what is the effect of FG on the final product?

I'm still new to this, so bear with me. I can't seem to find the answer to this.

I don't mean a high FG that was supposed to be low, i mean an expected high FG. Not in relation to OG or alcohol content.

in other words, what can be noted different in the beer (flavor, texture, head retention, etc.) about a beer with an expected FG of 1.07 vs. a beer with an expected FG of 1.018?

Thanks.

Still new to this, but since gravity is a measurement that is relative to water (SG of 1 = water), I would hazard a guess that the lower your FG, the thinner your beer is in terms of mouth feel and body as its gravity is closer to water.

If I'm wrong, someone on here will quickly correct me I'm sure

Higher gravity fgs tend to be sweeter (more sugar hence the higher fg) and may have a more substantial mouth feel.

higher fg will have more residual sweetness, it will be more full bodied (a heavier mouthfeel), and it should have more head retention. Those are the major factors. Hope that answers the question

thanks guys, thats what i was hoping it was going to be - a bigger mouthful.
maybe i will have to cut that sweetness with a few fuggle pellets, no biggie.

Just to be clear though...1.070 should never be an expected (or actual) FG. Even high gravity beers tend to finish under 1.030

JLem said:

Just to be clear though...1.070 should never be an expected (or actual) FG. Even high gravity beers tend to finish under 1.030

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i stand corrected, 1.007. But my base question remains the same.

If you add some oats to your recipe it will give it a bigger mouthfeel without adding much sweetness

jester5120 said:

If you add some oats to your recipe it will give it a bigger mouthfeel without adding much sweetness

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will try that.. how much should i use?

Also just a comment head retention is due to protein not sugar or higher fgs... Oats carafa will add to the protein content and increase protein content and head retention..add 0.5 to 1 lb per 5 gallons...

My milk stout finished at 1.023 and it is like a meal it's so thick and full bodied compared to my APA at 1.012 which tastes much drier and clean.

Just to play a little devil's advocate here...I would argue that if a beer is completely fermented out, but still has a high FG, it will not really be all that much sweeter than a beer that finishes with a lower FG. Sweetness comes from small, simple sugars, which should be completely fermented out. The sugars/carbohydrates that are NOT fermented and that contribute to the high FG and body of the beer are generally NOT really that sweet.

If a beer is overly sweet then I think it probably has some fermentable sugars left in there and did not complete fermentation. Obviously though, some sweet sugars, like lactose, are not fermentable and will contribute to both a high FG and a sweetness (like in milk stouts)

JLem said:

If a beer is overly sweet then I think it probably has some fermentable sugars left in there and did not complete fermentation. Obviously though, some sweet sugars, like lactose, are not fermentable and will contribute to both a high FG and a sweetness (like in milk stouts)

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Exactly! That's why milk stout recipes often have maltodextrose and/or lactose. My current milk stout had 8 oz of each and it tastes freakin' awesome! sometimes I like a break from hop taste and like a sweet heavy beer!

breweRN said:

will try that.. how much should i use?

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For an average beer (1.050 to 1.070 is average for me) I use about a pound of oats

acuenca said:

Also just a comment head retention is due to protein not sugar or higher fgs... Oats carafa will add to the protein content and increase protein content and head retention..add 0.5 to 1 lb per 5 gallons...

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I was always told that specialty grains such as caramel malts and wheat increase head retention. I've seen this first hand. The explanation I've heard for caramel malts is because the starches are already converted and they have some unfermentable sugars. Ive never heard the protein argument.

There are many sizes of proteins in beer. Mid size proteins (polypeptides and peptones) are not useful for the yeast but they give body and increase head retention. This makes sense if you think about it. Since there are tiny little proteins floating around, they reduce the surface tension and thus they increase the stability of the CO2 floating out of the beer. As surface tension decreases, head retention increases. However, these proteins also contribute to haze!

I should add that you are correct about unfermentable sugars and caramel malts too.