Final gravity way too low

[DrDoubleD]

Hi everyone,

I started brewing all-grain about a month ago and got really hooked. I must say this forum was really helpful, mostly to tell me to sit back and relax... the beer will be fine. So far all my beers ended up way below target final gravity, I just bottled my third batch: a cream ale at 6.5% alcohol with a F.G. of 1.002.

I adjusted my mash and fermentation temperatures after my first two batches that ended up too low. For this batch, my mash was at 152F (a few degress above the recommended temperature) and the fermentation room is at a constant 63F. There is no sign of bacterial infection as so far, there is no off-taste. The beer itself tastes great (no strong alcohol flavour), but I am wondering what I am doing wrong. I am starting to think my thermometer or hydrometer are off.

Any advice or pointer would be much appreciated

Cheers,

David

 

[DrDoubleD]

I should add that my original gravities are right on the money with pretty good extraction efficiency

 

[whirlpoolinfool]

What was the OG reading and what yeast strain are you using? If you want the FG to finish higher you could pick a yeast strain that doesn't attenuate as much. I'd doubt it's the hydrometer, most read correctly at 60 degrees and your at 63, so that wouldn't make a huge difference. Your mash temp of 152 should leave room for a little residual sweetness and dextrins ...lower temps 147ish would make for a more fermentable wort with less dextrins. 152 is a great range for both alpha and beta amylase to both be effective. Why are you saying the FG is too low? Are you using beersmith as the benchmark?


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[DrDoubleD]

The OG for this batch was 1.051 and I was using Safale US-05 yeasts (the same for my other previous batches). I think the FGs are too low based on the specifications I get when I order the ingredient kits (from Toronto Brewing; I have yet to try a recipe of my own). The estimated FG for this one was 1.009, and I am consitently about 0.007-0.01 below target.

Thanks

 

[helibrewer]

How are you mashing and what thermometer are you using? Also, what was the grain bill?

 

[DrDoubleD]

For this one I ended up pouring the entire batch of water at the start (6.odd gal) to get the temperature right, stirring a bit every 20 minutes (for an hour). I use a 10 gal Igloo cooler with some sort of mesh pipe at the bottom. It took about 45 to drain the whole thing. My thermometer is what they sent with the mashing kit (all it says is JR-1), it's digital but looks pretty cheap.

 

[DrDoubleD]

Grain was 7 pounds of base 2-row, 1 pound of flaked corn, and 1 pound of dextrose as adjunct.

 

[whirlpoolinfool]

When I put that grain bill in I'm showing beersmith estimating the final gravity at 1.005. Check your thermometer like the previous guy said. If your miss reading the mash temp that will affect the wort and fermentability. Other than that u could bump up the temp a degree or so if you want more dextrines and a little more residual sugars next time. Or experiment with a new yeast. Also are you doing a mash out to stop enzyme activity before running off?


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[metanoia]

Have you calibrated your hydrometer? Mine's currently reading .004 low in water at 60 degrees, so I've got to add .004 to each reading I take.

 

[David_Trucks]

Higher ABV? Sounds like one of them good problems.


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