High FG using body enhancer

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brewdownunder

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I brewed a lager, used saflager S23 with OG 1042 i used a body enhancer (700g dex 300g dried corn syrup) kept it around 12-14 celcius for 18days then racked it as airlock had conciderably slowed, the sg was 1016 and had been for 2 days. Theres no airlock activity in the secondary, is there a posibility that the brew has fermented out at 1016 due to using only 700g fermentable sugar?
 
Think we'll need a little more information on your recipe to give you any specific help here, such as what was in your wort besides the body enhancer.

Was it an extract brew? Did you use steeping grains? Partial mash?

What was the target FG of the brew according to the recipe?

And was the "body enhancer" supposed to boost the alcohol, or contribute more ... um ... body? It sounds like a silly question, but dextrose and corn syrup (I'm assuming that "dried corn syrup" is what we call "corn syrup solids" in the States) are both ~100% fermentable and would leave you with more alcohol rather than more body ... so I'm confused about that product, and would point out that you definitely had fermentable sugar in your wort besides the 700g of dextrose you added.

FWIW, extract brews often finish out with high FGs. I've had many extract brews finish out between 1.015 - 1.020.
 
Thanks for the response, it was a simple extract brew, a can of Morgans classic gold lager, and 1 kg body enhancer, my Lhbs said its 700g dex and 300g maltodextrin (not fermentable but contributes to mouth feel) Did not take notice of target fg but the previous brew was a morgans blonde lager, very similar, i used the cans yeast and 1 kg dex, fg was 1006 so i assumed id get somewhere close with this brew. Im reading its a reoccuring theme with s23 yeast finished higher than expected.
 
Thanks for the response, it was a simple extract brew, a can of Morgans classic gold lager, and 1 kg body enhancer, my Lhbs said its 700g dex and 300g maltodextrin (not fermentable but contributes to mouth feel) Did not take notice of target fg but the previous brew was a morgans blonde lager, very similar, i used the cans yeast and 1 kg dex, fg was 1006 so i assumed id get somewhere close with this brew. Im reading its a reoccuring theme with s23 yeast finished higher than expected.
Maltodextrin - got it. You're right, that is not fermentable and will contribute to the mouthfeel. It will also leave you with a bit higher FG than your recipe planned for.

Between that and what you learned about the yeast, it sounds like your brew has gotten as low as it will go. 1.016 is not a bad FG for an extract brew, especially since you added the maltodextrin. I'd bottle it and call it done! Unless you're planning to actually lager it...
 
since ive reacked the brew its actually started to bubble again after 24hr very slowly but bubbling all the same. Figured id leave it in the secondary for 2 weeks to clear possibly might get a few points lower if it keep on chuggin ! Temp is fairly constant at 60F so although this is not technically lagering would the 2 weeks in the secondary be benificial ?
 
Airlock activity in secondary is most likely NOT a sign of yeast activity, but co2 releasing from solution. This happens because the beer was agitated causing the co2 to vent through the airlock. Your FG of 1.016 is probably as low as an extract brew with malto dextrin added will go.
 
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