High FG question

If I have a high FG 1.022 after 1 week in the primary and 2 weeks in the secondary, is it possible that i had didn't convert the starch to sugars during the mash?

OG was 1.055. Mash was at 152 F for 60 mins and 2 10min batch sparges...5 gallon cooler required I split the batch sparge. Next time I will use the Iodine test...but I am wondering if there is anything that can be done at this point. I transfered the cooled wort onto a yeast cake that I just siphoned off of...the fermentation was fast and furious...possible that the fermentation got stuck?

Thanks.

Not likely to be stuck, could just be a high percentage of unfermentables. Can't tell without a recipe.

Unconverted starch will not add to the gravity of the beer. Unfermentable sugars and dextrins will and are determined by your ingredients and conversion conditions.

Here is the recipe that I used

11 lbs 2-row
.5 lb cara-pils
.5 lb crystal 60L
1.oz columbus 60 mins
1.oz cascade 15 mins
1.oz cascade 5 mins
1.oz cascade 0 mins

Irish moss @ 20 mins

White Labs WLP001 California Ale yeast

Mashed in @ 152 15qts for 60 mins
first batch sparge - 3 gallons @ 175 degress rest for 10 mins
second batch sparge - 2.5 gallons @ 175 degress rest for 10 mins

boiled for 60 mins.

chilled with immersion chiller to ~ 75 degrees...pitched on yeast cake from another batch.

taste is good but a bit of a heavy mouth feel...similar to a stout.

how sure are you you're mash was at 152? If your therm was off and you mashed high that would lead to a much higher fg. I know from experience, my IPA ended up and 1.022. Too sweet, but still drinkable. I also brewed a light coloured ale, mashed a littlw low (145-148ish) and it had an fg of 1.004, fyi.

The 60L crystal shouldn't leave the FG THAT high I don't think, though it would certainly add some unfermentables.

P.S. I don't bother with the iodine test, I just do a taste test

The thermometer was the one that came with turkey fryer...never confirmed it's accuracy. Drilled a hole in the top of the cooler/MLT sunk the thermometer in. Maybe I'll invest in a digital one with a probe.

Thanks for the ideas.

Got Trub? said:

Unconverted starch will not add to the gravity of the beer. Unfermentable sugars and dextrins will and are determined by your ingredients and conversion conditions.

Click to expand...

I always thought they did. Anything that's denser than water in the solution should add to your gravity, shouldn't it?

OK, I just double checked the thermometer and realized I that my mash temps were probably closer to 160. After doing a little reading here on HBT I realized that that could account for the heavy maltiness and low conversion...or so I am thinking.

Definitely need to get a digital thermometer

Uncle Argyle said:

OK, I just double checked the thermometer and realized I that my mash temps were probably closer to 160. After doing a little reading here on HBT I realized that that could account for the heavy maltiness and low conversion...or so I am thinking.

Definitely need to get a digital thermometer

Click to expand...

That'll do it. In my experience analog thermometers suck various disgusting body parts