We bottled the scotch ale last night, after a nice day out at the zoo with the kids. The gravity was still a few points higher than what the recipe asked for, but hadn’t changed in a week, so I figure it’s done one way or the other.
I did a quick search for the final gravity being too high, and found people suggesting problems with
- the grain bill
- inaccurate thermometers
- mashing temperature
- stale yeast
- going to second fermentation too soon
- temperature fluctuations during fermentation
So I’ve got a few ideas of what to do better next time, but I’m mostly confirmed in my paraphrase of Tolkien:
Go not to the tubes for counsel, for they will say both yes and no and RTFM!
Ultimately, it all boils down to two questions:
1) Is there alcohol in it?
2) Does it taste good enough that you don’t have to hold your nose?
The rest is just detail.