Stuck fermentation

Question

I brewed a 5.5 gallon batch of bells two hearted IPA and believe I have a stuck fermentation. It been 9 days since I pitched the yeast. I took a gravity reading at day 8 (1.028) and again at day 9(1.028). Right not if my math is right it is at 60% attenuation. See below for the recipe. I made a starter with 1/2 cup dme and 2 cups water and a wyeast 1450 smack pack. I don't have a refractometer so so I don't know OG or FG of starter. I used a stir plate for 48 hours. I mashed at 153, batch sparged, and hit my OG perfectly at 1.068. I cooled wort to 65-70 before pitching yeast. I aerate with a stirring attachment on a drill and it gets it whopped up real well. I ferment carboy in a water bath that I am able to keep temp at 66-68. Looking back it did not seem that the starter did well as I did not have any kraesen ring like I have with other starters, It looked like it did when I started 48 hours earlier. The beer in the fermenter started bubbling pretty well within 24 hrs and slowed at day 5. It is still slowly bubbling the airlock at day 9. It did not create a very thick kriesen ring in the carboy. Today at day 9 I roused the yeast and have allowed the water bath temp rise to about 72. I was going to let it sit for 3 days and take another reading. If no change I plan to buy another package of 1450 and make another 48 hour starter and pitch it. I have read pitching on a yeast cake will likely work but I don't have anything available. Your thought on my plan or should I do something different.

Batch Size: 6.00 gal(I got 5.5 after boil)
Style: American IPA (14B)
Boil Size: 7.00 gal
Color: 6.6 SRM Bitterness: 59.4 IBUs
Boil Time: 60 min
Est OG: 1.068 (16.4° P)
Est FG: 1.016 SG (4.0° P) ABV: 6.9%

12 lbs. Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)
2 lbs. Vienna Malt (Weyermann) (3.0 SRM)
8.0 oz. Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
8.0 oz. Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM). 0.8 oz.
Centennial [10.3%] - Boil 60 min, .5 oz
Centennial [10.3%] - Boil 45 min, 0.5 oz.
Centennial [10.3%] - Boil 30 min, 0.8 oz.
Centennial [10.3%] - Boil 15 min, 1.00, 0.5 oz.
Centennial [10.3%] - Boil 0 min
1 pkgs Denny's Favorite 50 (Wyeast #WY1450)
1.0 oz. Cascade [5.5%] - Dry Hop 14 days
1.0 oz Centennial [10.0%] - Dry Hop 14 days

Answer 1

Allowing the temperature to rise a bit and waiting three days is the best idea.

If it doesn't do anything, pitching more yeast will work, but have a try first! It won't be the finished product, but for a beer like this I don't think a FG of 1.028 is unacceptable - it's higher than I would want to drink myself (as I prefer dry beers) but ask yourself if the extra trouble (and potential to have unexpected things happen) is worth it before you pitch more yeast.

That said, I've done exactly that on several occasions and been happy with the results.

Answer 2

Denny's 50 is supposed to be a good attenuator, and 12 points is probably a bit far from margin of error. Time is probably your best bet. If it refuses to attenuate any further after a couple of weeks, you could throw some champagne yeast on it to finish.