nutcase

Recipes 

I just brewed two beers a few weeks ago using white labs cal ale and a kolsch ale. I made 1500 ml starters with both. The Cal ale got 86% apparent attentuation and the kolch 84%. This is alot higher than listed attenuation for both. I mashed both a little on the low side - 149 for the cal ale and 152 for the kolch - but doesnt this attenuation seems a little much even for the low mash temps. Could other factors be at work? (ie, wild yeasts or otehr contaminants?). I ended up with a 1.008 FG on an IPA and a 1.009 FG on a pale. Much dryer than I was shooting for on both.

pompeiisneaks

Recipes 

temperature of the fermentation is also a factor, the higher the temps, the quicker the ferment and the better attenuation, but at the cost of potential off flavors. Sometimes you just get fresher yeast and it does a better job than it would have if it was a little older, i.e. better healthier yeast population. Or so it seems I've gleaned from my reading

__________________
~Phil
Fermenting: nada
Kegged: Aramis Pale Ale
Bottled: Nada
Drinking: All of the above :)

nutcase

Recipes 

to add a little more info- both beers were fermented at 68 degrees. I'm just surprised by the high attenuation and wondering if it might be a sign that something more sinister might be involved.

944play

Recipes 

I've never gotten less than 80% from Chico yeast, even with scads of crystal.

RDWHAHB, literally -- if the beer tastes good, and you can repeat it, great! If it tastes too dry and thin, try mashing higher next time.

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OD: ?
Pri:-
Keg: Simple AIPA (2-row, Chinook, Cascade, WLP090)

drayman86

Recipes 

My high gravity IPA (1.084) attenuated at about 85% w/ WLP001, also using a starter.

Those ranges published by White Labs are just that....ranges. You can exceed them w/ ideal conditions such as a healthy pitch and a well aerated wort.

Better than having the opposite situation, no?