FG Always Hits 1.000

[FinchSCF]

For the last few batches, I've had only 1 of 6 batches NOT ferment down to 1.000. Obviously, this screams infection to me, there isn't any other explanation I can think of. This is with replacing fermenters, thieves, racking canes - aka all the plastic. Cleaned out my ferm chamber with bleach 3 times and everything. Multiple hydrometers, calibrated and everything.

Here's the odd part - I don't see taste degredation from it. Weeks out from being kegged, the beer is still solid. I've got an IPA that is dropping off on hop aroma, but at a normal rate, nothing is getting sour.

Anyone else experienced this or know what is up? Again, it seems obvious that there would be an infection, but the beer stays tasting great.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Is your hydrometer accurate? Reads 1.00000 in water at the appropriate reference temperature?

Edit: Oops, you answered the question already...

Details on the batches in question? Recipes? Gravities? Yeast strains? Temperatures?

 

[Takuie]

I don't think I've ever had a beer finish at 1.000. Didn't think it would even be possible unless you knew exactly when your yeast would die off due to alchohol toxicity and built your entire recipe around that number.

Don't sweat it, beer finishes when it finishes. Base your FG around what your OG started at.

 

[FinchSCF]

Is your hydrometer accurate? Reads 1.00000 in water at the appropriate reference temperature?

Edit: Oops, you answered the question already...

Details on the batches in question? Recipes? Gravities? Yeast strains? Temperatures?

Multiple batches. The one that finished out at 1.008 with US-05 was an IPA. I used dry yeast on another batch thinking it was maybe coming from the stir plate, but the next batch I did US-05 with hit 1.000 as well, so its happened with liquid and dry yeast. This has happened to porters, IPAs, kolschs... All with different mash temps, using a thermometer calibrated against another thermometer.

 

[beergolf]

Is your hydrometer accurate? Reads 1.00000 in water at the appropriate reference temperature?

That would be my question also. It is pretty difficult to get a beer down to 1.000. I do a lot of Saisons and brett beers and even those rarely get all the way down to 1.000.

Double check your hydrometer for accuracy.

 

[Qhrumphf]

How are you aerating? Are you using a sintered stone with a pump or O2 set up, perhaps? If so, how are you cleaning it?

 

[FinchSCF]

Both hydrometers have been checked for accuracy, so they are measuring correctly from what I can tell. I am aerating with an aquarium pump with an aeration stone. Not only did I try a batch without the pump to see if it was the issue, I also bleached the tubing and stone. Both batches still hit 1.000.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Hopefully stupid question: the hydrometer is floating freely, and you're not measuring a carbonated sample at a weird temperature, right? I mean, not a sample carbed to 2.5 volumes at fridge temp or something else like that.

Try boiling the stone. Bleach/cleaner/sanitizer may not make it all the way into the pores of the stone where bad guys hide, but heat will. I boil my stone for about 10-15 minutes before use.

I'm still fairly sure this is a measurement error. Describe your exact process for taking measurements. Provide pictures if you can.

And then give us all the details on one of those batches that reached 1.000. Full recipe, yeast strain, fermentation temp, original gravity, mash temp, and everything else about your process.

 

[FinchSCF]

I'll post recipes and such when I'm around a laptop, but a couple of these were recipes from sources like books and some of the clone bills posted here, mash temps appropriate to the recipes.

I'm measuring with a hydrometer in a thief, making sure that the hydrometer isn't getting stuck to the walls of the thief. Not testing carbed samples and temps are normal (~68f).

 

[beergolf]

I agree with Qhrumphf on this one. It sure seems like a measurement error some way.

To get down to 1.000 with several beers and have them taste normal does not make sense. I can think of only a couple of yeasts that are capable of getting a brew down that low. 3711 and Belle Saison will do it, but they still require a low mash temp and high temps to do it.

An infection usually will take time to get it that low and you would taste it. So I am not thinking it was an infection.

 

[schematix]

My beers used to finish really low until my brew buddy took his hydrometer back to his house and we started using mine. Instantly gained 5 points of FG.

Are you boiling your aeration stone? It's a perfect conduit for infection.

 

[FinchSCF]

So I'll give in a bit here...

I recently bought Big Mouth Bubblers, so I can now do grav reads without a thief. Just tried this, and it looks more like the grav on my latest batch is more like 1.002-1.003 than 1.000. This still doesn't explain why I'm getting such low FGs on my fermentations. Recipe for this batch:

6lbs light LME
Steeping: 1lb c-20 and 1lb c-60
us05 (1 sachet)
OG of 1.043

Usually do BIAB, but had an extract kit laying around for this session IPA. Given the recipe, and that I didn't make additions to force the yeast to work overtime, there's no good reason this should be this low anyways. This was brewed on 5/20. So, even if I'be possibly not gotten accurate measurements, I'm still getting really low FGs on almost every beer.

 

[Gavin C]

Looks like 1.006 to 1.007 to me. Hard to tell with the bubbles present. Easier to use a measuring cylinder as you can measure at the right temp for your hydrometer (60 or 68F usually)and view the hydrometer at the correct angle, read the meniscus' bottom correctly.

Its easier to get rid of bubbles and any other obstructions that way too.

 

[FinchSCF]

It hits at just below the two small lines directly below the bold line the blue measurement field if that helps. That's what I saw by eye anyways.

 

[day_trippr]

I concur with the ~1.006 reading. I can see two hash lines and you KNOW there's another in that foam.

Hitting a solid "1" on multiple batches would be an uncanny accomplishment unless the recipes were designed for it...

Cheers!

 

[Gavin C]

each line is 0.002 graduation

You gotta read at the bottom of the meniscus.

As you describe it and as the picture seems to show that would be 1.006

What temperature is the wort at?

What is the calibration temp of the hydrometer?

That needs to factored in too. Unlikely to be a major difference but can be significant.

 

[Gavin C]

Some easy to read examples

0.999

1.010

 

[FinchSCF]

I know this'll sound like a jerk comment, so I apologize, but I know how to read a hydrometer. Each line being a .0002 increase, in 68f beer, being just shy of the second small line from the blue section, this is still pretty low given the recipe, so even if I'm a total dingus (which is a given ), I'm anywhere from 1.004 to 1.006. Getting that recipe that low without extra effort in doing so and having other beers come out so dry is perplexing me.

Sorry if I'm coming off cross, totally not meaning to. Just trying to give accurate info to solicit your guyses much appreciated help.

 

[day_trippr]

Ok, so while we're all saying 1.006...

How about giving up some more info - like walk through a prototypical brew with the recipe, mash temp/time, yeast type and amount pitched.

There can be relatively benign reasons why multiple brews end up thin.
For example, a mash thermometer reading high by a few degrees.
Or significantly over-pitching a well-attenuating yeast.
Or a recipe that uses a high percentage of simple sugars...

Cheers!

 

[Gavin C]

I know this'll sound like a jerk comment, so I apologize, but I know how to read a hydrometer. Each line being a .0002 increase, in 68f beer, being just shy of the second small line from the blue section, this is still pretty low given the recipe.

Sorry if I'm coming off cross, totally not meaning to. Just trying to give accurate info to solicit your guyses much appreciated help.

Not at all, don't worry about it. It's just that your description of your reading and the picture of your method you posted would seem to suggest otherwise. Are you sure your hydrometer is calibrated to 68F. The models with the colored scales in many kits are 60F. It will be written on it but I'm sure you've already verified that.

Sorry for the redundant info on my end.

 

[FinchSCF]

Ok, so while we're all saying 1.006...

How about giving up some more info - like walk through a prototypical brew with the recipe, mash temp/time, yeast type and amount pitched.

There can be relatively benign reasons why multiple brews end up thin.
For example, a mash thermometer reading high by a few degrees.
Or significantly over-pitching a well-attenuating yeast.
Or a recipe that uses a high percentage of simple sugars...

Cheers!

6lb LME
steeped 1lb each of c20 and c60
1 pack of us05
No added sugars to drive down FG
Thermometer was calibrated

 

[schematix]

Any bubbles on the hydro will throw off the reading. clean it off and give it a nice spin and let it settle. if there are still bubbles, try again! i was measuring my latest euro style pils last last week and the hydro said 1.030 at first reading. I was like oh f&&uck this is a mess. Cleaned the hydro off, spun it .1.013. Bingo. Nailed it to within a point.

I always found my extract batches finished low. Try to steep more grains maybe?

 

[FinchSCF]

Not at all, don't worry about it. It's just that your description of your reading and the picture of your method you posted would seem to suggest otherwise. Are you sure your hydrometer is calibrated to 68F. The models with the colored scales in many kits are 60F. It will be written on it but I'm sure you've already verified that.

Sorry for the redundant info on my end.

No worries, again I really appreciate the help.

So your right, with this I didn't add a degree to account for the calibration, so it does read about 1.005-1.006. Though I'm still bothered by how low the FG got - I'd expect the FG to be around 10.01-10.012 given the recipe.

And FWIW, I'll be brewing again this Tuesday, so I'll try and measure without a thief again to see if that's a possible issue.

 

[day_trippr]

6lb LME
steeped 1lb each of c20 and c60
1 pack of us05
No added sugars to drive down FG
Thermometer was calibrated

Ok, so I get an estimated FG of 1.013 out of that assuming 5 gallons to the fermenter, so even the 1.006 is a bit out of scope.

I'm beginning to suspect your region is light on gravity...

Cheers!

 

[Yooper]

It hits at just below the two small lines directly below the bold line the blue measurement field if that helps. That's what I saw by eye anyways.

It's hard to tell, as it's best to read it in a test jar ('knock' the bubbles off of it by degassing the sample and spinning the hydrometer) and at eye level. It does look like 1.006 from looking down at it, but it could be 1.008 at eye level at the bottom of the meniscus.

Normally, my FGs for regular IPAs/APAs/etc will finish at 1.008-1.012, depending on mash temperature and ingredients.

I'd double check the calibration temperature of your hydrometer (mine is 60 degrees), and check a sample properly degassed at eye level and see what you have.