1.004 Fg on a simple pilsner

[scsnick]

19 days ago I tried my hand at my first all grain.

Mashed at 155 for 60 minutes in my converted beverage cooler then batch sparged

10 lb pilsner
1.0 oz hop union Czech saaz at 60
.75 oz at 15
.75 at 0
Wyeast 2124 smack pack activated prior and then pitched at 70 and has been at 62(according to the liquid crystal thermometer on the side of the carboy) in my basement since.

Og was 1.050 which I was pleasantly surprised by. I took a reading today and its at 1.004 I checked multiple times and I keep getting 1.004. I thought that was ridiculously low. I was expecting 1.008 at the lowest. It is a bit dry and bitter.

It was my first all grain so I tried to keep the grain bill simple. It was also my first time using white labs yeast. I have never read about such a low fg in a beer before. Any ideas how that happened? Is it ok? It is not infected, and I know my hydrometer is good.

 

[annasdadhockey]

That does seem to be a pretty low FG for mashing at 155F. Generally that woould leave you some residual sugars. Maybe your thermometer is off a bit, and you actually mashed a lot lower?

 

[GNBrews]

I agree with Annasdad, either your thermometer is off by a few degress, or you spent too much time bringing the temperature up to 155F. Basic Brewing Radio did an experiment that showed most modified malts are fully converted in 15 mins or so. If you spent too long in that 145-148 range, your conversion was probably done there.

 

[Yooper]

I'd double check that thermometer ASAP! I find it hard to believe a mash at 155 got down to 1.012, let alone 1.004.

62 degrees is way to high for a fermentation temperature for a pilsner (I guess you're making a steam beer?), but that's another story, I guess!

PS- Wyeast has the "smack packs", White Labs has vials of yeast.

 

[scsnick]

Sorry yooper, I meant to type wyeast. Thanks for the help everyone. I guess its time to go the brew shop and get a new good thermometer. Would you guys age it, keg this and see how it turns out, Or just chalk it up to a loss? I have also read about some people adding maltodextrin at kegging time to give it a little more body to try and even it out? I think ill just let it sit a bit more then keg it. After all, its still beer.

 

[annasdadhockey]

It'll be fine, maybe just a bit dry.
What type of thermometer do you have? Can it be calibrated?

 

[passedpawn]

A thermometer error will not result in 92% attenuation. Maybe a faulty hydrometer?

I'd guess an error reading the OG or some other thing going on here.

And yes, with very few sugars left it will seem bitter. German pilsners can be that way without anything else helping the malt bill. Try a Bohemian Pilsner next. A little carapils and less late hops make it a softer beer.

 

[Malticulous]

I find it hard to believe any 60 minute mash could attenuate that much.

 

[scsnick]

I just rechecked my hydrometer. It is calibrated properly. My thermometer must have been off and I mashed at too low of a temp. It is way too bitter for my taste at the moment. I am gong to let it sit for a few more weeks and go from there.

 

[passedpawn]

I just rechecked my hydrometer. It is calibrated properly. My thermometer must have been off and I mashed at too low of a temp. It is way too bitter for my taste at the moment. I am gong to let it sit for a few more weeks and go from there.

Sorry, we do not have an option of fermenting at a low temperature and getting attenuation of 92%. Check your assumptions.

 

[Begin2Brew]

I'd let that sucker lager a few months and see how it comes out. I bet next spring the bitterness will have faded and smoothed out.

 

[Bsquared]

Just a thought,

Is the beer some what carbonated out of the fermenter? some times you need to let a sample gas for a while out before you take your reading. All the bubbling can make the sample less dense and give you a lower reading.

 

[passedpawn]

I'd let that sucker lager a few months and see how it comes out. I bet next spring the bitterness will have faded and smoothed out.

Or just add back some sweetness now and don't wait a year. Lactose (milk sugar). I would consider this if the beer is truly undrinkable. It will add both sweetness and mouthfeel. The one time I added it, it took more than I thought to correct the beer. Good luck.

 

[scsnick]

I think I am going to let it sit for a little longer, then try the lactose route. We shall see how it turns out. Thanks for all the help guys. Even though I messed this one up, it was still fun.

 

[TomOliver]

Does it actually taste bad? I had a saison dry to 1.000 a couple months ago and it was great at 30ish IBU's

 

[scsnick]

It tastes like beer. It has decent body and doesn't seem watered down or anything. Its just really bitter and dry, somewhat like a cider that I made before I back sweetened it.