Over-Attenuation in Extract Brewing

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ThereThere

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My first brew seemed to attenuate decently enough (a bit low actually but with crappy yeast) but my second one has been fermenting for two weeks now and is down to about 1.006. The OG estimate was 1.052 (I added honey in the secondary so I'm using this number rather than what I actually measured) and the expected FG was 1.014. I used Safale-05 yeast. I certainly was not expecting a 6+% beer. Is there anything I can do in the future to avoid over-attenuation when extract brewing with specialty grains?

Is this going to result in bad beer, or will it be awesome? Perhaps both?
 
ThereThere said:
My first brew seemed to attenuate decently enough (a bit low actually but with crappy yeast) but my second one has been fermenting for two weeks now and is down to about 1.006. The OG estimate was 1.052 (I added honey in the secondary so I'm using this number rather than what I actually measured) and the expected FG was 1.014. I used Safale-05 yeast. I certainly was not expecting a 6+% beer. Is there anything I can do in the future to avoid over-attenuation when extract brewing with specialty grains?

Is this going to result in bad beer, or will it be awesome? Perhaps both?
Click to expand...

If using a hydrometer. Make sure it is accurate and you have adjusted the reading for temp.

If using a refractometer make sure to calibrate. Also adjust for alcohol and temp if not using an ATC.
 
It's a helluva thing to over-attenuate an extract beer. Does your recipe look as though it can reasonably expect to get down to 1.006? If it has a lot of crystal or dark extract, I wouldn't believe the reading.
 
McGarnigle said:
It's a helluva thing to over-attenuate an extract beer. Does your recipe look as though it can reasonably expect to get down to 1.006? If it has a lot of crystal or dark extract, I wouldn't believe the reading.
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't have a lot of crystal just a bit of caramel, a little bit too much carapils, and some honey. I guess I don't know how to tell if it looks "as though it can reasonably expect to get down to 1.006. Here's a link to the recipe:
http://hopville.com/recipe/473495/cream-ale-recipes/martin-luther-kream-ale
It's mostly just light DME.
 
You can pretty much assume that the honey will be 100% fermentable, so without that you're looking at about 1.045 OG and 1.008 FG. That's still ~82% ADF, which seems unlikely given how much crystal malt is in there.

I'd second the suggestion to calibrate your hydrometer.
 
Is it possible that I steeped my grains poorly or something? I steeped for 30 minutes in water that was between 155-160 and then poured a gallon of 170 degree water through it and gave the bag a few light squeezes.

I can't calibrate my hydrometer until I bottle this batch because the hydrometer is in the carboy.

Oh, and did I mention that I added honey to the primary after the krausen subsided. I think it was on day 4 or 5 of fermentation. Not sure if this is relevant or not.
 
I've had extract brews drop really low before too. I have an IPA right now that used 7 lbs of DME and 1 lb of C40 which is now at 1.008 when I wouldn't have minded it finishing at 1.012 or so. I guess our yeast is just too damn healthy :p
 
ThereThere said:
I can't calibrate my hydrometer until I bottle this batch because the hydrometer is in the carboy.
Click to expand...

Could there be something stuck to the hydrometer? Krausen, yeast, hop debris, anything that would pull it down and lower the reading?
 
had a similar situation with my 1st extract APA

FG was 1.014 but I checked my hydrometer and it's reading 1.005 in 60deg water so adjusted the FG is 1.009

similar thing happened with an American Brown but that one is closer to 1.010 after adjusting

LHBS who put the kit together said expected FG is 1.014 for both

OG is 1.045
 

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