Didn’t reach final gravity now what?

[Chile Con Carne]

Hi. I have a few all extract and mini mash brews under my belt. I did my first all grain brew 10 days ago. I did a blonde ale. I used 8 lbs of German pale 2 row(LHBS didn’t have American) 1 lb of caramel/crystal 10L. Brewed BIAB method. Mashed at 153-156 degrees for 60 minutes. Squeezed bag for every drop. Mash out 10 minutes at 170 degrees mash efficiency 78 percent if I calculated correctly. Boiled 75 minutes because overestimated on water levels. 5.5 gallons into fermenter. Used rehydrated dry yeast us-05. Fermentation didn’t start til 30 hours after I pitched yeast. Very aggressive airlock activity for 4 days. Then stopped around day 5. Checked gravity day 6 gravity reading was 1.018Checked again day 8 gravity still at 1.018 Today day 10 still 1.018. Starting gravity was 1.048. Target gravity numbers were 1.045 sg and 1.011 fg. Can’t figure what to do next. Pitch more yeast or just keg and scrap brew as a failed brew or just keg and drink as is?

 

[mongoose33]

I'm not so sure that's a failed brew--you mashed pretty high, and already had 11 percent crystal.

At what temp did you ferment it?

 

[r4dyce]

What temp is it fermenting at?
The usual suggestion is to try to warm it up a bit, and/or you could gently swirl the bucket to try and kickstart it back up.
Did you calibrate the hydrometer for your water? I only ask because I just caught myself making this mistake...i.e. if your regular water is 1.003 then your 1.018 is really 1.015. Still not at your goal but closer.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

I did 64 degrees

 

[Chile Con Carne]

I did check hydrometer it was right on

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Drank a a sample tasted watery unlike extract or mini mash kit brews before carbining

 

[kh54s10]

I think it is done. You did use a fair amount of crystal and also mashed quite high. For a blonde I would have mashed at 148-150.

If you are controlling the fermentation temperature low you could swirl the fermenter to rouse the yeast and let it warm up to near 70f. It may continue fermenting.

Never dump a beer before tasting it. I suspect this one might be a tad on the sweet side but not overwhelmingly so.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Ok thanks. Curious what do you mean about amounts of crystal I used. Is that too much ? Newbie here don’t know all chemistry of brewing?

 

[mongoose33]

Ok thanks. Curious what do you mean about amounts of crystal I used. Is that too much ? Newbie here don’t know all chemistry of brewing?

Much of the sugar in crystal/caramel malts is carmelized, which makes it unfermentable and thus adds to final gravity as it cannot be converted to alcohol.

http://beersmith.com/blog/2014/06/26/caramel-and-crystal-malt-in-beer-brewing/

That's not an argument for not using crystal, it's that you didn't have a particularly high grain bill of non-crystal malt to begin with.

You also mashed at a fairly high temp, which produces more unfermentable sugars:

http://beersmith.com/blog/2012/12/20/mash-temperature-and-beer-body-in-all-grain-brewing/

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Wow. Good information. I guess I’ll carb and drink my sweet desert blonde ale. Now I know. Thank you for helping fellow brewers. Cheers

 

[PADave]

I'm not so sure that's a failed brew--you mashed pretty high, and already had 11 percent crystal.

At what temp did you ferment it?

^^This. Also, no need to mash out with BIAB. Pulling the bag is your mash out.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Ok will do

 

[RM-MN]

Wow. Good information. I guess I’ll carb and drink my sweet desert blonde ale. Now I know. Thank you for helping fellow brewers. Cheers

By the time your blonde ale is carbonated and conditioned you may not find it sweet. Much of the unfermentable sugar does not have a sweet taste. If you bottle it and can't stand to drink it, you can probably find one of us regulars that will take the beer off your hands and dispose of it for you.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Damnit probably won’t happen but appreciate the offer. [emoji23]

 

[TasunkaWitko]

In the worst case scenario, you are going to end up with....beer.

Don't micro-manage too much, and don't sweat the small stuff; just find out why and remember for next time.

 

[r4dyce]

Funny I should have mentioned before I had the same issue a couple months ago and coincidentally was also a blonde, with hibiscus. In my case I think the basement got too cold. I just ran out of time because I wanted to serve it at a family event. So I kegged it and it turned out great. It ended up at like 1.017 and I wanted it closer to 1.010-12. regardless I actually think it turned out better being lower ABV, it was much lighter , a great early spring beer. Every brew is a learning experience and sometimes the mistakes turn out in your favor.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Cool. Thinking back now it was fermenting at 64 degrees in fermenter cave that sits in m garage. We got a cold snap and now remember ferm temp went down to 60 degrees. Maybe that’s why fermentation also shut down. Brought into house and warmed up to 70 degrees then roused the yeast. It’s fermenting again but real slow. I’ll wait to day 14 to check gravity and see if it’s ready to cold crash.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Yea I get OCD syndrome with brewing beer. Need to chill