jeeper

Recipes 

So here is the recipe:

Grains:
Cara-red 1 pound
Torrified Wheat 8 oz.

Extract:
Light Malt Extract 6.60 pounds

Hopping schedule:
Liberty 1 oz at 60 minutes
Liberty 1 oz. at 20 minutes

and I am going to add Blueberry extract when bottling.

The recipe I used claimed OG of 1.056, after topping the wort off with a few gallons to get it to 5 gallons, it was aerated/shaken/mixed and a hydrometer reading was taken giving an OG of 1.030 (very far off from expected but figured it must just not have mixed well enough). Yeast (Wyeast Ringwood) was pitched and fermentation was not nearly as "violent" as any of the other batches I have done, with the krausen layer not rising up more than 1.5 to 2" in the carboy and only lasting for two days or so and a less-than-impressive yeast cake formed on the bottom. It has been sitting in primary for about 8 days now and will probably be bottled in the middle to end of this week.

Does it seem like something might be wrong with it or is that how "lighter" beers like this ferment. I figure if this batch is only going to be like 2% ABV or something then there is no point in adding the extract and I will just save it for another batch.

Yooper

Recipes 

In Beersmith, I calculate 1.049 OG for your recipe, if you made 5 gallons and use liquid extract. (You didn't say if it was LME or DME).

Your fg should be in the 1.014 range, since ringwood tends to attenuate at 70%. so, that would give you an ABV of approx. 4.6% or so.

What is the fg?

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jeeper

Recipes 

sorry, it was LME.

will probably take a hydrometer reading tonight and over the next few days. Why did this batch not ferment like I am use to seeing? All my past brews have bubbled into the blowoff tube (red, brown, stout and old english). The stout and old english had higher OGs so I understand that but what would cause this to ferment so much less than a brown ale with a similar OG?

Yooper

Recipes 

Every fermentation is different. I've had some literally explode and ferment overnight while others don't appear to do a thing for two weeks, but they all finish at the expected FG.

Airlock and blow off tube activity are never good signs of fermentation.

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AndrwHock

Recipes 

the estimated 1.056 is definitely too high. With the standard 6.6 pounds of LME and a bit of steeping grains you're normally looking at an OG in the mid to high 1.04x range.

The best, and only, sure-fire way to tell if the fermentation is over is by checking the gravity. If it is in the right range and steady for a few days, its time to rack it, bottle it, let it age, whatever.

jeeper

Recipes 

SG is at 1.013 right now so it is looking pretty good. Smelled nice too

david_42

Recipes 

Have you used Ringwood yeast before? Most of my fermentations are done at the low end of the yeast's temperature range and I rarely have blowoffs.

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