)

I tend to agree too. a SG of 1.070 would give you a potential alcohol of 9%. If your hydrometer is correct the other thing may be the alcohol killed off the yeast because it is higher than the tolerence of the yeast. 
Can you say rocket fuel???


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## Wiccan_Lager (May 20, 2013)

pjd said:


> Are you sure of the accuracy of your hydrometer? The Brewers best Brown Ale kit has a starting gravity of 1.045 - 1.049 and a final gravity of 1.011 - 1.015
> It looks to me like your hydrometer is off by a couple points.



I tested the hydrometer against water and it was a perfect 1.000 so I don't think it's my hydrometer.



Brew and Wine Supply said:


> I tend to agree too. a SG of 1.070 would give you a potential alcohol of 9%. If your hydrometer is correct the other thing may be the alcohol killed off the yeast because it is higher than the tolerence of the yeast.
> Can you say rocket fuel???



According to the web site here the starting gravity is rather high but the alcohol is def higher (the 7% range).


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## jpsmithny (May 29, 2013)

What yeast did you use and did you re-hydrate?


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