Hello All,
First let me start out by saying that I am very impressed with the amount of knowledge and the eagerness of everyone to share it on this board.Now
Finally took the plunge and brewed my first extract batch 26 days ago. It was a Pike's IPA clone from MIDWEST and I will post the recipe at the end. Everything went smoothly except that after the wort cooled to around 72 deg F the gravity was measured at 1.071, while the instructions said it should be 1.058-1.062. Anyway I proceeded and teh bucket primary's airlock was bubbling away really solidly for around 30 some thing hours and then stopped bubbling entirely. I noticed no overt signs of fermentation, but assumed it was fine. after a week I started taking gravity readings and it had fallen to 1.026, and I racked it to the secondary. after two more days I checked the gravity and it was still 1.026, so I got scared and added some nottingham ale yeast. The airlock once again started bubbling and that lasted for about a day before subsiding. I left it in the secondary for 2 weeks and then checked the gravity adn it was down to 1.021 and two days later 1.021, so I bottled.
Unfortunately it tasted way to sweet for me at bottling, and Ill assume this has a little to do with the corn sugar, but also with the fact that there are still significant fermentables left.
My questions following this first experience are; firstly, why would the SG be so much higher than the range indicated in the instructions? secondly, should I have waited to bottle, even though the gravity appeared to stop falling (recipe indicates FG 1.01-1.012) or does the higher starting gravity mean that the final will be higher as well? and finally, will a couple of weeks of aging bring down that supersweet taste?
My hydrometer appears to me to be accurate and the temperature range was 68-72. Thanks for all replies!
6 lbs gold malt extract, 2 lbs. amber DME, 8 oz Munich malt, 8 oz, carapils malt, 1 lb British 50-60 L malt specialty grains, 3 oz. of hops Munton's 6 gm dry yeast (not sure what strain)
First let me start out by saying that I am very impressed with the amount of knowledge and the eagerness of everyone to share it on this board.Now
Finally took the plunge and brewed my first extract batch 26 days ago. It was a Pike's IPA clone from MIDWEST and I will post the recipe at the end. Everything went smoothly except that after the wort cooled to around 72 deg F the gravity was measured at 1.071, while the instructions said it should be 1.058-1.062. Anyway I proceeded and teh bucket primary's airlock was bubbling away really solidly for around 30 some thing hours and then stopped bubbling entirely. I noticed no overt signs of fermentation, but assumed it was fine. after a week I started taking gravity readings and it had fallen to 1.026, and I racked it to the secondary. after two more days I checked the gravity and it was still 1.026, so I got scared and added some nottingham ale yeast. The airlock once again started bubbling and that lasted for about a day before subsiding. I left it in the secondary for 2 weeks and then checked the gravity adn it was down to 1.021 and two days later 1.021, so I bottled.
Unfortunately it tasted way to sweet for me at bottling, and Ill assume this has a little to do with the corn sugar, but also with the fact that there are still significant fermentables left.
My questions following this first experience are; firstly, why would the SG be so much higher than the range indicated in the instructions? secondly, should I have waited to bottle, even though the gravity appeared to stop falling (recipe indicates FG 1.01-1.012) or does the higher starting gravity mean that the final will be higher as well? and finally, will a couple of weeks of aging bring down that supersweet taste?
My hydrometer appears to me to be accurate and the temperature range was 68-72. Thanks for all replies!
6 lbs gold malt extract, 2 lbs. amber DME, 8 oz Munich malt, 8 oz, carapils malt, 1 lb British 50-60 L malt specialty grains, 3 oz. of hops Munton's 6 gm dry yeast (not sure what strain)