Beer gravity

[Crack]

New to trying to brew beer. I made an ale & the recipe says it's expected efficiency is 75%. The expected OG is 1.030 & FG is 1.000. My OG was 1.051 & FG was 1.020, not sure what I did wrong. I tasted it before bottling & it smells & taste real similar to miller lite maybe mixed with a natty. Is this FG ok? Any tips on what I should do in the future?

 

[Jag75]

Hey Zach . A few questions. Was this an all grain brew or extract ? Give the details of your process . Where you using a refractometer to get your FG? More info will help figure out what's going on.

 

[mashdar]

Is it possible you used less water than the recipe?

Also, target FG of 1.000 seems odd unless you're using an unusual yeast. OTOH, 1.020 is very high FG from 1.050 unless you're using unusual yeast.

Have you tested your hydrometer in water? (or are you using a refractometer?)

 

[mac_1103]

Might be easier for folks to troubleshoot if you post the recipe.

 

[Crack]

 

[Crack]

I was using a refractometer & after a little research I believe I may not have figured it quite right

 

[mashdar]

link is better than screenshot cut off the important bit!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/miller-lite-really-triple-hopped.123937/
Recipe Specifics
----------------
Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 5.50
Anticipated OG: 1.030 Plato: 7.68
Anticipated SRM: 2.0
Anticipated IBU: 17.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------
Evaporation Rate: 18.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 6.85 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.022 SG 5.64 Plato
Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
36.4 2.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
31.8 1.75 lbs. Pale Malt(6-row) America 1.035 2
31.8 1.75 lbs. Flaked Corn (Maize) America 1.040 1
Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.
Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.60 oz. Cascade Pellet 5.75 17.0 60 min.
1.00 oz. Cascade - Iowa Whole 5.75 0.0 0 min.
1.00 oz. Cascade - Iowa Whole 5.75 0.0 Dry Hop
Extras

Amount Name Type Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 Tsp Amylase Enzyme 14 Days( 2ndary fermenter)
Yeast
-----
Fermentis US-05 Safale (For Summer brewing)
Chuck's version calls for Wyeast 2007

Mash Schedule
-------------
Mash Type: Single Step
Grain Lbs: 5.50
Water Qts: 7.43 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 1.86 - Before Additional Infusions
Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.35 - Before Additional Infusions
Saccharification Rest Temp : 147 Time: 90
Mash-out Rest Temp : 175 Time: 10
Sparge Temp : 175 Time: 10
Total Mash Volume Gal: 2.30 - Dough-In Infusion Only
All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.
Notes
-----
The enzyme goes in the 2ndary - DON'T FORGET THIS!!!!
The enzyme makes it dry, so its clean and crisp, plus it boosts the alcohol.
I needed a blow-off on my secondary. It bubbled like crazy for a week.

 

[mashdar]

I'm still a little surprised at fg 1.000, but I don't have a feel for exotic amylase effects.

Did you use an amylase addition? What kind?

5.5 lbs of grain shouldn't get you to 1.050 in a 5 gallon batch. Either a volume issue (did you do 3gal?) or need to adjust refractometer value a lot?

Did you mash at 147? How do you maintain temp?

 

[Crack]

Like I said I'm new to this & this is my 2nd batch. I did 5 gallons, I used 1 Tsp amylase enzyme at secondary fermentation. I checked the refractometer with distilled water to begin with but read that I should have went off of brix instead of gravity & found a calculator that has error correction for brix. Not sure what # to put in for correction, still researching it but with a 1 it says OG is 1.051 & FG is 1.002...that being said I don't believe it got that low cause it pits abv at 5.6. I tasted it & it's not bad, kinda like miller lite mixed with natty light but doesn't taste heavy enough for that abv. As far mashing my wife bout me a mash & boil kinda like grainfather so it keeps the temp but I used a thermometer as well to make sure mash was same temp as water in the bottom. I'm happy I've made drinkable beer & will enjoy it, just trying to learn the proper way

 

[Crack]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/miller-lite-really-triple-hopped.123937/

 

[mashdar]

And you had 5gal in the fermenter? (Maybe you started with 5 and boiled some off? Or did you top off?)

Reason I asked about mash is 147 is quite low, needs a long mash and if your mash temp dropped it could cause fermentability problems. But the amylase would take care of any lingering starches, and if you were recircing with a grainfather I imagine it was not dropping too much.

I am not really familiar with refractometers, but a 0.60 correction sounds unusual. This sounds like a lot of work lol: How to Determine your Refractometer’s Wort Correction Factor - Brewer's Friend
I'm sure people who use a refractometer can provide better info there.

 

[DBhomebrew]

I am not really familiar with refractometers, but a 0.60 correction sounds unusual. This sounds like a lot of work lol: How to Determine your Refractometer’s Wort Correction Factor - Brewer's Friend
I'm sure people who use a refractometer can provide better info there.

A wort has a wort correction factor, a refractometer does not. You would not, for example, apply the WCF to a sucrose solution measured by the same refractometer you use to measure your barley wort with a WCF.

1.04 is a decent default WCF for barley wort.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/refractometer-wort-correction-factor.703591/

 

[DBhomebrew]

I'm going to guess your observed Brix readings were roughly 12.6 & 5? With a WCF of 1.04, that's 1.049 & 1.002 with an ABV of ~6.3%.

doesn't taste heavy enough for that abv

The high ABV doesn't give a heavy body. Heavy (full) body usually comes from the 20-30% of carbs that are left as FG in a typical big beer. You've obliterated those body-giving carbs with the enzymes, leaving water and alcohol. Thin stuff.

 

[Crack]

I ended up with 5 gal after boil, it was like 6.8 gallons before the boil & boiled for 90 min. My observed brix were 12.6 & 5, correct. Still trying to understand the WCF but I guess I need to use the brix in the future as well as getting a hydrometer. Thanks for y'alls help