Can't get FG under 1.018......

[solardollars]

OK, I am a relative newbie. I have made about 20 batches of 6 gallons each. Only about 4 times have I gotten the FG under 1.010. It doesn't matter if I am making a stout or a pilsner.......OG of 1.030 up to 1.056 (my personal high).

Here is my general process. I use kits like Munton's or Cooper's, etc. I always add 3 lbs of spray malt from either of those makers and another 1 lb of corn sugar. So I have almost 7 lbs of various sugars to start with, b/c I want the higher alcohols. My fermenting temps are always 70 F to, at most, 77 F. Generally, my bubbling is completely done in 4 days. I have had some batches that only bubbled for 36 hours and still got under 1.010 (maybe I was lucky).

So I check the gravity and find that it is still over 20, and I shake the crap out of the fermenter to stir up some new action, which only lasts a minute or 2. Inevitably, the gravity stays high, the yeast goes to sleep. So I go ahead and prime with 1.25 cups sugar and bottle. I get good carbonation. One lady told me that with the FG that high, plus the priming sugar, I was going to blow up the bottles. That has never happened. So I know the yeast is still there b/c I am getting the carbonation. I pitch yeast at 75 to 83 F. But WHY can't I get the FG lower??

Another thing. I have never used a wort chiller or waited for it to cool down on its own. I always use ice to cool it down. I read that one should never do that, but I don't know if that is my problem. Any ideas??

 

[the_bird]

I'm not the expert here, but I suspect that the issue is that all of that extra DME you're adding is the issue. DME doesn't ferment completely (I want to say maybe two-thirds of the sugars are fermentable), so there are going to be a lot of residual sugars left, hence a higher FG.

As to the ice issue, as long as the wort is at proper pitching temp, you're fine. Theoretically, the ice could be non-sanitary and therefore you might get an infection, but nothing that would prevent the yeast from working (you would just have bad beer). I know several people here who use ice in one form or another, either freezing some filtered water a day or two ahead, or even just using ice bought from the store (which I personally would hesitate to do).

I suspect, though, that the core issue you face is that a portion of the extra DME is not and will not be fermented. There's a reason beer never has a FG of 1.0000, there are always some residual, unfermentable sugars from the malt.

Does the beer taste too sweet to you? There are other sugars you could use that are more fermentable, I think honey is one. But again, I'm not the expert in this forum.

 

[sirsloop]

Most of my brews finish somewhere around 1.012-1.018, and they always taste great! If you think its too sweet, add more bittering hops at the beginning of the boil to take some of the sweet bite off. Either that or use yeast that has a higher Attenuation.

 

[david_42]

You are at 67% attenuation. You can try this. Get a packet of Nottingham's, draw off a pint of your brew add the Nottingham's and shake it well. Let it sit in a warm spot (75-80F) overnight. Check the gravity. Nottingham's is a high attenuation yeast and hitting a pint with an entire packet WILL ferment everything in the wort that can be fermented.

If the gravity goes down, pour off the liquid and pitch the yeast into your fermenter. Wait another week.

 

[solardollars]

Yes, it does taste pretty sweet. But I want the alcohol content to be at least 5 percent by volume if I am going to even bother with homebrewing. I will try the Nottinghams and see what that does.

I was told that if one adds too much corn sugar (instead of DME) that it might get vinegary tasting, so that is why I keep it at 1 lb only. I did make a batch with no DME and 5 lbs sugar and it was great.......no vinegar and low gravity finish. So who knows......