TyTanium

Recipes 

That's more true with wine or meadmaking where you're pushing the alcohol tolerance of the yeast...they eat sugar until a) it's gone or b) the alcohol make them stop.

With beer, we typically don't run into that until higher OGs. Usually the limiting factor is available food...that is, they run out of eatable sugars before they are limited by alcohol.

The remaining, residual, unfermented sugars give the beer body and a higher FG.

SO, again, it depends how you're raising the OG, as in, what types of sugars. If you're jacking up the 2-row to a higher OG, it's highly fermentable and you may not have a higher FG. If you're jacking up crystal malts, it's less fermentable so you may have a higher FG. All that to say, there are many variables at play.

Phunhog

Recipes 

I think your biggest issue is that you mashed for 12 HOURS!! I don't understand the reasoning behind it when most modified grains are fully converted within 30-60 minutes. A 12 hour mash is going to convert starches that normally wouldn't convert in a "typical" mash. How did you hold the temperature at 153 for 12 hours?

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drakub

Recipes 

There were few reasons for doing the mash overnight (some might not be the correct once as i see it now)...
1. saves time in the morning (especially with two kids)
2. I read that the efficiency will go up and in my mind it was a good thing.

I didn't maintain the temp at 152... what i did is brought the water up to 170 and once the grain is added the temp will drop to about 152-154 or so. Then i would wrap the cooler in massive blankets and leave it over night (last time was between 10pm to 8 am - about 10hrs) and in the morning the temp would be at about 144-146 depending as to where you would take the temp (edge of the cooler vs. middle).

TyTanium

Recipes 

Yeah, that's fine...a lot of guys do the overnight mash w/out issue, especially if it stays above souring range. Certainly you get lots of conversion and highly fermentable wort, so if you're looking for more body and a higher FG, you can always dose in some maltodextrin or something at bottling.

Again, check your hydrometer calibration. Frequently. It's such a critical tool, it needs to be correct.

drakub

Recipes 

I will check that tonight... you mentioned using water... is it supposed to read 1.000... i am assuming

TyTanium

Recipes 

Yes. Water is 1.000 at calibration temp, usually 60 or 68 F. (difference in 8 degrees is small, as long as it's closer to 1.000 than anything else, I'm good with it.