I just brewed a brown ale kit from my LHBS. It was in the primary for 3 weeks before i moved it to the secondary. When I racked it, I took a gravity reading and it was 1.022. I usually see a point or two after 2 weeks in the secondary, but the fg was still at 1.022, a bit high at time of kegging. My question is: Is there anything I could have done to push the yeast to get down to the expected gravity? I have made the kit before with good results, and the beer is not bad, just too sweet! I really only enjoy 2-3 glasses versus a night of enjoyment! I am still new to home brewing but have a dozen of kits for some experience, and my notes and memory tell me my basic brew day procedure was as normal. I may have had a bit higher ferment temp since it was an extremely hot couple of weeks and my ac is set to 70, that is what I attributed the fg too, but thought I would throw it out to them collective knowledge base of this forum!
FG is 6-8 points high
- Thread starter Foghorn
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High fermentation temperatures would not cause the beer to finish higher. However, if you did not pitch an adequate yeast starter or aerate the wort prior to pitching, there is a good chance your yeast could poop out early.
Are you using liquid or dry yeast? If dry yeast, did you rehydrate prior to pitching?
Are you using liquid or dry yeast? If dry yeast, did you rehydrate prior to pitching?
This was the first time I rehydrated my dry yeast. I boiled a cup of water with a 1/4 cup of DME, let it cool and added the yeast packet about 20 minutes prior to pitching. I have read so much on rehydrating that I thought I would try it. Even though the instructions say just sprinkle on top; which has worked well in the past!
That is not a good way to introduce yeast to wort. That is a very high gravity brew you added the yeast to. It is not rehydrating and will have subjected the yeast cell membranes to osmotic shock.
Here is a better simple way recommended by the manufacturers of one of the most widely used dry yeast.
Is that the cause of your issue? Possibly, it's impossible to say. It does stand out as what I would consider to be less than optimal yeast handling.
I'll will have to mark that for my next batch. I bake and I often add 2 table spoons sugar to my bread yeasts to get them going , I wonder if beer yeast is more fragile? Thanks for the input, will rehydrate only with boiled water next time!
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