Hefeweizen Extract stalled 🤔

[Art2019]

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.

 

[RM-MN]

Since there is never a reason that a beer has to be bottled on a certain date, let this beer sit while you procure a hydrometer.

 

[dmtaylor]

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):

 

[Art2019]

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?

 

[mac_1103]

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.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

---

... "but but but extract is only __% fermentable" ...

Here's a chart from Fermentis Tips & Tricks (p 43):

 

[Art2019]

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.

 

[Art2019]

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.

 

[Art2019]

View attachment 858687

---

... "but but but extract is only __% fermentable" ...

Here's a chart from Fermentis Tips & Tricks (p 43):

View attachment 858686

So, what does your chart show me? I've never compared charts to yeast, before (pardon my ignorance in this).

 

[dmtaylor]

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.

 

[dmtaylor]

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.

 

[Art2019]

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.

 

[Art2019]

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.

 

[mac_1103]

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)?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

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.

• AA = (OG - FG) / OG
• ABV = (OG - FG) * 131.25

 

[Art2019]

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.

 

[Art2019]

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)

 

[mac_1103]

I was expecting 8.5% , or close to it.

So something around 82% AA instead of 90%? Should have used a different yeast; maybe Lallemand Munich Classic?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Not really meaningless

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.

 

[Art2019]

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

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I guess. I liked my hydrometer better but getting used to this refractometer

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.

 

[mac_1103]

Their shipping and customer service kinda suck, but they do sell an unbreakable hydrometer.

 

[Art2019]

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.

 

[dmtaylor]

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.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

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

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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).

 

[Art2019]

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.

 

[mac_1103]

Imperial Yeast G01 Stefon.

73-77% attenuation. As opposed to 86-90% for WB-06.

But that doesn't explain how one pound of DME increased your OG by 30+ points. What size is the batch?

 

[Art2019]

73-77% attenuation. As opposed to 86-90% for WB-06.

But that doesn't explain how one pound of DME increased your OG by 30+ points. What size is the batch?

It's 5 gallons

 

[Art2019]

73-77% attenuation. As opposed to 86-90% for WB-06.

But that doesn't explain how one pound of DME increased your OG by 30+ points. What size is the batch?

 

[Art2019]

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.