Fermentation has halted at 1.026

[Leard]

I'm fermenting a milk stout and my fermentation has stopped at 1.026 when I was expecting 1.017. I'm not sure if this is because I mashed too high and don't have as much fermentable sugar as I thought, or if fermentation just hasn't gone well. Mash temperature about 68C for an hour. Here's the grain bill:

3.3kg Maris Otter
0.5kg Chocolate
0.4kg Roasted barley
0.3kg Dark crystal
0.3kg Flaked oats
0.2kg Lactose

Used S-04 yeast. Beersmith predicted roughly 65% attenuation but I'm only at 49% currently, 10 days in. I don't mind a high FG, however it only makes the ABV 3.4%.

What options do I have? Could I add some more sugar to increase the ABV? Is this a stuck fermentation that I can unstick? I've tried shaking the bucket and managed to get one more point out of it over a few days. I'm now out yeast however so don't know what else to do.

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

hi, you have to account for the sugar weight of Lactose. So the extra weigth is probably from that because lactose does not ferment. Its why we use it in beer, so we can sweeten it a bit.

 

[chthon]

Additionally, you have 33% of your fermentables (including the lactose) from things which add much to your wort, except much less sugar than your Maris Otter.

Expect a low attenuation with these figures, but don't worry. If brewed well, it will taste nice. You could add extra sugar, but you could also pretend you have made a Scottish stout.

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

Additionally, you have 33% of your fermentables (including the lactose) from things which add much to your wort, except much less sugar than your Maris Otter.

Expect a low attenuation with these figures, but don't worry. If brewed well, it will taste nice. You could add extra sugar, but you could also pretend you have made a Scottish stout.

Oh completely missed the small amount of MO . Agreed, you can always add some sugar to up the abv. But dont overdo it. 200-300 g shoulnt affect the beer that much.