permo

Recipes 

I have an IPA that started with a gravity of 1.065, after six days I am sitting at 1.023. I was at the same reading 3 days ago. This was all after pitching a 1 litre starter that was created using a S-04 washed slant.

Fermentation ambient temp is 64 degrees and the ferementer reached a max of 68 degrees during fermentation. Fermentation started in less than 6 hours using this starter. My grain bill is as follows. I (supposedly) mashed at 152 degrees.

11.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain
1.00 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain
1.00 lb Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)

Shortly after this mash I had to replace my digital thermometer, I am wondering if it was giving me a bad reading and I mashed too high.

1. Do you think 1.023 is going to be super high for this beer? I have 70 IBU's

2. I just took this reading before I racked to secondary and I am wondering if I should maybe throw some dry notty in there to dry it off a little or should I just let it ride. My sample was tasty.

Also, I checked and my hydro is calibrated properly.

should I just stop worrying and drink this? I know it is high for the style by about 5 points..but is that really worth worrying about? 5.7% ABV or so.

I should also add that I pitched a 1.063 wort directly onto the yeast cake from this beer 2 hours ago and I now have full blow fermentation taking place. The yeast aren't the issue. I think I mashed too high. I hope it is drinkable.

david_42

Recipes 

Probably and it will be okay. You've got enough IBUs to balance any residual sweetness.

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ohiobrewtus

Recipes 

1.023 *is* pretty high for an IPA, but it's not so high that you have anything to worry about. If you have a yeast cake from another batch sitting around you could always rack the IPA on top of that and see if you can get it to drop a few more points.

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permo

Recipes 

I appreciate the responses and thank you. Last night I prepared a nottingham starter with a "satchel" of yeast that danstar gave me when I retured some of the recall notty. THe starter took off in less than an hour. I let it ride overnight and pitched the actively fermenting notty starter into the 1.023 IPA to see if I can get the notoriously high attenuating notty to eat away at some of the sugars the s-04 didn't eat.

But I think you were both correct, the beer will be just fine even if it doesn't drop a point. Just a very matly IPA with a bitter sweet finish. It might be really good..who knows. Time will help...I am going to give it a two week secondary with the notty and the 2 oz dry hop is already in there. THen bottle for 6-10 before tasting.

JKoravos

Recipes 

The obvious question is...how does it taste?

There's nothing inherently wrong with finishing at 1.023. Sometimes your fermentability profile just happens to leave it high. I see you pitched some more yeast in there, so it's late for this advice (or maybe you aleeady did this), but if you taste it and it's not sweet, roll with it.

I mashed my last IPA in the mid-150s and it finished at 1.020. I thought it was a little high, but there wasn't really any sign of incomplete fermentation. It was full-bodied, but not sweet.

chefmike

Recipes 

i had a stout on s-04 that stopped at the same place... i racked it at 10 days and in the keg it dropped another 8 to 10 points.

i think 6 days is a little short for s-04 in the low 60s. any one confirm this experience?

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permo

Recipes 

My sample tasted great, I just love the taste of the belgian aromatic malt for some reason. It is very malt, granted my sample was very green but I think it is going to be OK.

I pitched the Notty, it can't hurt but if I drop a few more points...I think that would be best. With 70 IBUs I am thinking a 7% abv would be nice.


Under the same exact pitching and ambient condition I have gotten the s-04 to get down to 1.012 in a week, so I am thinking it is not so much the temperature as it is the fermentables.

permo

Recipes 

just too give an update, it appears as if the S-04 was just done fermenting and that was as low as it could take the fermentables in this brew. After pitching the actively fermenting notty starter, I have visible fermentation taking place slowly in the secondary. Small yeast colonies on the surface and every once in a while I get a "shooter" up from the sediment to the surface of the beer. If I can get the notty to take her down another 5 points I will be very happy! If I can get it down another 10 points I will be extatic! I think 1.013 is about optimum for this style.

Also, my reasoning behind using notty was because of it's vicious fermentation starting capability and it high attenuation. I figured it could pick up where the s-04 left off...it appears as if I was correct.