Evan!
Well-Known Member
So I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong here. My pilsner was my first real lager, and my second AG batch. I used mostly pilsner malt, with half a pound each of aromatic and carapils thrown in too. My first AG batch's FG was too low---1.011---so for this batch, I took the advice of the forum crew and switched from a stepped mash to an infusion mash. However, because this was a pilsner, I wanted to mash towards the lower end of the temp range. I think my average mash temp was about 153f.
As I said, efficiency was good, and my OG was 1.054 or so.
I pitched a large (1000mL) starter of Wyeast Bohemian Lager yeast into 60f wort and waited overnight (at about 60f) for signs of fermentation, then dropped the temp to the low 50's, which is right in the middle of the range for the Bohemian.
As I noted yesterday, I was expecting a lager to take awhile to ferment, so I was surprised when the airlock activity subsided after 5 days, and the krausen fell. I was concerned, so I took an SG reading last night, expecting the fermentation to be perhaps 2/3 finished. Given the listed attenuation of this yeast, I was expecting a final final grav of 1.014 or so. My plan was, as soon as it hit 2/3 of the listed attenuation, I would bring the temps up for a diacetyl rest.
You can imagine my surprise/frustration when my hydro read 1.012. 5 days post-pitching, and this "lager" has surpassed the listed attenuation. WTF!? So, not only did I miss my chance for a D-rest, but I'm worried that it's finished so early, and is so dry. I expected the carapils to help out with unfermentables, but I don't see them anywhere. What's going on? I'm 0/2 on AG batches, it seems, and I don't really get why. I've tried stepped mashing, infusion mashing, and they still attenuate too much.
Not only that, but to add insult to injury, my other batch that I brewed alongside the Pilsner, a PM Imperial IPA that I also infusion-mashed, had horribly efficiency (I had to do a supplementary boil with extract and add it post-pitching), and its attenuation (this is pacman!) looks really bad. I took a hydro reading from it last night, and it's around 1.030. Blagh! Bastard! If I wasn't so bloody careful in labeling the starter jugs, I could have sworn that I got my yeasts mixed up.
Damnit. I think I may just go back to PM.
As I said, efficiency was good, and my OG was 1.054 or so.
I pitched a large (1000mL) starter of Wyeast Bohemian Lager yeast into 60f wort and waited overnight (at about 60f) for signs of fermentation, then dropped the temp to the low 50's, which is right in the middle of the range for the Bohemian.
As I noted yesterday, I was expecting a lager to take awhile to ferment, so I was surprised when the airlock activity subsided after 5 days, and the krausen fell. I was concerned, so I took an SG reading last night, expecting the fermentation to be perhaps 2/3 finished. Given the listed attenuation of this yeast, I was expecting a final final grav of 1.014 or so. My plan was, as soon as it hit 2/3 of the listed attenuation, I would bring the temps up for a diacetyl rest.
You can imagine my surprise/frustration when my hydro read 1.012. 5 days post-pitching, and this "lager" has surpassed the listed attenuation. WTF!? So, not only did I miss my chance for a D-rest, but I'm worried that it's finished so early, and is so dry. I expected the carapils to help out with unfermentables, but I don't see them anywhere. What's going on? I'm 0/2 on AG batches, it seems, and I don't really get why. I've tried stepped mashing, infusion mashing, and they still attenuate too much.
Not only that, but to add insult to injury, my other batch that I brewed alongside the Pilsner, a PM Imperial IPA that I also infusion-mashed, had horribly efficiency (I had to do a supplementary boil with extract and add it post-pitching), and its attenuation (this is pacman!) looks really bad. I took a hydro reading from it last night, and it's around 1.030. Blagh! Bastard! If I wasn't so bloody careful in labeling the starter jugs, I could have sworn that I got my yeasts mixed up.
Damnit. I think I may just go back to PM.