GollumsLunch

Recipes 

Hello to all. Heard about this site on a recent episode of Basic Brewing Radio, and I am looking forward to participating in these forums.

My wife and I started brewing about a year ago, and for the most part have made some decent beers. One common problem I have had with most of our beers is that the FG is never as low as I expect based on the recipe I am using. It is never horrible, but if the recipe suggests the FG should be ~1.012 we are getting 1.016-1.018. In fact, of the 8-10 beers we've made in the last year (none with an OG above 1.063), I think we've only had an FG as low as 1.012 one time.

We've tried using different brands of dry yeast and liquid yeast and get similar results. I've thought it might be aeration, but we now really focus on ensuring it is aerated, so I don't think this is the issue.

One variable that has been fairly constant is that we use mostly liquid malt extract from the LHBS. They buy giant drums of LME and then portion that out into smaller containers for purchase. (The one beer that got down to 1.012, I used factory packaged cans of LME from a different HBS).

If the LHBS has low turnover, could old extract yield more unfermentables? Could it just be the brand of LME they buy?

We are thinking about trying to order our LME for the next batch. Can anyone recommend good brands?

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

fat x nub

Recipes 

i am having that problem right now...im gunna go take a gravity readng...its been fermenting for 8 days and has stayed at 1.020 for 3 days an its supposed to be 1.008 i think. but a good LME brand is muntons....i have made some good beer with that

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Is this guy serious??:

Yooper

Recipes 

I think it could be the LME, but it could be other unfermentables in your recipe. Could you post a sample recipe, and we can see if we can pick out something else?

Instead of LME, try DME. That may be a change that you will be happy with. A DME recipe with steeping grains, particularly if you add the extract late in the boil, can give you a lighter colored beer than most LME recipes and that's nice when you make a kolsch or pale ale.

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Broken Leg Brewery
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Jonnio

Recipes 

If you think the LME is suspect order some from austinhomebrew.com They turn it over quick enough you will have very fresh extract.

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soontobepcv

Recipes 

Not sure if this helps, but someone responded to one of my posts recommending another addition of sugar as primary fermentation appears to be dying down to prevent flocculation (clumping of the yeast cells) and improve attenuation...

How long is it typically before you see activity in the airlock, and how long does it go on for?