Keep missing my OG and FG targets

[antvq]

Hope someone can give me a suggestion as to where in my process I might be going wrong.

Last batch I brewed was a White IPA using specialty grains for steeping and DME.

Target OG was 1.063. I got 1.066 just before pitching the yeast.

After 4 weeks of fermentation I pulled a sample just before kegging. I got a FG of 1.040 and the target was 1.014.

I see this in most of my beers. OG is higher then the target and FG is as well.

I don't think you can mess up the gravity using DME because the kits I get from the HBS has everything pre-measured for that particular recipe. I think it might be an issue with my steeping grains. I'm using an electric stove and struggle to keeps the temps at the recommended temps. The last recipe called for steeping at 140 - 160 but I know I overshot that to at least 175 at which point I just turned the burner off and let the temp settle on it's own.

Right now doing all grain or even going with a larger pot on a propane burner isn't an option.

1. Do you think my issues with temp control is what is causing my problem hitting my Specific Gravity targets? If so any suggestion on what I can do?

2. If you don't think my steeping temps are the problem what could it be and how do I fix it?

 

[boydster]

What sort of temps are you fermenting at? What kind of yeast are you using, and how much are you pitching? What was the actual recipe?

The OG isn't an issue. The FG is, though. My initial blind guess: either poor yeast health or fermenting too cold for the strain you are using is to blame. The former seems more likely. We could use a bit more detail to pin it down though.

 

[KeninMN]

How do they taste? Correct or overly sweet, as when fermentation is incomplete? Have you verified that your hydrometer is reading correctly? You can do this by measuring distilled water; it should read a specific gravity of 1.000 @ a solution temperature of 60 degrees F. Next, dissolve 10 grams of white table sugar in 90 grams of distilled water. That solution should read 1.040 @ 60 degrees F.

 

[MonsterBrew]

I would look to the yeast for the problem. The predicted OG is very close to the actual OG so I would not be too concerned there. Since the FG only goes down slightly and is off the mark from the predicted FG, there is a problem with fermentation. It could be the type of yeast used, temperature while fermenting, or pitching at too hot. Another possible problem could be if you are using an electric stove, sometimes the boil does not get as hot as it should be, making it harder for the extracts to fully dissolve.

As Boydster mentioned, we could use a little bit more info to pinpoint what might be wrong but you should definitely be getting closer to that FG.

-Jeff

 

[chickypad]

Just checking, you're not trying to measure your FG with a refractometer uncorrected for the presence of alcohol, are you?

 

[itchygomey]

^^ a refractometer would cause what u r seeing

 

[antvq]

I AM using a refractometer. Even with a magnifying glass I cannot read a hydrometer to save my life.

I found a solution on the Morebeer website with a spreadsheet that corrects for alcohol. According to that sheet my FG is now 1.025, still off from the 1.014 called for by the recipe. So it sounds like I might still have an issue.

The recipe was for a White IPA
7lb Briess Bavarian Wheat DME
1/2lb Flaked Oats
1/2lb Aromatic Malt

1oz Northern Brewer Hop 60 min
1oz Eldorado Hop 10 min
1oz Eldorado Hop 2 min
1oz Eldorado Hop 1 min
1oz Eldorado Hop add just before pitching yeast.

Yeast was Safale S-33.

I'm using a freezer with a temp controller and fermentation was done at 70 degrees +/- 2 degrees.

I guess I'm not so upset that I'm "missing" alcohol, but I am trying to refine my brewing and get consistent repeatable results.









So, what is the solution? Is there a correction factor I should be applying? Hire a young child to come read the hydrometer?

BTW, thanks to everyone that took the time to answer. This is a great place with great people always willing to lend experience and advice.

 

[boydster]

I AM using a refractometer. Even with a magnifying glass I cannot read a hydrometer to save my life. So, what is the solution? Is there a correction factor I should be applying? Hire a young child to come read the hydrometer?

BTW, thanks to everyone that took the time to answer. This is a great place with great people always willing to lend experience and advice.

Either hire a small child with better eyesight, or try this: http://www.brewersfriend.com/refractometer-calculator/

Either way, I think you'll find you're pretty close to your target, and that your yeast did exactly what they were expected to do.

 

[itchygomey]

An extract batch finishing around 1.020 is pretty common. The only way I could consistently get extract batches to finish lower was late additions.

 

[BrewerBrad82]

So, what is the solution? Is there a correction factor I should be applying? Hire a young child to come read the hydrometer?

Refractometers are great for pre fermentation duties, but they do get skewed once alcohol is present. As for the correction charts, they are OK but dont really tell you the whole story. For already fermented beers, a standard hydrometer is your best bet.

 

[chickypad]

I find Sean Terrill's calculations extremely accurate for FG. I downloaded his spreadsheet, but it looks like brewer's friend is also using his calculations (link posted by boydster above). I use his default wort correction factor of 1.04, though on the brewer's friend site they discuss how to set that for yourself. I've checked a hyrdrometer against his new cubic calculations at last count on 25 batches: 19 were within 1 gravity pt or less, 5 within 2 gravity pts or less, the only one farther off than that was a saison that went down to 1.002. I just rely on it now for the great majority of my small batches.