Full Ferment - No ETOH?

[fretman124]

I made a beer a couple weeks ago. American pale ale. There was 6 lbs of DME in the recipe. It was in the fermenter for 8 days, and almost had a blow out, but is stayed below the airlock. Krauzen subsided after 6 days. I racked into the secondary and left it there for three days. The was a couple bubbles in the day I first racked it, then nothing. I kegged it and had a couple. It has a good flavor and a nice head on it.

Last night I drank 11 pints in about 4 hours. Under normal circumstances this would have put me on my a$$. I didn't even have a buzz. Is it possible to ferment 6 lbs of DME and not produce any alcohol? My limited amount of chemistry/biology knowledge says no

I have a sample degassing as I write to check ABV. I didn't take OG and FG when I brewed

What do you think?

 

[NYeric]

I don't know the answer to that, but I am anxous to hear it. I know if I had 11 in 4, I would be curled up in a ball somewhere

 

[Yooper]

Without the og and fg, I can't tell the ABV. But if you post your recipe, I can run it in beersmith and see the expected og. You can take a f.g. just by putting some beer in the hydrometer test jar and let it go flat. Then take the f.g. That's how you could figure your alcohol percentage. (OG-FG) x .131= ABV

6 pounds of DME in 5 gallons should be about 1.050.

Let me know if you want me to do that.

 

[fretman124]

http://beertools.com/html/recipe.php?view=6272

Here is the recipe. Says I should have about 5% ABV

 

[Yooper]

You used 6 pounds DME instead of the LME and otherwise followed the recipe? Did you take your f.g.? The recipe with 6 pounds DME gives you an og of 1.053 in 5 gallons.

 

[fretman124]

Just took my FG. Looks like 1.019 @ 58 degrees F. If I'm reading it right, thats about 2% ABV.

I take it back on the DME. Got my recipes mixed up. I followed the recipe correctly and used the 7 lbs of LME. Maybe they shorted me on what I bought?

The beer tastes good, nice flavor and a creamy head. I'm not throwing it out. Just sometimes I like to catch a buzz when I drink

 

[david_42]

FG does not equal ABV.

(53-19)*.131 = 4.5%

Many people find homebrew does not hit them as hard as BMC. Haven't seen any studies though.

 

[fretman124]

Many people find homebrew does not hit them as hard as BMC. Haven't seen any studies though.

Off to find a stronger recipe........ Looks like I'll be going AG soon...............