SG not going down.....

[BrewOnBoard]

I took a reading on my swartzbier today. SG 1.012. Same as it was over a week ago. Has my fermentation ceased? I used an expired saflager package when it pitched it about 3-4 weeks ago and it's been kept in the 45-55degree range. It did get cold about 2 weeks ago, getting down to 40 or so but recently it's been around 55 and today it's even up to 59deg.

Hydrometers never lie right? Is it possible that the heaps of suspended particles in my sample are giving me a false reading here? FWIW the sample tastes like beer.... Should I pitch some more (non-expired) saflager?

Here is the recipe I used:

Schwarzbier

6 lbs. LME
1 lb. Caramunich (40°L)
1 lb. Carapils or Dextrin-Type Malt
4 oz. Roasted barley
1¾ oz. Hallertau hops 3.5% alpha-acid (5¼ AAU)
1 oz. Hallertau hops 3.5% alpha-acid (3½AAU)
2 pt. Starter of Bavarian Lager Yeast (1 pkg. Wyeast 2206 or White Labs WLP-830)
⅔ cup Corn sugar for priming

OG: 1.052
FG: 1.008
SRM: 30
IBU: 26

BrewOnBoard

 

[david_42]

A TFG of 1.008 is unrealistic with a pound of dextrin malt. Did you mash the Munich and dextrin?

 

[BrewOnBoard]

A TFG of 1.008 is unrealistic with a pound of dextrin malt. Did you mash the Munich and dextrin?

Mash? Well, no not exactly. Here's what I was told to do:

Start with 5 gallons of water in boil kettle. Steep crushed grains at 150°F for 30 minutes. Remove bag and rinse with enough 168°F water to make 5½ gallons. Add extract. Total boil time is 60 minutes. At beginning of boil add Hallertau hops and continue for 45 minutes. Add second Hallertau and boil for remaining 15 minutes. Whirlpool and cool to 45°F to pitch starter. Ferment and condition as above.

What I actually did (because I never do what I'm told) was heat a little over a gallon of water to 168 and pour that over the grains after they'd been removed from the wort. I let them steep in that for a few minutes dipping the muslin grain bags "tea bag style" in the 168deg water. I repeated the process once and called it good.

Do you think I freed up some fermentable sugars in the process that would raise my FG? I guess if it affected the FG they'd be non-fermentables wouldn't they??...

BrewOnBoard

 

[Yooper]

If the SG is 1.012, that's a pretty good FG for that beer. It's done.

 

[BrewOnBoard]

If the SG is 1.012, that's a pretty good FG for that beer. It's done.

Cool. I thought it tasted like beer. So for my education, how did you deduce that it was done and how can I tell in the future if I've hit my FG mark? Do the 2 readings 1 week apart in the ballpark of my expected FG equal a fermented beer?

Thanks!

BoB

 

[Yooper]

Cool. I thought it tasted like beer. So for my education, how did you deduce that it was done and how can I tell in the future if I've hit my FG mark? Do the 2 readings 1 week apart in the ballpark of my expected FG equal a fermented beer?

Thanks!

BoB

Yes, two readings a week apart mean it's not fermenting any more. Anything under 1.019 or so, if stable, would be "done". But, looking at your recipe, you have two pounds of crystal, so I wouldn't expect it to go any lower than 1.012-1.016 anyway.

When you try to decide what a reasonable FG would be, you consider the yeast you use and how attenuative it is, and the recipe you're using. Recipes with unfermentables, like crystal malt and lactose, will have a higher FG than recipes with more fermentable ingredients.

 

[david_42]

Steep crushed grains at 150°F for 30 minutes.

= mini-mash

 

[mosquitocontrol]

Its done. I've never had any of my batches (over 50 all extract) go below 1.012. Thats the magic #

 

[brewagentjay]

Sounds done to me...... 1.012 is good spot.

 

[osagedr]

Done like dinner. Do your d-rest, get it off the trub, and start lagering.

Loves the schwarzbier!

 

[Homercidal]

Don't listen to these guys. Your beer is spoiled. Ship it to me for proper disposal! I like kegs, but bottles is ok too.