Highest acceptable FG

[Falstaff]

I have a red IPA, pretty much a barleywine that I hopped the holy hell out of, that has stopped at 1.03. I know WHY this happened. One, It's a dark Munich SMaSH. Two, I boiled it for two hours. Three, I mashed at 157f.

OG 1.091 FG 1.03 66% attenuation.

66% is normal when I do high mash temps, so this should have been expected and I'm not looking for help as to why this happened or how I can fix it.

What I wanted to ask is if a beer at 1.03 is drinkable? Does anyone have any experience bottling high FG beers? Are they syrupy and gross? Specifically both malty and hoppy beers. I could see a stout being good sweet, and definitely a fruited sour, but a red ipa? I'm not sure.

 

[Argyll Gargoyle]

Give it a taste and tell us! Curious minds want to know…

 

[AlexKay]

Seems totally fine to me, for the reasons you listed. The dextrins that you’re left with using a high mash temperature don’t really taste sweet, so I wouldn’t worry about that. It might be thicker than otherwise, but the alcohol and hopping levels will offset that somewhat. I could definitely see a very good beer with those numbers … but yeah, taste it and let us know!

 

[Falstaff]

Will do! Only one way to find out I guess. I've had other beers with high FG, but that was with lactose. The sample I took tasted good but a bit sweet. Carbonation should dry it out a bit too. Should know in a week or so

 

[Dland]

If it tastes not great when you first try, don't chuck it. Brews like this usually improve with age.

 

[Falstaff]

If it tastes not great when you first try, don't chuck it. Brews like this usually improve with age.

Sigh, the hardest part of brewing. My last one is always the one I should have waited for and had first I'll try to resist the urge and stash a bunch.

 

[Dland]

I always figure if I'm enjoying a brew even if not optimally conditioned, I'm conducting an important brewing experiment.

 

[Falstaff]

Bottled it today. I always fill like half a glass to drink while I'm bottling, and it tasted great. A little sweet, but nothing out of bounds for a strong brew. I think the high IBU and aroma cuts the sweetness. So does carbonation, in my experience, so it should only get better.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I speculate that some really robust Russian Imperial Stouts may have FG's in the range of ~1.045.