Final Gravity is consistently high

I have been brewing with my current system for about 6 months. My OG is coming in right on the money but I consistently have issues with my FG. I am brewing 10 gallon batches and I have been using Wyeast smack packs. I will activate the smack back about 4 hours before pitching the yeast. The pack expands and reaches 70 degrees as instructed on the smack pack. My FG always seems to get to 1.03 instead of the desired 1.01. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Is it that the yeast is dying off prematurely? When this happens how should I go about fixing the issue? Pitch more yeast? Advice on what to do and how to prevent this from happening in the future is greatly appreciated.

 

So, we need more details to know where you're having an issue. Are you only pitching one smack pack in a ten gallon batch? If so, that's a problem. Are you using a refractometer to check OG and FG? If so, that's a problem too. Do your beers taste overly sweet? What is a sample recipe and process (mash time and temp) that you've used and had this high FG result?

 

Next time you are ready to brew a batch of a 1.040-1.050 beer, try smacking and pitching two packs.

If you still get the same results, its probably temp control or some other (crazy) recipe issue.

Edit: If you get better results and you get close to or hit the desired final gravity numbers, then you know that pitch rate was your issue.

If you are pitching only a single pack in 10 gallons, you are underpitching, more than likely you are 'vastly' underpitching. 1 smack pack of relatively fresh yeast is *ok* in 5 gallons of 1.040-1.050 OG beer. 1 pack in 10 gallons of 1.040 is less than half of bare minimum pitch rate. Since you are being fairly specific about your yeast pitching I'm guessing you are not creating starters or pitching multiple packs.

**Ok as in, you can get away with it but its not ideal, and that is *only* if the yeast is very very fresh.

 

Fresh yeast (make sure at room temp when smacking or adding to starter)
Smack pack 36hrs before brew, make starter 24hrs before, oxygenate starter is best, make sure the temp of starter and wort are close and that wort is a little higher (ie 70f starter, 72f wort) when pitching
Oxygenate wort prior adding starter
Temp control is best but keeping it at least in the proper range for yeast strain is desired
I do most my fermenting at 65f in temp control fridge; keeps temp on target and keeps it dark

 

and use one pack per 5 gallons

 

The yeast may not be the issue here, sounds like you could be mashing too high or letting your fermentation stall from getting too cold.

For 10 gal of beer 1.050 or lower, your should at least be pitching 2 packs, preferably 3. Or you could just make a starter with 1 pack.

Are you all grain or extract?
What's your mash temp?
What temp do you ferment at?

 

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. I got really busy with mothers day stuff. So I have been pitching 2 smack packs for my 10 gallon batches. I am using a refractometer for my OG and my FG. That is a problem? I haven't heard that before. Can you provide me with more information on that? My fermentation temp has been around 72 degrees which should be in range for the yeast I am using. I will try pitching with three smack packs from now on. That is something I have not been doing. Also I have been activating the smack back only about 4 to 6 hours prior to brewing. I should activate it 36 hours prior? And leave it at room temp I am assuming?

 

Other than the 2 points, how does the beer taste? I used to stress about the math, because I was struggling for control of the process. Control was in my head. Now that I am in control I rarely even take readings.

 

My understanding is that once fermentation begins, alcohol will distort the calibration of a refractometer. I use a hydrometer for all measurements after pitching the yeast.

 

+1 to Ducati, once fermentation starts the you shouldn't use a refractometer, there are online calculators that can help with the conversion but it's best to use a hydrometer for final gravity.

 

Refractometers estimate residual sugars using refraction. Alcohol will cause the refraction to be off. If you wish to use a refractometer to measure FG, you will have to enter the Brix value into a conversion formula. I have one in a phone app that I use for OG that also has a setting for FG.

I don't measure FG with a refractometer. I just grab a sample with a thief and call it good. The wort is at room temp and the hydrometer is more trustworthy to me than the refractometer. It takes just about as much time to calibrate the refractometer and use it and clean it up as it doesn't to pull sample drop in the hydrometer and clean it all.

YMMV.

 

Ok thanks so much for the tip on the hydrometer. I had never heard that before. I will do that in the future. The taste has been fine. It hasn't been overly sweet so I am guessing it was the refractometer that was throwing my readings off.