Fermentation finished?

[Chacmool]

I brewed a patersbier last weekend. When I added the yeast it took off like a rocket and bubbled away for three days. It then stopped completely for the last couple of days. I took a gravity reading and it is 1.016 (started at 1.038). It tastes nice, with a definite Belgian character but this seems pretty high to have finished fermenting. I'm thinking of leaving it for a few more days taking readings each day. If it still hasn't moved should I re-pitch?

[giacomo]

In the Cantillon brewery, in Brussels, there's a wooden plate saying " the time doesn't respect what is done disregarding it "
Leaving it a few more days, won't hurt. Refrain from taking a gravity reading every 10 minutes, you would only increase the risk of infecting the beer.

1.016 does seem quite high for a final gravity, but there's so many variables affecting it, that it's hard to tell... the fact that the yeast happily fermented the wort at the beginning,  kind of excludes propagation issues... what about your temperatures control? Has the beer been sitting too cold? Since it's an extract brew, I don't see wort fermentability issues as plausible... or did you heavily hack the kit/recipe?

I'm pretty sure answers from more experienced brewers will come and point to a more defined "investigation strategy"

[LordEoin]

I totally agree with "Leaving a few more days won't hurt it"
Give us your recipe and yeast strand and we might be able to help

[Chacmool]

The recipe was:

3 kg Light LME
250g CaraPils

15g Hallertauer Mittelfrüh (60 min)
15g Saaz  (60 min)
15g oz Saaz  (10 min)

T58 yeast

I took another reading today and it seems to have dropped. Whether that's actual or due to the sample today being much clearer and/or terrible reading on my part I don't know. I'll definitely take your advice and leave it for another while as it tastes quite nice and it can't hurt (he said confidently but possibly in total ignorance).

[molc]

As far as I've read, there's no reason not to just leave everything in primary for 3 weeks and then either secondary or bottle, as desired. The only things I secondary are big beers.

[John Edward]

As far as I've read, there's no reason not to just leave everything in primary for 3 weeks and then either secondary or bottle, as desired. The only things I secondary are big beers.

I used to rack everything to secondary until I read a Q&A with John Palmer from last year: https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?board=193.0

Seems like there's no real reason to use a secondary unless it's for a secondary fermentation (like fruit additions).

[cruiscinlan]

As far as I've read, there's no reason not to just leave everything in primary for 3 weeks and then either secondary or bottle, as desired. The only things I secondary are big beers.

I've a Brupaks Irish Extra Stout that seems to have finished at 1.014, I'm going to leave it a fortnight and see what happens, but assuming it doesn't drop further do ye recommend re-pitching yeast or a lower level of syrup for carbonation?

[molc]

Only really need a repurchase in very big beers that have been in secondary for months. 2 weeks on a normal beer should need any changes