Newest Threads

Mysticmead · 03-17-2011, 09:30 PM

you also didn't mention if you made a starter or not. if not, that was a very sugar heavy environment for the yeast to start off in..

lastsecondapex · 03-18-2011, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalFet

One more thing...an OG of 1.069 looked really low for all that honey, so I punched it out and the only way you could end up with a starting gravity of 1.069 with those ingredients would be with a 40% mash efficiency. How sure are you of these numbers? My the looks of things, you might be getting nearly 2/3rds of your fermentables from honey and brown sugar.

Edit: beat to the punch by mysticmead. At least I know I'm not talkin' crazy here.

I know it's really low, I am moving way from the the BIAB method for my AG batches on my next brew...

Mysticmead · 03-18-2011, 01:17 AM

I BIAB and get 72-75%... don't blame the method.. it might be the crush.. it might be the water..

VoodooManX · 03-18-2011, 01:48 AM

Thats alot of sugar. I reckon it will ferment for a while.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

**MalFet** · 03-18-2011, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lastsecondapex

I know it's really low, I am moving way from the the BIAB method for my AG batches on my next brew...

Even a completely unoptimized BIAB should be above the mid-60s. Properly done it can hit 80s%. 40% efficiency means something is wrong.

Keep us posted. I'll be curious to hear how this turns out.

lastsecondapex · 03-18-2011, 09:54 AM

Checked gravity and its only at 1.040 as of yesterday evening. I did realize that I hadn't done my adjusted gravity from the sample temp being warm on my brew day. It's calculated to be 1.075, which still is not great (or even good) efficiency. I even mashed this at 150, instead of 154 to see if I could improve my efficiency. My first AG, I did a 75 minute decoction mash and had 78% efficiency (malt bought at a different store, so maybe its the grain I'm getting....)

TANSTAAFB · 03-18-2011, 01:57 PM

I recently had a Golden Strong fermented with WLP 550 at controlled temps starting around 67 and slowly ramping to 75ish go for about 10-11 days with CO2 actively being released through a blowoff!!! Those Belgian yeasts are workhorses when treated properly. The Belgian yeast with all those simple sugars and a controlled fermentation temp add up to a long, steady fermentation and a REALLY dry brew...I wouldn't even bother taking another hydro sample for at least 2 or 3 more weeks to give it time to finish and the yeast to clean up after themselves.

The yeastie beasties are workin', let 'em do their thing

**MalFet** · 03-18-2011, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lastsecondapex

Checked gravity and its only at 1.040 as of yesterday evening. I did realize that I hadn't done my adjusted gravity from the sample temp being warm on my brew day. It's calculated to be 1.075, which still is not great (or even good) efficiency. I even mashed this at 150, instead of 154 to see if I could improve my efficiency. My first AG, I did a 75 minute decoction mash and had 78% efficiency (malt bought at a different store, so maybe its the grain I'm getting....)

Hydrometers are quite inaccurate when far outside their calibration range, so I wouldn't trust the 1.075 either. In any case, as others have said it doesn't sound like there's anything strange going on with your fermentation (but you might want to look into your mashing, yeast handling, and recipe design). Expect a long ferment and a bone dry beer.

EBloom97 · 03-18-2011, 02:27 PM

I think you've more or less made a braggot instead of a beer because you got a low efficiency from the malt and the efficiency from the sugar in the honey was unaffected. It's not simply a beer with honey as an adjunct, and because of that it will take longer to ferment.

BOBTHEukBREWER · 03-18-2011, 03:18 PM

If bubbles are rising to the surface, it is still fermenting. If the airlock is bubbling once a second, it is fermenting vigorously.