Attenuation

Okay, here we go...first Official thread...bear with me if this is in the wrong section.

I've brewed about ten batches, and I have yet to have a beer attenuate out completely. If attenuation is 70% - 80%, I will get 70% at most. I've tried pitching yeast straight from the package, making a starter, and in two cases, pithcing the yeast cake from the previous batch, and still, I get minimal attenuation. Any thoughts?

What type/brand of extract are you using? Some have more unfermentable stuff in them than others.

Welcome to the forum!

Mostly I've used Alexander's extract syrup, both dark and light, and Munton's DME.

I got sent to the principle's office because I couldn't pay attenuation....

In my own defense, I wasn't sure if I could trust my 3-fingered shop teacher as he gave us instruction on how to use the band saw!!

I've had similar problems lately, but I was doing mini-mashes too. I assumed that I wasn't converting my starches properly. If you're doing extract, and you've tried all those different methods of pitching, my only guess is temperature. But I'm not even sure that would affect it as long as the ferment finished.

rewster451 said:

I've had similar problems lately, but I was doing mini-mashes too. I assumed that I wasn't converting my starches properly. If you're doing extract, and you've tried all those different methods of pitching, my only guess is temperature. But I'm not even sure that would affect it as long as the ferment finished.

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"Up next: Big Brew Off competition between me and Kaptain Karma as one team, and my two roommates as another--We'll be brewing Pale Ales with specifications on malts, hops, and total yeild to see who's version is better (and to end up with ten total gallons of great beer)."

Man, that's the longest beer name I've ever heard of? Is the label on a scroll?

are you talking BIG beers? what type of yeast are you using? i dont even consider attenuation, i just try to stay away from really dry/highly attenuate yeasts...but iwould guess its probably the types of extract: munstons is dry, and laaglander is fuller bodied (more dextrins),and briess is in-between

homebrewer_99 said:

"Up next: Big Brew Off competition between me and Kaptain Karma as one team, and my two roommates as another--We'll be brewing Pale Ales with specifications on malts, hops, and total yeild to see who's version is better (and to end up with ten total gallons of great beer)."

Man, that's the longest beer name I've ever heard of? Is the label on a scroll?

Click to expand...

Ha ha! We're going to come up with the names later, also our team names. I just thought it was a cool idea and wanted to put it in my signature.

Alexander's Specs

Although I haven't quite figured out what it all means.

I often have attenuation problems: extract, AG, whatever. Since I'm brewing for flavor, I don't sweat it too much. I suspect it will get better once I have a temperature stable cabinet for fermenting.

What you may want to do, is a forced ferment test with the extract that you are using. This may be used with AG batches to determine the FG before the main fermentation is done, but can also be used to determine the attenuation of malt extract.

Simply make a starter with the yeast you plan to use and let it ferment out. Now with the FG and the SG you can now determine the attenuation that you get with this extract and the yeast.

The dry extract that I was using attenuated very well (to well I would say) one of the batches came all the way down to 1.008 from 1.060.

Kai

Is someone has a copy of "Designing Great Beers", he lists some different extracts and their fermentability. I'd look, but I don't have it with me here in TX. I'm pretty sure Muntons ferments well, but I don't recall about Alexanders.

What type of yeast are you using? If it's a really flocculant strain, it might be settling out on you before it's done.

Finally, are you doing a temp correction when you take your readings? Shouldn't amount to much at room temps, but it's just a thought.

I also had problems similar to this which I attributed to insufficient wort oxygenation. Since I started using oxygen (1-2 minutes through a .5 micron steel stone), this has not been an issue.

Further, I understand that you used a starter in some cases, so you might balk at the need for aeration / oxygen, thinking you had enough yeast to begin with. Take a moment to consider how you prepared your starter. Starters vary, of course. Did you shake it, stir it, let it sit? How much wort did you use in the starter? In other words, did the starter have sufficient yeast for your beer to fully attenuate? Starters can multiply yeast a little or a lot depending on method, wort and other variables, so consider stepping the wort up a bit, shaking more (or ideally stirring regularly such as with a stir plate) or otherwise improving your method.

Good luck - you'll figure it out! And the best part is, you get to figure it out while making more beer!

Thanks for the info guys. Next starter, I'll do a gravity test on it to see what's happening there. I usually mix about 3 oz. DME with 1 Q water, boil 15 min., cool, and pitch yeast. So far I have yet to use the same type of yeast twice, though they have all been either Wyeast or White Labs liquid.

My latest batch is a Tripel which went from 1.082 to 1.014 after 2 weeks in the primary. Unfortunately I forgot to write down the type of yeast, and my wife was a little to efficient cleaning the kitchen that day. So this one's a mystery beer.

As far as aeration, I pour the wort through a strainer into the primary (plastic bucket) with the yeast slurry already in the bottom. If there doesn't seem to be enough foam on the top after this, I will stir it up a bit with a spoon. Other than that, I haven't paid much attention to aerating the wort.