Consistently missing ABV target...help!!

[vettehead99]

Maybe the Fermentation and yeast section is better for this, but I need some help and figure it would be good to get the advice of the community.

My last 4 or 5 batches have started off great with clear activity of fermentation, but by the time I'm ready to keg (I usually leave it for 25-30 days, I only do primary) I measure my FG and I'm usually off by at least 10 points. (i.e. if my FG target is 1.010, I'm at 1.020 or higher). I can't seem to get my ABV higher than 4%.

Some notes:
- Right now I only do extract brewing, I don't have the setup for all grain
- I have a fermentation chamber and I use fermentrack to control temperatures

I do the following with the following yeast types.

Dry Yeast:
- tried just straight pitching packet onto cooled wort
- rehydrating prior to pitching

Liquid Yeast
- making starters (I try to ensure there's a krausen to get a sense that it's good to go)

My fermentation seems to either get stuck or stall out, even with temperature controlled fermentation. I'm thinking it could be:

- poor quality extract?
- incorrect pitching rate?
- other stuff I haven't considered?

I'm at a big of a loss right now, I'd really like to get my beer with an ABV of at least 5% and I'm struggling to get even over 4%. Maybe there's something really clear that I'm missing, but when people are telling me it's hard to screw up extract brewing, I'm at a loss right now as to why I can't hit my targets.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[grampamark]

More info would help. What’s your typical recipe? You said you’re doing extracts. Kits, or are you buying ingredients and putting recipes together? You’re measuring FG, what’s your OG?

It may be as simple as not having enough fermentables in the recipe and 4% is all you’re going to get.

 

[balrog]

Extract anecdotally has a tendency to stall at 1020 due to sugar profile, which you cannot control, nor do anything about. Pitching lots of healthy yeast and holding temps are the best things you can do at this point. Pitch more yeast perhaps, use a calc like here.

 

[doug293cz]

How are you measuring FG? Hydrometer or refractometer?

Brew on

 

[ncbrewer]

If you're measuring with a hydrometer, have you checked calibration on water?

 

[vettehead99]

To answer a few questions:


- I typically do ale extracts from kits, I don't piece ingredients together. For example, I tried to do a red ale where I measured my OG at 1.046, measured my FG at 1.020.
- my latest was a German pilsner, though I used US-05 ale yeast (rehydrated pack): I added corn sugar to the fermentables to get my OG up to 1.052, then again my FG stalled at 1.024

I use a refractometer to check OG and FG, I tyically try to check at room temperature.

I find that interesting about extract, would that mean I should be looking at beefing up fermentables a bit to get a higher OG?

 

[dwhite60]

Check your final with a hydrometer. Once you have alcohol the refractometer is meaningless unless you're using software to correct the reading.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[grampamark]

Spend the 8-10 bucks on a hydrometer. An additional measurement can’t hurt and, as noted, the refractometer reading after fermentation is inaccurate unless corrected.

I’ve not heard that extract typically stalls out around .020. I haven’t done any extract brewing since 6-7 years ago, but I did go back through my brewing notes and found half a dozen extract brews from 2012. Most were 1.050-ish beers and all finished at .010-.012 except for a Baltic Porter, which finished at .020, but had an OG of .073.

 

[vettehead99]

Thanks for the tip! I didn't know the refractometer readings were inaccurate after fermentation, I'll look into adding a hydrometer to my forever increase brew supplies.

 

[dwhite60]

https://www.brewersfriend.com/refractometer-calculator/

According to this your final gravity is about 1.003 assuming you started at 1.050.

I urge you to plug in your own numbers. It works on Brix, not gravity. There are online converters.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks for the tip! I didn't know the refractometer readings were inaccurate after fermentation, I'll look into adding a hydrometer to my forever increase brew supplies.

Buy 2 hydrometers. If you only have one it will get lonely and depressed and suicide at the worst possible time.

Hydrometers are fragile and easy to break making the above only partly tongue in cheek.

 

[balrog]

Thanks for the tip! I didn't know the refractometer readings were inaccurate after fermentation, I'll look into adding a hydrometer to my forever increase brew supplies.

And @doug293cz nails it again. I never think to ask that question.

Also, +1 to @RM-MN 's suggestion, go ahead and get the replacement hydrometer now. You will need it. You willllll.

 

[kh54s10]

Another thing to note is that FG predictions are only that - predictions. They are based on calculations from the recipe and the expected attenuation of the yeast. Changes in malts, even the same one from year to year will change the final outcome. Yeast will attenuate differently in different beers and with different conditions.

The FG predictions should be close but in my experience I rarely hit the number exactly.

 

[ncbrewer]

Since you have a refractometer for OG samples, I suggest getting a low range bottling hydrometer for FG readings if you bottle. I use a 1.040 range bottling hydrometer. It has hash marks every 0.0005 units (1/2 gravity point), and I can easily read it to half of that (1/4 gravity point). It makes it much more reliable when checking for stable gravity before bottling.

 

[bracconiere]

And @doug293cz nails it again. I never think to ask that question.

and here that's the only reason i clicked this thread...i was hoping to be the first! and i've never even owned a refractometer!

(it was either that, or i'd just say add gluco...)

 

[bracconiere]

Buy 2 hydrometers. If you only have one it will get lonely and depressed and suicide at the worst possible time.

true, might want to search for 'plain form' too....otherwise the Specific Gravity scale will never be facing you....

 

[Alex4mula]

Since you have a refractometer for OG samples, I suggest getting a low range bottling hydrometer for FG readings if you bottle. I use a 1.040 range bottling hydrometer. It has hash marks every 0.0005 units (1/2 gravity point), and I can easily read it to half of that (1/4 gravity point). It makes it much more reliable when checking for stable gravity before bottling.

Where you got that one? Tks

 

[ncbrewer]

Where you got that one? Tks

Williams Brewing. It was several years ago, but it might be this one: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Brewers-Edge-Bottling-Hydrometer-P529.aspx

 

[balrog]

Williams Brewing. It was several years ago, but it might be this one: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Brewers-Edge-Bottling-Hydrometer-P529.aspx

That's the one I have. I also have their 1-1.100 marked in .001 "precision" hydrometer for OG. I like them both. My eyes like me. The darned things still *ALWAYS* rotate the numbers away from me. Always. The universe likes messing with me.

 

[Alex4mula]

... The darned things still *ALWAYS* rotate the numbers away from me. Always. The universe likes messing with me.

Ja! I thought that only happened to me. After all the measurements in 28 brews not once the gravity #s ended up showing towards me.