Missed Orig Gravity By A Mile......

[Craigerrr]

Let me say again how much I appreciate everyone helping me through all of these brews. Looking forward to nailing the basics.

To "nail the basics" pick a brew that you like that isn't too complex and brew it a few times in succession. Get consistent with a Kraft Mac N cheese kinda beer before getting into trying to nail a Steak Dianne brew...
This is the best advice that no new homebrewer ever takes, including me 8 years ago...

 

[Dave Y]

Oh, is the 1.019 reading from your tilt? It may be accurate but it's definitely a possibility that the real reading is slightly different.
You'll find that often fermentation will restart when you add stuff, even if not fermentable.
Also, don't be afraid to rock and swirl the fermenter a little to get the yeast roused and working again.
And temp control is pretty critical at this stage if attenuation is lagging. If the temp drops, yeast can start to fall out and go dormant. Now is when you can raise temp to the highest end of the comfort range for your yeast. Don't hesitate to keep it at a temp in the mid-70s for the remainder of the time it's in the fermenter.

Yeah, what @J A said. my red tilt just started it's "optimistic" phase. Last week I checked and was showing a 1.000 on my Roggenbier. I thought to myself 'nah... no way'. So hydrometer confirmed it was off by .016. I tried recalibrating and using it again this week on my cascadian dark ale. yeah, it's at 1.010 yesterday, but I think that's a factor of the app and me - I calibrated on my phone but use a tablet to keep active tracking. Gotta dig into this.

so definitely back stop the reading on a hydrometer and note that you'll read about 0.001-0.003 higher until you cold crash and get all the yeast out of suspension.

 

[Mike at Bay]

Oh, is the 1.019 reading from your tilt? It may be accurate but it's definitely a possibility that the real reading is slightly different.
You'll find that often fermentation will restart when you add stuff, even if not fermentable.
Also, don't be afraid to rock and swirl the fermenter a little to get the yeast roused and working again.
And temp control is pretty critical at this stage if attenuation is lagging. If the temp drops, yeast can start to fall out and go dormant. Now is when you can raise temp to the highest end of the comfort range for your yeast. Don't hesitate to keep it at a temp in the mid-70s for the remainder of the time it's in the fermenter.

Thanks. Tilt said 1.016. Floating hydrometer gave me the 1.019-20. As for raising the temp...my situation is that my temp control freezer and keeper are outdoors. I can't really heat them up....so....I bring the fermenters in the house and that one is at 68 degrees. Recently saw some are using aquarium heaters to maybe raise the temp. Never thought of that. So all of that said, it is a challenge to get much about 68 right now. In the summer, everything works perfectly.

 

[J A]

Thanks. Tilt said 1.016. Floating hydrometer gave me the 1.019-20. As for raising the temp...my situation is that my temp control freezer and keeper are outdoors. I can't really heat them up....so....I bring the fermenters in the house and that one is at 68 degrees. Recently saw some are using aquarium heaters to maybe raise the temp. Never thought of that. So all of that said, it is a challenge to get much about 68 right now. In the summer, everything works perfectly.

68 should be okay...try the rousing, though. You'd be surprised how effective that can be.

 

[Mike at Bay]

68 should be okay...try the rousing, though. You'd be surprised how effective that can be.

 

[Mike at Bay]

Well, I have airlock action again after the rock n roll.

 

[J A]

Well, I have airlock action again after the rock n roll.

That can be a little deceptive...there's suspended CO2 and when the liquid is disturbed, it'll want to bubble out of suspension and escape.
But...assuming that it keeps going beyond just a few minutes, you probably have some renewed fermentation.