Can’t hit my final gravity

[Joeymacca]

I’m going to brew an IPA in the next couple days using Brew in a Bag method. I’ll do my best to incorporate the changes suggested by everyone here and report back once I have a FG. If anyone has any comments on the recipe I’ll post it here. 5 Gallon batch. Should be around 1.071 OG and 1.016 FG according to BeerSmith. With such a high original gravity should I maybe pitch 2 packs of liquid yeast? I’ve never done that before but have read that it may be necessary for high gravity beers. I’m planning to use Imperial Flagship yeast.

10 lb 9.3 oz​	Pale Malt (2 Row) US Mash (75.7%) - 2.0 SRM​	Grain​	1​	75.7%​	0.83 gal​
1 lb 11.2 oz​	Munich Malt Mash (12.2%) - 9.0 SRM​	Grain​	2​	12.2%​	0.13 gal​
1 lb 3.7 oz​	Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L Mash (8.8%) - 30.0 SRM​	Grain​	3​	8.8%​	0.10 gal​
7.6 oz​	Caramunich Malt Mash (3.4%) - 56.0 SRM​	Grain​	4​	3.4%​	0.04 gal​
0.85 oz​	Columbus (Tomahawk) Boil 60 min (49.2 IBUs)​	Hop​	5​	49.2 IBUs​	-​
0.85 oz​	Centennial Boil 30 min (21.6 IBUs)​	Hop​	6​	21.6 IBUs​	-​
0.85 oz​	Amarillo Boil 10 min (9.4 IBUs)​	Hop​	7​	9.4 IBUs​	-​
0.85 oz​	Centennial Boil 10 min (10.2 IBUs)​	Hop​	8​	10.2 IBUs​	-​
2.56 oz​	Cascade Boil 5 min (9.2 IBUs)​	Hop​	9​	9.2 IBUs​	-​
1.28 oz​	Centennial Whirlpool 15 min at 194.4 F (10.4 IBUs)​	Hop​	10​	10.4 IBUs​	-​
1.28 oz​	Cascade Whirlpool 15 min at 194.4 F (5.7 IBUs)​	Hop​	11​	5.7 IBUs​	-​
0.85 oz​	Cascade Whirlpool 15 min at 194.4 F (3.8 IBUs)​	Hop​	12​	3.8 IBUs​	-​
0.8 pkgs​	American Ale Wyeast Labs #1056​	Ale yeast​	13​	-​	-​
0.83 oz​	Amarillo 5 Days Before Bottling for 5 Days (0.0 IBUs)​	Hop​	14​	0.0 IBUs​	-​

 

[Brewsmith]

Can I ask why so much crystal malt? Between the crystal and caramunich, you are at about 12% crystal malt. For an IPA that big, I’d cut that in half. Your whole post has been about high FG readings. I don’t see this one finishing much lower.

 

[Joeymacca]

Can I ask why so much crystal malt? Between the crystal and caramunich, you are at about 12% crystal malt. For an IPA that big, I’d cut that in half. Your whole post has been about high FG readings. I don’t see this one finishing much lower.

No particular reason for the 12% crystal. I didn’t design the recipe. It’s a clone of an IPA that is locally available where I live called Fat Tug by Driftwood Brewery in Victoria BC. If I were to cut the crystal in half would I then make up that loss by adding to the 2-row? got example, if I take out 1lb of crystal would I add 1lb of 2-row? Sorry if these questions sound amateur but that’s exactly what I am! Lol.

 

[bracconiere]

i am curious why the two difrent sized cascade additions at 15 min?

 

[bracconiere]

Can I ask why so much crystal malt?

i too was wondering but then got to think the 10°L (thanks @IslandLizard! ) munich isn't actually a mashed in the husk crystal but more like a roast barley type thing, thought the roastyness of it might go with the crystal a bit, but for 'my' taste i would cut back, but it gave me cause for doubt of it being too much crystal...


and it's not like it's everyone's favorite crystal 60°L


(is degrees litner or degrees lovibond too? )

 

[Brewsmith]

Where did the recipe come from? If the brewery is saying that’s what the recipe is, then that’s one thing, but if it’s just someone’s random clone I’d possible edit it.

 

[Brewsmith]

if I take out 1lb of crystal would I add 1lb of 2-row?

Basically, yes you can.

 

[Joeymacca]

i am curious why the two difrent sized cascade additions at 15 min?

Good catch! The second cascade addition should be a dry hop addition. I inputted it on wrong. Thanks for catching that

 

[bracconiere]

Good catch! The second cascade addition should be a dry hop addition. I inputted it on wrong. Thanks for catching that

i'm always glad when i'm useful!

 

[Joeymacca]

Where did the recipe come from? If the brewery is saying that’s what the recipe is, then that’s one thing, but if it’s just someone’s random clone I’d possible edit it.

The recipe is not from the brewery. It’s from my LHBS.

https://barleyshomebrewing.com/beer-recipes-from-barleys/all-grain-recipes/
It’s the recipe called Fast Tug. I’ll modify it to reduce the crystal malts.

 

[Brewsmith]

The recipe is not from the brewery. It’s from my LHBS.

https://barleyshomebrewing.com/beer-recipes-from-barleys/all-grain-recipes/
It’s the recipe called Fast Tug. I’ll modify it to reduce the crystal malts.

Looking at the recipe, the FG of 1.018 looks about right. Go ahead and brew it as it is written. I just didn’t want you to expect that it was going to finish at 1.012. That definitely looks like an old school IPA recipe from 20 years ago.

If I was doing this for me, I’d at least cut the C30 in half and back down the caramunich down a little. If the color isn’t dark enough, you could always add a ounce or two of carafa special or even chocolate malt.

 

[bracconiere]

Looking at the recipe, the FG of 1.018 looks about right. Go ahead and brew it as it is written. I just didn’t want you to expect that it was going to finish at 1.012. That definitely looks like an old school IPA recipe from 20 years ago.

If I was doing this for me, I’d at least cut the C30 in half and back down the caramunich down a little. If the color isn’t dark enough, you could always add a ounce or two of carafa special or even chocolate malt.

are tastes are in aggrement.....i'd skip the choclate, and go for roast barley though....or even home toast some of the pale 2-row, just grab a SS pan and toast till you want to jizz... and if any of your wives complain about that smell, tell them the preacher told you to love god above all others!

 

[Brewsmith]

are tastes are in aggrement.....i'd skip the choclate, and go for roast barley though....or even home toast some of the pale 2-row.

I ain’t mad at ya. All good and tasty ideas.

 

[bracconiere]

I ain’t mad at ya.

the first sign of trouble in a relationship!

 

[oakbarn]

I just connected several 10K NTC Probes to my BruControl (BruControl – Process Automation Made Personal)setup and have yet to calibrate them.

Notice that the Big Mac Temp upper Right is 66.1. All the probes are in the same environment so should read the same. Are all the others wrong and the Big Mac correct? You could assume the others are correct, but you may be wrong. If the delta is 3 degrees and you are supposed to be Mashing at 154 and actually at 157, that would make a difference. Because they are all uncalibrated, they could ALL be wrong (and are likely a little off.

For the Mash, I would calibrate the Mash Return and the MLT Out at 148,. 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, and 168. These I would want very accurate, I would also calibrate my Radiator at 155 as it is the hot water bath for the modified HERMS.

The MASH Return and MLT Out are calibrated at Mash Temps (Precisely) and Strike Temp (roughly). The Radiator is a Rough one just at 155.

BruControl (BruControl – Process Automation Made Personal)allows that type of correction.

 

[Bobby_M]

With such a high original gravity should I maybe pitch 2 packs of liquid yeast? I’ve never done that before but have read that it may be necessary for high gravity beers. I’m planning to use Imperial Flagship yeast.

​

No one picked up on this question yet so I'll chime in. This calculation is based on Imperial's advertised 200B cell count per pack advertisement. I took a guess that the packaging date would be December 6th, or one month old which is probably optimistic.

If the pack really is a month old, you can get away with 2 packs because 3 is a bit of an overpitch.

You can also use one pack and stir a 2 liter starter.

Getting a little more realistic, if the pack is 3 months old. Ouch.

That's where having yeast starter equipment becomes more practical. Even at that age, you can still use a single pack to make a starter instead of buying 6-7 packs.

The moral of this story is that if you're able to buy the yeast in person, you can at least look at the dates to see if you want to buy extra. If you mailorder your yeast, you almost HAVE to have a stir plate, flask and some DME on hand because you discover the package date on arrival.

 

[Geezer-Glide]

I mentioned stratification in an earlier post. So, yesterday while brewing I had a chance to check my mash from top to bottom of the malt pipe. I used a Fluke 54 II B and ran the (waterproof) thermocouple from top to bottom of the mash. I saw a Delta T of over 15 degrees (F) with my circulation pump OFF. With the pump operating it was much closer to set point In both locations.

Just wondering if the high Delta T was a function of the metal malt pipe insulating the mash from the bottom heating element or something else I’m not seeing. In my normal operating mode I recirculate the wort both through the malt pipe and directly into the kettle.

Any thoughts? I have a brewing bag around here somewhere. I might have to try that instead of the SS malt pipe.

 

[balrog]

(is degrees litner or degrees lovibond too? )

Lovibond is the color
Litner is the diastatic power to convert starch to sugars.

 

[bracconiere]

Lovibond is the color
Litner is the diastatic power to convert starch to sugars.

i know that.... lol


just not sure when to hit the alt-0176 shortcut, both, or just the litner?

 

[IslandLizard]

°

just not sure when to hit the alt-0176 shortcut, both, or just the litner?

Alt-0176 on both, they're degrees.

Litner is the diastatic power

It's actually °Lintner.
(2 n's)

 

[bracconiere]

Alt-0176 on both, they're degrees.

thanks to you now my text is going to look cool! just needed to clarify proper punctuation....

 

[balrog]

I used to have this amazing attention to detail. Then kids. Then retirement.

I think beer helps.

 

[Joeymacca]

Hi everyone. I wanted to come post an update. I brewed the IPA recipe that I posted on here and it successfully went below 1.020 FG! It’s my first beer to go below that in months. Some tweaks that I made, based on suggestions in the thread:
- mashed at 148-150F, instead of 154F
- my LHBS double-milled the grains
- pitched 2 packs of yeast instead of 1

My OG was 1.072 with a FG of 1.012. So it did finish lower that I would have liked (recipe called for 1.017) but I’m still calling this a success.

Thanks everyone for this very helpful discussion. The next beer I’m brewing is a fairly basic English Pale Ale with a lower OG so l’ll use the same approach and hopefully moving forward I’ll get consistent fermentation results.

Cheers!