fg too low?

[pegcitybrewer]

So I'm sure this is nothing but I thought I'd anyways. I brewed a cream ale just over a week ago with an og of 1.060. I'm fermenting with us-05 .Took a reading last night to see where it's at and it's at 1.015. It looks like it's still clearly fermenting, and still have bubbles in my blow off every 14-15 seconds.

My concern is that brewers friend recipe calculator calculated the fg to be 1.017. How accurate are these calculators? What could be the cause of the difference? Could it be from my flaked corn fermenting fully and the calculator not considering that?

This is my first time using the calculator so I just don't know what to expect

 

[shanecb]

I never found FG calculations to be terribly accurate. So no worries.. it'll finish at whatever it finishes at.

 

[CADETS3]

Make sure you are adjusting for temperature readings... Most hydrometers are calibrated at 65 F. That could easily be your difference.

 

[aking]

That is actually good news for a cream ale as you really want a dry beer with an FG around 1.010. If it's been about a week and is still bubbling you may have a point or two left in fermentation. I'd let it sit another week.

 

[philipCT]

The predictions on Brewer's Friend, BeerSmith and other places are based on the yeast manufacturer's published attenuation figures. Yeast producers publish an estimated attenuation percentage that we homebrewers refer to as "apparent attenuation". Based on my own experience, I guess these are somewhat "average" figures and subject to variability depending on your process.

I wouldn't worry. The difference in ABV at the end of the day will be very small.

I make big starters and routinely achieve FGs that are substantially lower than predicted. I attribute this to making a good size starter and controlling fermentation temperature, and maybe to having a really healthy wort (low tanins, good pH and all that). Yes, it's a little bit of a bother because it can throw you off your recipe a bit but like I said, usually only 2-4 tenths of a percent of ABV.

Enjoy the beer!

 

[beergolf]

Like the others mentioned. The estimated FG is just that..... an estimation. It is not written in stone. Theye really get off when using saison or Belgian yeasts.

I routinely come in a few points lower than most predicted FG's.

Eventually you will learn to just adjust your recipes for the attenuation you are getting. You can change the predicted attenution in your brew software.

 

[RM-MN]

Someone said that brewers make wort, yeast makes beer. Once you pitch the yeast you are no longer in control and the yeast do what they want with the wort within certain limitations. Finishing higher or lower than predicted is normal.

 

[pegcitybrewer]

Alright cool. I've been brewing for a little over a year now but this is the first time I've brewed with a specific expected fg. Usually I just let my beer do it's thing and if it's under 1.02 when it stops I call it good to go. Thanks for the reassurance.