Attenuation too high?

Last weekend I bottled my second batch of beer and my FG was lower than expected. I used Wyeast 1332 and had an OG of 1.051 and an FG of 1.009. According to my calculations this is 82.3% attenuation and the listed average on the Wyeast site is 67-71% for this strain.

Here is my recipe:

4 Gallon batch
4.54 lbs DME (2 lbs @60 min, 2.54 lbs @15 min)
Amarillo Hops @ 10.4%
.5oz @60
.5oz @20
1oz @5
1oz Dry hop

Wyeast 1332 pitched at 65*. Fermented at 68* and left in the primary for 3 weeks.

Should I be worried about such a high attenuation rate (wild yeasties)?

Thanks!

Average attenuation, is just that, an average. Like most living organisms, yeast don't care about statistics

Wyeast 1332 (or WLP005) are beasts so they could attenuate quite well if the conditions are right.

Did you correct for temperature on the FG reading?

Either way not something to be worried about as long as it tastes good.

Thanks. I'm pretty sure it will be fine as well but just thought that was a bit far above the average. This was the first time I used this particular 5 gallon carboy. I think I'll give it a couple days in pbw before using it again just to be sure.

The yeast definitely had a good time in there it seemed and it was a good thing I used a blow off tube. Can't wait to taste the fruits of their their (our) efforts.

Three ways (of many) to DECREASE attenuation. First mash at higher temp... doesn't apply to you since you use extract. Two, ferment at slightly lower than ideal temp so the yeast poop out a little earlier. And three, use yeast with lower attenuation.

you did not taste at bottling? I'm always drinking the hydrometer jar, half just because I'm curious and the other half to make sure all is well. What temp did you ferment @

Clem

I did drink my FG sample and though I am new to tasting young beer, I'm pretty optimistic that this will be a good one. I pitched at 65* and it fermented between 65* and 68*. Sat in the Primary for 3 weeks before bottling.

To Shaffer's point of using a less attenuative (is that a word?) yeast, I certainly didn't expect to get 10% higher than the Wyeast listed average. Whether this turns out to be positive for this specific beer or not, we shall see. But as an extract brewer without much temp control (swamp cooling), would it make more sense to add more non-fermentable steeped grains than to rely on stated yeast strain attenuation rates?

You also pitched a good amount of yeast. The smack packs are designed for 5 gal of 1.060 and you pitched into 4 gal of 1.051. It's not quite mrmalty numbers, but with a fresh pack it was a solid pitch that would help with attenuation.

I'd try a few more batches before looking to add too many unfermentables. If you're consistently getting higher attenuation numbers then go for it, but I'd rather have a beer too dry than too sweet or syrupy. Go slow and maybe try carapils to add body and if you really need sweetness then try crystal. Crystal malt can make a beer cloying real quick imo.

I plug those gravity numbers into daves dreaded calculator an get an attenuation of 64.5%. How do you get 80 something percent? Am I using the wrong calculator?!?!

Heh the beer I just bottled for down to 1.004. Poop happens I guess. They ways seem to attenuate high for me. I usually mash at 153 too. Maybe the themometer is off now that I think about it.

Marlowefire said:

I plug those gravity numbers into daves dreaded calculator an get an attenuation of 64.5%. How do you get 80 something percent? Am I using the wrong calculator?!?!

Click to expand...

well somethings wrong, cuz its def more than 64.5%. (1-9/51)*100 = 82.4%

maybe that was real attenutation vs apparent

dcp27 said:

well somethings wrong, cuz its def more than 64.5%. (1-9/51)*100 = 82.4%

maybe that was real attenutation vs apparent

Click to expand...

What is the difference?

IIRC, basically real attenuation accounts for the difference the ethanol causes

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Understanding_Attenuation

ah. thanks. knew i shouldve looked there first.

Just as a follow-up, this beer turned out pretty good but most bottles are pretty over carbed. Not gushers by any means but most of the taste is overtaken by carbonation upon first pour. I used 99 grams of corn sugar for this 4 gallon batch, shooting for 2.5 volumes. Either this 1332 yeast is really beastly, or I had something a little funky going on.