Why so... dry?

I just can't figure out what's going on. Ever since going AG, my beers have had brutally low FGs and come out quite dry. With my last two brews, an APA and an IPA, I specifically tried to mash at 155-156 in order to increase body and raise my FG. In both cases I got a FG of 1.007. One had an OG of 1.049, the other 1.053.

What could be going on? They both taste decent enough in secondary, but quite dry. What else influences gravity and dryness? Could it be the water here in Holyoke MA? Could it be my mash process? I'm batch sparging and not mashing out. Thoughts? Thanks!

Ben

What type of yeast? What attenuation, What is the PH of your mash, what are you using to measure specific gravity? Have you calibrated the device with distilled water? How long are you leaving the beer in the primary?

What type of yeast? What attenuation, What is the PH of your mash, what are you using to measure specific gravity? Have you calibrated the device with distilled water? How long are you leaving the beer in the primary?

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Both using WLP 001, I assume attenuation would be... over 80%, using my hydrometer to measure gravity, I have not calibrated it with distilled water, but it's always given me reasonable readings up until now, I'm leaving the beer in primary for 6 days. You know, I don't know my mash pH. Ive never checked, which could very well be my problem....

Low mash temperatures (~150F) produce highly fermentable worts. Mash at 156F and you'll have a sweeter, less fermentable wort.

Low mash temperatures (~150F) produce highly fermentable worts. Mash at 156F and you'll have a sweeter, less fermentable wort.

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Yeah, I actually mashed both brews between 155 and 156 intentionally. I'm not thinking it's mash temperatures... unless the temps are dropping off during my sparge or something. During my hour long mash the temps were constant between 155 and 156. After the hour, I take off the mash jacket, recirculate, and drain the wort. I then add the 168 degree sparge water, mix, and let sit for ten minutes, before recirculating and draining. Temperatures could be dropping during the sparge I suppose.

I think you want to keep the sparge water at 168-170 in the MLT, so you need to add hotter than 170 water. But, I don't think it is the sparge.

My guesses:
1. thermometers is off and you are actually mashing too low
2. you have better than expected efficiency and are making beers with higher ABV

Maybe add some crystal malt to give the brew some extra residual sugars?

Have you checked your temperatures after the mash has stabilized? For example, it might be a good idea to check your temperature about twenty minutes after dough-in. 155F and WLP001 would not yield a final gravity of 1.007. It sounds like your mash temperature might be dropping lower than you think. I have a digital thermometer, and I can leave the probe in the center of the grain bed for the entirety of the mash, and check it periodically. The lid of my igloo slides on (as opposed to "screws on") and there are grooves in the lid presumably for venting when you use it as a cooler and pour from the bottom spout. The wire to the probe fits very well in the groove even when the lid is on tightly, so it works quite well.

If you pull off the right amount of wort after your mash is complete, boil it, and return it to the grist for mash out, you can denature the enzymes so imprecise sparge temperatures won't allow conversion to continue.

Calibrate your thermometer!!!!!! Test it in ice water and in boiling water. My LHBS purchased glass thermometer reads almost 5 degrees high. Therefore, my 153 mashes are actually 148. I also agree about monitoring your mash temp for the duration, or at least until you need the thermometer to get a sparge water reading. My X-treme cooler seems to loose about 3 degrees in the first 15 minutes, then stays stable after that.

Well thanks for all the replies. I'm thinking it's most likely my thermometer, with my mash pH in second place. I always check my mash temps every 15 minutes or so. I saw a great tigital thermometer with an alarm and 3 foot cable in a cooking store near where I work. I think I'm gonna buy it come payday tomorrow!
-Ben

I've had the same problem- many of my beers have finished way too low. I've tried using different yeasts, using a higher temperature, etc. but still have most of my beers come out a bit (or sometimes a lot) too dry.

The only thing I didn't change was the ph. That will have to be my next step. I've been mashing higher, using less attenuating yeasts, doing thicker mashes, etc. to try to figure it out. Maybe it is the ph!

I think just about all thermometers read off by a few degrees up or down. You just have to know which it is for yours. The candy and turkey fryer ones allow you to calibrate by holding the nut on the back and turning the gauge.

Good point, guys! I have three bi-metallic thermometers: +6F, +4F -2F. I calibrated them by heating them in some cheap vodka. The alcohol starts boiling off at 172F, which is very close to mashing temps.

I have the same problem, luckily i like my beer on the dry side with not too much mouthfeel anyway.
However on my last batch i changed a few things around, i mashed at a higher temp and i ran off the wort straight into the boiler and got it heated up straight away to prevent any further conversion, so far so good, i got about 73 % attenuation with S04 which im happy with.

Mash out isn't important in batch sparging, it only takes around 10 minutes from the start of the sparge to the start of the boil.

Ph shouldn't have any affect on your FG, ph issues usually cause low efficiency, haze, tannins, harsh bitterness from the hops.

Check your thermometer its my guess its off, and while your at it check your hydrometer, I have two one is off 6 points the is off 4 points.

Edit:
My first AG brew was a kit from NB, I had fantastic efficiency in the 90's, the beer was very good but according to my hydrometer it came out way high on the OG. That was the last kit I bought, I started making my own recipes using BeerSmith and based on 90% efficiency, my beers came out thin and way bitter. Thats when I checked the hydrometers and found out they were both way off.

Are you re-pitching the CA Ale Yeast? If your readings are accurate, you're getting 85%+ attenuation, which may be possible if the yeast you're collecting and re-using is some of the more aggressive (high attenuation) yeast.

If so you may want to start with a fresh batch of yeast.

Turns out it was the thermometer... after checking the old thermometer against my new Digi, it's obvious that it's at least 5 degrees over.
-Ben

Are you deactivating the enzymes in your first runnings while waiting for the batch sparge? I had the same problem, I used to let it sit there in the kettle, but now I heat it up to deactivate while sparging. My FG's went from 1.007 to 1.011(@155F).