Miracle Beer?

Brewed this pale recipe bout three weeks ago:

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Mark's Pale Ale
Brewer: Mark Houdlette
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 10.00 gal
Boil Size: 12.07 gal
Estimated OG: 1.059 SG
Estimated Color: 7.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 49.1 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 84.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
16.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 82.05 %
3.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 15.38 %
0.25 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 1.28 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -150L (150.0 SRM) Grain 1.28 %
1.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 23.4 IBU
2.00 oz Williamette [4.60 %] (60 min) Hops 15.4 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [9.80 %] (30 min) Hops 6.3 IBU
0.50 oz Williamette [9.80 %] (15 min) Hops 4.1 IBU
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
12.55 gal Poland Spring (R) Water
2 Pkgs SafBrew Ale US (DCL Yeast #US-05) Yeast-Ale

Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body
Total Grain Weight: 19.50 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Light Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 6.41 gal of water at 162.2 F 150.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 3.90 gal of water at 202.5 F 168.0 F

Beginning SG came out a little high, 1.064 but I let it ride. Now usually I'm a 1-2-4 guy, 1 week primary, 2 weeks secondary, 4 weeks aging... but with this batch I ran into trouble at work and left the batch in primary for 22 days. I knew you don't HAVE to transfer to secondary so I figured I was ok. But I've never let a primary go that long.

With the higher beginning gravity Beertools recalculated anticipated final SG to 1.019 but much to my suprise I have a whopping 1.008. Anticipated ABV 5.67, actual 7.31. Had the 10 gal batch separated into two carboys, and both came up with the same final SG. Brewhouse efficiency of 91.65!

So I wonder if I could get some feed back on a couple questions....

1. Has this happened to you before, and do you believe it is a result of leaving the beer on the trub for so long...?

2. My luck with reaching anticipated SG's has been increasing since I left the liquid yeast and went back to dry, specifically the Safbrew brands... could this be a reason for such an active fermintation, or a combination of both...

Like I said, I've stuck to one week in the primary bucket for a long time, but if I am going to get this type of production by leaving my beer on the trub for a longer period of time, I'm definately doing it!!! Or is this simply a miracle batch?

Look forward to your observations.

Mark H....

My guess is that your mash temp was a little lower then you think and that is what gave you the dry beer.

Thank you FSR... I think you're on to something... I've been doing AG for a short time and with all the +-10 batches I've done I've always used 154 as a mash temp. Dropped it down to 150 on this batch in accordance with Beertools guidance for a light body beer.

I understand how this could have contributed, but still I'm not sure I understand how my Final OG could be so different from the recipe and what would cause that... lower mash temp that created more fermentables than anticipated??

videoman said:

lower mash temp that created more fermentables than anticipated??

Click to expand...

Yes. at 154 you would get a different beer then 150. Even more so if your tremometer is off. Youl could have been down arount the 147 mark. And going by your FG that's where I think you were.
but you did a good eff % either way.

Good eff % and very tasty too!

Thanks for the info FSR!!

So now you know,.......... don't hurry your brew. I always get great ales by mashing at 150 F and not drinking too soon. You do have to have enough keg space though. Any of you who drink your beer early are missing out on really good beer.

WBC... I think I've been converted, da proof is in da puddin. But I have to brew more often. If I don't keep the beer closet full I get weak and rush things. But the days of 1-2-4 are gone.