What's my next step?

[curtw]

I decided to brew (BIAB) a series of IPAs, with only small changes from batch to batch, to try to increase my brew technique and understanding (see this thread). My first batch has has been in primary for 12 days, and the gravity seems a bit high to me at 1.016 (still hoping it attenuates a bit more, I'll probably ferment for 4 weeks total).

I mashed at 152F for 60 min. I was thinking that my next batch would use a longer mash time to see if it helped with attenuation. But I've been reading about water quality, and having only used tap water up to now (city water report: hard water, avg pH = 7.2), I'm wondering if a better next step would be to apply the advice in Ajdelange's primer.

Advice? Mash time vs water quality -- which is more important?

Thanks!

 

[motorneuron]

Well, looking back at your original recipe, your predicted FG was 1.015, so 1.016 isn't too far off. And that's about right--75% attenuation isn't abnormal for WLP001. You can influence that in a few ways, of course: decrease crystal, cooler mash temperature, two-step mash, using sucrose as part of the grain bill, raising temperature at the end of fermentation, pitching more yeast... there's a lot of variables. I wouldn't immediately jump to the mash duration or water pH as the most important variables; I think of those as more "advanced." Assuming no great screwups, the greatest single predictor of FG is OG, and 75% is about normal.

I realize that's non-advice, but I'd look at all of those things I mentioned. For your next recipe, I'd recommend dropping the main mash temperature a bit and/or using a two-step mash (e.g. 60 mins at 144, 30 mins at 156). You can also use a little sucrose. How was your yeast health and pitch rate on this recipe?

Last thing--ideally, you wouldn't leave an IPA to ferment for 4 weeks. The fresher the better. Are you going to keg or bottle?

 

[curtw]

Thanks for the reply.

I suppose you're right about the FG; brewersfriend shows a predicted FG of 1.016 as well. I've thought about sucrose/honey to get a drier beer, but I figured that this was more 'advanced' than the mash schedule.

My thought about water quality is that my hard water would seem to be especially problematic for an IPA (as opposed to a porter, say); and so I might want to address this earlier rather than later.

FTR, yeast pitch rate was fine; per the brewersfriend calculator, target was 153B cells, actual was 170B cells (1.5L starter).

As for ferment time: ever since I had bottle bombs with a 3-week ferment, I've been extra cautious and usually go for 4 weeks. I'll be dry hopping the last week with more Amarillo. And this will go to bottle; I don't have a keg setup.

Thanks!

 

[acidrain]

If you want drier beer, go with a 144F mash as motorneuron has suggested. Not convinced that after a 60 minute mash there will be anything left to convert at 156F, so I would skip the second stage.