Attenuation question

Ok So I have brewed and bottled 1 beer and have 2 others fermenting one a blonde at 2 weeks old and the other a porter at 1 week old (all extract). My first beer an IPA ended at 69% attenuation. I checked the two fermenting currently today and they are also at 69% attenuation. Is this normal?

The IPA and blonde used S-04 and the porter used Wyeast 1728( with 1300ml starter). I ferment around 64-68F (that is what fermometer says) with peak fermentation barely touching 70F for short periods of time.

It is what it is... yeast are living, so no controlling what they are going to do. What has your OG and FG on these beers?

IPA was OG 1.065 FG 1.020, Blonde OG 1.046 SG 1.014, Porter OG 1.065 SG 1.020.

Sounds about right, Boston. This is part of the S-04 description - I'm not familiar with 1728.

SAFALE said:

A dry ale yeast derived from the Whitbread strain. Popular with ale brewers who use dry yeast. High flocculation, attenuation: 70-75%.

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I've seen it run a little better than that from time to time, but 69% is not an indication of anything wrong, IMO.

Joedub said:

My first beer an IPA ended at 69% attenuation. I checked the two fermenting currently today and they are also at 69% attenuation. Is this normal?

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I assume you know that there several things you can put into your wort, that will raise the OG, and not be fermentable? Not trying to be a smart arse but a lot of specialty color and flavor malts don't ferment, or do so minimally, and that can have a huge effect on attenuation, depending on how you calculate it.

I just thought it was strange that all my brews so far look to be at the same attenuation.

You may be able to increase your attenuation by switching to a different brand of extract. (Different brands of extract have different fermentation characteristics.)
You can also increase attenuation be pitching an adequate amount of yeast, and by aerating the wort. (You do seem to be pitching adequate yeast. 1 packet of S-04 should be adequate for most 5g batches, and you had the foresight to make a starter with the liquid yeast.)

-a.

ajf said:

You may be able to increase your attenuation by switching to a different brand of extract. (Different brands of extract have different fermentation characteristics.)
You can also increase attenuation be pitching an adequate amount of yeast, and by aerating the wort. (You do seem to be pitching adequate yeast. 1 packet of S-04 should be adequate for most 5g batches, and you had the foresight to make a starter with the liquid yeast.)

-a.

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I have used Northern Brewer and Muntons extract.

69% seems low for the s04 to me but I don't have much experience with this yeast I average 78% with 1056/s05 if that helps

tnbrewer371 said:

69% seems low for the s04 to me but I don't have much experience with this yeast I average 78% with 1056/s06 if that helps

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How can you possibly say this without having any experience with this yeast...

kanzimonson said:

How can you possibly say this without having any experience with this yeast...

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I have experience, and 69% is low. And, like TN said, very likely the extract you are using.

You might check your calculations. It's common (for me, anyway) to fudge a measurement and then end up with odd numbers.

I'm not an extract brewer, but it's true that the fermentability is determined in the mash, and that was already done in the case of extract brews. So, try a different extract.

69% sounds great for an english ale yeast.

not all yeast have to make some nasty, dry, flavorless pseudo-lager like california ale

kanzimonson said:

How can you possibly say this without having any experience with this yeast...

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Did you not even read the my post? Reread it.

Alls I'm saying is that your experience with s05 has nothing to do with the attenuation of s04. Of course it attenuates more - it's a different yeast.

I don't know about Northern Brewer's extract, but Muntons gives good attenuation.

-a.

kanzimonson said:

69% sounds great for an english ale yeast.

not all yeast have to make some nasty, dry, flavorless pseudo-lager like california ale

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Agreed...s04 in an extract brew? 69% is right in the range of normal. Does the beer taste good?

ajf said:

I don't know about Northern Brewer's extract, but Muntons gives good attenuation.

-a.

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I'd guess NB's is Briess. They don't make their own extract.

It taste great

Joedub said:

It taste great

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Then it sounds like a winner. You will find claims of 70 - 75% attenuation for s-04, so 69% is right there.

It sounds like your process was good. You can always take hydrometer readings to make sure it's finished.