Missed my FG by 5 points

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Greenspey

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Here's the recipe:

7lb Amber Malt Extract (syrup)
.5lb 2-row
.5lb Chocolate
.5lb Special B
.5lb Crystal 60L
(all grains steeped for 20min)

10 minutes left in the boil I added 4oz. Cocoa.

I calculated my assumed OG to be 1.055, it turned out to be 1.060
My FG was calcluated to be 1.015, it turned out to be 1.022

Is this a problem and what caused it?
 
Is your hydrometer calibrated? Does it read 1.000 in water at 60 degrees? Or 65 degrees depending on your hydrometer. (it should say on it what the calibration temp is.)
 
I suspect that the cocoa threw the numbers off a tad. I can't figure out why it would do it but I've done a few brews with cocoa and they were all off a bit.
 
I thought it might be the cocoa, but how could cocoa make fermentables less fermentable? I can see the high OG being due to the cocoa, but should the overall fermentation be less?
 
The cocoa doesn't change fermentables. If it's not fermenting out, then that's what is causing the higher numbers. You'd get the same numbers with any other unfermentable, like sucralose, maltodextrine, or lactose. As for being two more points off on the FG (7 instead of 5), it happens.
 
What was your steeping temperature and was it stable?

I notice that one of the grains in the recipe was plain 2-row which is not a steeping grain but a mashing grain. If the temperature was stayed high (155+) for most of the steep the you would produce a lot of unfermentable dextrins which would push the F.G. up somewhat. If the steep was in the 150- range then the conversion of starch to sugar would have produced more completely fermentable sugars.
 
My steeping temp was right at 155 and dropped to about 152 over the 20 minute steep. I did ring out the musling grain bag pretty well, though. Could that have made a difference?

BTW, when I moved it to secondary it tasted great! I guess if it's a little lower on ABV, but tastes great I can just drink more! :mug:
 
You don't want to squeeze out the grain bag. Doing that could supply your brew with lots of unwanted tannins and a really grainy bitter taste. I wouldn't worry about the gravity that much, it seems like its still in a pretty acceptable range. The cocoa just might be what is throwing things off. RDWHAHB
 
So I dont have to start a new thread Ill go off of this one. I'm making a Brown Ale from a Muntons kit. The FG is supposed to be 1.012. It started to ferment after 10 hours or so and the krausen has now been gone for 4 days. Total time in primary=7 days. The hydro reading I just got was 1.021. Could this still be going, or is my reading just off somehow?
 
It could be still going. Sometimes the yeast is working with no evidence other than a drop in the specific gravity. Keep checking your gravity every day or two and see if it's dropping. If it hasn't moved after three or four days, you might consider pitching a bit more yeast, or trying a different hydrometer. In any case, I'd check the calibration of the hydrometer, it should read 1.000 in 60 degree water, or 65 depending on the hydrometer. It'll say it on the hydrometer somewhere.
 
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