Stuck Ferment?

[BarrowBoy]

Folks,

I brewed this the other week:
http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13352

Apart from the 'system' failures it seemed to be going well. After 36 hours I dropped the wort into secondary and a new creamy yeast cap quickly formed which stayed for the best part of a week. I left it until now to drop bright and last night got ready to do some bottling. I was disappointed, though, when I took an SG reading because it had only dropped to 6.5 brix (1026 SG) from an original of 1056. Marc Ollosson reckons I should be looking at 1009.
I think the problem might be that the room in which it has been fermenting is a little high. Would that stop ferment? and, if so, do I:

• 1) transfer to a cooler place (garage, currently 17C) and leave it
  2) give it a good stir and transfer it to the garage
  3) make up a starter (with either SO4 or US-05 which I have in stock) using some of the wort?

There are no 'off' tastes and there are still tiny bubbles on the surface.
Your advice welcomed.

[Vossy1]

BB, I make 6.5 brix, 1007 FG, using fermenting wort gravity as the pre set in beer smith refractometer tool.

That's about where you want to be, isn't it

EDITED

[mysterio]

I would take a hydrometer reading, refractometers are useless for FG. Even using a correction like the one in Beersmith can give you inaccurate results considering how many margins for error there are.

[Vossy1]

Just spotted it and edited my reply also

[BarrowBoy]

BB, I make 6.5 brix, 1012 FG, using finishing gravity as the pre set in beer smith refractometer tool.

That's about where you want to be, isn't it

Oh right. I was using the simple calculation of brix x 4.

That's not too bad then Vossy. Shame - I'd set aside last night to do the bottling and now I'm stuffed 'til next week.

Thanks for the very quick response - I must get into Beersmith.[/u]

[BarrowBoy]

Bloody hell you guys are good (and quick) and it makes good reading.

I've obviously got a bit to learn about refractometers Any pointers?

[Vossy1]

[BarrowBoy]

Oh no, it was bought for me by Mrs BB. I value my life.

[Aleman]

Buy a narrow range hydrometer from Hamstead homebrew (or 2 or 3 ) and use it for FG readings . . . Use a refractometer to see if fermentation is still going (Brix reading falling) then when its stable use the Hydrometer

[mysterio]

Refractometers aren't a panacea or replacement for hydro's IMO but they are useful tools.