Hefeweizen Extract stalled 🤔

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Art2019

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Ok, I brewed a Hefe extract 15 days ago using Safale WB-06 with the original recipe of 1.053 OG but I added 1 lb of malt, increasing result to 1.085 OG. I read that WP-06 would tolerate up to 9% abv which is why I used this yeast. Tolerable temp range for WB-06 is 64F - 75F & have been maintaining at 67F (+/- 1-2 degrees).
Fermenting was robust for about 3 days & seems to have finished almost a week ago (recipe stateded to transfer 7-10 days after fermemtation). Tested it yesterday & is at 1.03 FG (refractometer reading) & was expecting a lower reading. I learned the refractometer isn't accurate for testing alcohol levels & my hydrometer broke during my move so it's only a guess from here. Using an abv formula of (1.085 OG -1.03 FG) * 131.25, it comes to 7.2% which seems lower than I expected.

I was thinking of heating it up a bit more (but not too much) for a couple more days to see if this drops further. If it doesn't I'll just transfer to my keg & let it sit more. Anyone feel this will be a sweet brew, given the circumstances? I'm guessing it'll at least be at the 5.3% abv. Any suggestions is appreciated (plz no "why did you do that for" comments).
I know someone that may have a hydrometer & will test with that.
 
It's probably closer to 10.4% ABV. You MUST use a refractometer calculator for this. For low finishing gravity, Sean Terrill is more accurate than Brewer's Friend. Here's Terrill's calculation (approximately -- you must use your actual Brix readings -- don't measure in SG, use Brix scale only):

1727385241080.png
 
It's probably closer to 10.4% ABV. You MUST use a refractometer calculator for this. For low finishing gravity, Sean Terrill is more accurate than Brewer's Friend. Here's Terrill's calculation (approximately -- you must use your actual Brix readings -- don't measure in SG, use Brix scale only):

View attachment 858677
SO, you're subbing SG with brix on the refractometer? How can this be higher than 8.5% ABV? If the fermentation stalled, why would you use 1.00051 as a FG?
 
If the fermentation stalled, why would you use 1.00051 as a FG?
First of all, you've got an extra zero in there. Second, he's trying to tell you that your fermentation may not be stalled if you didn't read your refractometer correctly and make the appropriate adjustment.
 
First of all, you've got an extra zero in there. Second, he's trying to tell you that your fermentation may not be stalled if you didn't read your refractometer correctly and make the appropriate adjustment.
 
First of all, you've got an extra zero in there. Second, he's trying to tell you that your fermentation may not be stalled if you didn't read your refractometer correctly and make the appropriate adjustment.
Typo on 1.000, not important. 2nd - I read my refractormeter & read SG at end vs brix.
 
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Typo on 1.000, not important. 2nd - I read my refractormeter & read SG at end vs brix.
Pick up your refractometer and read what it would have been in Brix instead of SG. Then pump those numbers into the calculator that I posted above. Link:

http://seanterrill.com/2012/01/06/refractometer-calculator/

By the way, I find the 1.040 correction factor to be inaccurate. For me the factor is 0.990. Brewer's Friend uses 1.000 (i.e., no correction) which I think is probably the better default.
 
So, what does your chart show me? I've never compared charts to yeast, before (pardon my ignorance in this).
It shows that WB-06 ferments almost all types of sugars, which is unusual compared with most other yeasts. In other words, you should expect a final gravity close to 1.002-1.007 or something like that. So an FG of 1.030 is EXTREMELY unlikely with this particular yeast strain -- it eats almost all sugars.
 
It shows that WB-06 ferments almost all types of sugars, which is unusual compared with most other yeasts. In other words, you should expect a final gravity close to 1.002-1.007 or something like that. So an FG of 1.030 is EXTREMELY unlikely with this particular yeast strain -- it eats almost all sugars.
1.03 is what the end result was on my refractometer (SG Wort side). I'll wait for my hydrometer to come in & test it this way. I can't fathom my brew with a 1.085 OG turn into 10.4% on this brew.
 
Pick up your refractometer and read what it would have been in Brix instead of SG. Then pump those numbers into the calculator that I posted above. Link:

http://seanterrill.com/2012/01/06/refractometer-calculator/

By the way, I find the 1.040 correction factor to be inaccurate. For me the factor is 0.990. Brewer's Friend uses 1.000 (i.e., no correction) which I think is probably the better default.
I did & it shows what you're stating. So, you feel my fermentation is 100% complete? I'll transfer tomorrow. Mine usually takes 2 weeks before transferring but this was a bigger brew so wasn't sure.
 
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I did & it shows what you're stating. Just don't know how this can be 10.4% ABV with a 1.085 SG.at beginning. Idk
Because you used a highly attenuative diastatic yeast strain. It secretes an enzyme that reduces residual dextrins in your wort to fermentable sugars.

Anyway, at 7.2% you assumed that fermentation had stalled, but it turns out that it's not stalled and actually over 10%. So what were you expecting (and why)?
 
Honestly, the 1.030 number is meaningless.

So, what does [the] chart show me?
There are different types of sugars in a wort. One of the characteristics of each yeast strain is how well (if at all) the specific strain of yeast will convert these sugars.

As @dmtaylor mentioned above, WB-06 is unusual in that it will convert almost all the sugars

At 86% - 90% "typical" apparent attenuation (AA), FG would typically be in the 8 - 12 range. And a FG of 5 is certainly possible.

1727395431807.png

  • AA = (OG - FG) / OG
  • ABV = (OG - FG) * 131.25
 
Because you used a highly attenuative diastatic yeast strain. It secretes an enzyme that reduces residual dextrins in your wort to fermentable sugars.

Anyway, at 7.2% you assumed that fermentation had stalled, but it turns out that it's not stalled and actually over 10%. So what were you expecting (and why)?
I was expecting 8.5%, but ok. Didn't know it would be this high.
 
Honestly, the 1.030 number is meaningless.


There are different types of sugars in a wort. One of the characteristics of each yeast strain is how well (if at all) the specific strain of yeast will convert these sugars.

As @dmtaylor mentioned above, WB-06 is unusual in that it will convert almost all the sugars

At 86% - 90% "typical" apparent attenuation (AA), FG would typically be in the 8 - 12 range. And a FG of 5 is certainly possible.

View attachment 858699
  • AA = (OG - FG) / OG
  • ABV = (OG - FG) * 131.25
Not really meaningless if I use that Refractometer calculation. But, like I said, I read that refractometer doesn't report accurately on FG. But dmTaylor showed me a translation calulator where I can use this 1.03 (which is actually about 7.7 brix)
 
You are fortunate that @dmtaylor is aware of that calculator. For almost everyone else, the 1.030 number is meaningless as they don't know about the calculator.
I guess. I liked my hydrometer better but getting used to this refractometer. I'm used to seeing my fg at 1.01 when it's completed & thought my fermemtation stalled but it's been 2 weeks now so I was thinking, hhmm 🤔🤔🤔
 
So order a new one (and a spare).

And, as mentioned in #10, read the Brix side of your refractometer for FG measurements, then let software do the math to get the final SG value.
I did. And, I now I don't need a new one now that i have a calculator. And,,thismhas already been discussed. I'm doing this now.
 
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I did. And, I now I don't need a new one now that i have a calculator. And,,thismhas already been discussed. I'm doing this now.
If you ever use a hydrometer again, you'll find that the calculator isn't 100% accurate. But... it is good within 0.002 gravity units about 90% of the time.
 
1# of DME in a 5 gal batch add about 8 points to OG (44 / 5).

Ok, I brewed a Hefe extract 15 days ago using Safale WB-06 with the original recipe of 1.053 OG but I added 1 lb of malt, increasing result to 1.085 OG.
Can you post the the original (OG 53) recipe and the modified (OG 85) recipe? I'm curious about 1) batch size, 2) estimated FG in the original recipe, and 30 the yeast strain in the original recipe



OG went from 53 to 85 or 32 points. 1 # DME contains 44 points.
  • 44 / 32 = 1.375 gallons
Repeat for OG 83 (rather than 85), assuming +/- 2 in accuracy for the SG measurement
  • 83 - 53 = 30
  • 44 / 30 = 1.466 gallons
Double check using gravity points
  • 53 * 1.5 + 44 = 123
  • 85 * 1.5 = 127.5
It looks like a batch size is around 1.5 gal based on the change in OG when adding 1# of DME. This does assume a full volume boil (or other techniques to ensure the wort is properly mixed and not stratified).
 
1# of DME in a 5 gal batch add about 8 points to OG (44 / 5).


Can you post the the original (OG 53) recipe and the modified (OG 85) recipe? I'm curious about 1) batch size, 2) estimated FG in the original recipe, and 30 the yeast strain in the original recipe



OG went from 53 to 85 or 32 points. 1 # DME contains 44 points.
  • 44 / 32 = 1.375 gallons
Repeat for OG 83 (rather than 85), assuming +/- 2 in accuracy for the SG measurement
  • 83 - 53 = 30
  • 44 / 30 = 1.466 gallons
Double check using gravity points
  • 53 * 1.5 + 44 = 123
  • 85 * 1.5 = 127.5
It looks like a batch size is around 1.5 gal based on the change in OG when adding 1# of DME. This does assume a full volume boil (or other techniques to ensure the wort is properly mixed and not stratified).
Original recipe was supposed to have Imperial Yeast G01 Stefon.
 
I've never gotten into the details of my end result over the years of extract brewing. I just followed through the recipes, added malt according to or added add'l to increase abv. After this, I measured OG prior to pitching & was pretty close.
 
If the recipe was for 1.053 at 5 gallons and you add one extra pound of malt extract (assuming dry malt extract since it usually comes in 1LB increments), that should only raise the gravity by (1.044 / 5 = 1.008) or an OG of 1.061. If you measured higher than that:
1. Your instrument is out of calibration.
2. Your wort was stratified and you pulled a denser sample than the average of the entire batch.
3. Your total volume was lower than 5 gallons.
4. Any combination of the above.


Anecdote as a homebrew store owner for 10 years.

Customer on the phone: "I have a stuck fermentation".
Me: Is the fermenter a white plastic bucket?
Customer: Yes
Me: How do you know it's stuck?
Customer: The airlock isn't bubbling
Me: The lid seal is leaking.

That conversation is about 75% of all "stuck fermentation" calls.

The other 25% is:

Customer on the phone: "I have a stuck fermentation".
Me: How do you know it's stuck?
Customer: I measured the gravity and it's really still high.
Me: Refractometer?
Customer: How did you know?

There is a small subset of the above where the customer is actually using a triple scale hydrometer but they read the potential alcohol scale after fermentation.
 
If the recipe was for 1.053 at 5 gallons and you add one extra pound of malt extract (assuming dry malt extract since it usually comes in 1LB increments), that should only raise the gravity by (1.044 / 5 = 1.008) or an OG of 1.061. If you measured higher than that:
1. Your instrument is out of calibration.
2. Your wort was stratified and you pulled a denser sample than the average of the entire batch.
3. Your total volume was lower than 5 gallons.
4. Any combination of the above.
Or
5. You really added 3 lbs of DME instead of 1.
But it actually would take 4 lbs, and I don't think it comes in 4 lb bags.
 
1. No, my instrument was calibrated properly
2. No. It was stirred thouroughly just prior to testing
3. That could've been possible since I tested prior to dumping in fermemter & was probably 3.5-4 gallons before transfer.
4. 2 & 3
5. Definately not
It comes in 1, 3, & 5 lb bags....when it really gets down to it, it was almost half of a 3 lb bag from a prior brew. So 1-1.5 lbs.

So, using a refractometer calculator expressed above (#3) how would I account for the dilution?
 
If the recipe was for 1.053 at 5 gallons and you add one extra pound of malt extract (assuming dry malt extract since it usually comes in 1LB increments), that should only raise the gravity by (1.044 / 5 = 1.008) or an OG of 1.061. If you measured higher than that:
1. Your instrument is out of calibration.
2. Your wort was stratified and you pulled a denser sample than the average of the entire batch.
3. Your total volume was lower than 5 gallons.
4. Any combination of the above.


Anecdote as a homebrew store owner for 10 years.

Customer on the phone: "I have a stuck fermentation".
Me: Is the fermenter a white plastic bucket?
Customer: Yes
Me: How do you know it's stuck?
Customer: The airlock isn't bubbling
Me: The lid seal is leaking.

That conversation is about 75% of all "stuck fermentation" calls.

The other 25% is:

Customer on the phone: "I have a stuck fermentation".
Me: How do you know it's stuck?
Customer: I measured the gravity and it's really still high.
Me: Refractometer?
Customer: How did you know?

There is a small subset of the above where the customer is actually using a triple scale hydrometer but they read the potential alcohol scale after fermentation.
 
Anecdote as a homebrew store owner for 10 years.

Customer on the phone: "I have a stuck fermentation".
Me: Is the fermenter a white plastic bucket?
Customer: Yes
Me: How do you know it's stuck?
Customer: The airlock isn't bubbling
Me: The lid seal is leaking.

That conversation is about 75% of all "stuck fermentation" calls.

The other 25% is:

Customer on the phone: "I have a stuck fermentation".
Me: How do you know it's stuck?
Customer: I measured the gravity and it's really still high.
Me: Refractometer?
Customer: How did you know?

There is a small subset of the above where the customer is actually using a triple scale hydrometer but they read the potential alcohol scale after fermentation.
What's your point? Looking for advice not criticism. I already stated what I was using.
 
I tested prior to dumping in fermemter & was probably 3.5-4 gallons before transfer.

An OG measurement implies that 1) the full volume of wort is present and 2) the wort is uniform (not stratified).



So the measured SG was 1.085 before topping off to 5 gal..

the original recipe of 1.053 OG but I added 1 lb of malt
  • OG 53 in 5 gal + 1# DME = 53 * 5 + 44 = 309 GPs.
  • 309 GPs / 85 SG = ~ 3.64 gal of wort


OG 62 with WB-06 at 90% attenuation suggests FG at ~1.006 (ABV ~ 7.3%).
 
Looking for advice not criticism
It took 37 replies to get to incorrect OG (measured before top off) and FG (measured using the SG scale on a refractometer).

@dmtaylor @mac_1103 & @Bobby_M (and a couple of others ;) ) offered solid advice based on the information available at the time.

A complete recipe with notes on how OG and FG was being measured would have make this discussion a lot easier.
 
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