How far from estimated FG is too far?

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9/9

Collembola!
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I know that there are a few other threads on this, but I searched and couldn't find a good, clear answer.

How far from the FG is too far? Our second batch is in the primary, and I am still not sure how everything is working. It is from an AHS extract kit for an Oatmeal Stout (I can find the exact recipe if anyone cares). The OG was right about the expected from the kit at 1.050 (we actually measured it at 1.054, but I suspect it was just due to not being completed mixed). The estimated final is 1.010. The airlock went strong for about two days and then stopped. I measured today (7 days in the primary) and it was at 1.018. I haven't seen airlock activity for about 5 days. I think that it was a bit warm (around 70F), but only by a couple of degrees.

Since we are not planning on using a secondary, I am not too stressed since I know it will still sit for a couple more weeks. I basically have two questions. First, how far away from the estimated FG would be enough to be worrisome and would it be reasonable to expect those final few points to still drop in the next two weeks?

Thanks, as always. :mug:

p.s. the good news is that I can now RDWHAHB, since we just cracked open the first beer of our first brew. It is good. :rockin:
 
Hitting your FG is a challenge - especially with extract as you cannot control the mash conditions that dictate the fermentability of your wort. Your kit though should give you a fairly accurate FG as long as they have reasonable quality control and aren't using highly variable extracts. 1.018 seems pretty high though for a 1.054 beer so I would give it a couple more weeks and recheck the gravity.

GT
 
A few questions: if you used liquid yeast, did you make a starter? What was your aeration/oxygenation strategy? What are the ingredients for that kit? Oats can add unfermentables and leave you with a higher FG.
 
Evan! said:
A few questions: if you used liquid yeast, did you make a starter? What was your aeration/oxygenation strategy? What are the ingredients for that kit? Oats can add unfermentables and leave you with a higher FG.

It was a dry yeast that we rehydrated before adding. We aerated by a combination of vigorous pouring into the primary and then lots of active mixing/stirring.

Kit ingredients:
steeping grains-
1/4 lbs chocolate malt
1/8 lbs black patent
1/2 lbs 60L
1/8 lbs back barley
1 lbs Oats

Extract:
5 lbs Dark Extract
Gold Seal Add Pack

Yeast:
Dry Windsor Ale


Estimated OG: 1.050, Estimated FG: 1.010
 
I am going to shamelessly bump my thread here to see if anyone else has any thoughts on how close to the estimated FG I should be shooting for here.

Thanks. :)
 
eddie said:
Ignore the recommended OG specified by your recipe and trust your hydrometer instead. Learn it, love it.

Now, I have been told the exact opposite on this site a few times, that in extract kits it is almost impossible to miss the expected OG and anything off is likely due to poor mixing. :confused:
 
9/9 said:
Now, I have been told the exact opposite on this site a few times, that in extract kits it is almost impossible to miss the expected OG and anything off is likely due to poor mixing. :confused:

That's true for the OG. For the FG, the hydrometer is useful to figure out if your beer is continuing to ferment, or if it's stopped. It sounds like yours has stopped, but it stopped early. If I were you, I'd warm things up a little and swirl it a bit to coax the yeast into continuing for a little while longer. Don't transfer to secondary until you're satisfied that it's done.
 
I'm having the same problem with my current batch. Two days of activity to hit 1.020 and no change in the last 5 days. OG was 1.047. I think my first mistake was placing it in the basement where the temperature was getting down to the low 60's over night. I thought the lower temps would help improve the taste, but instead, my yeast seemed to have decided to go into hibernation.

I've tried warming it up by placing it on my kitchen counter next to my range, but I'm concerned that the only air lock activity I'm seeing has more to do with the air expanding due to the increase in temperature. As soon I I turn the heat off, the activity stops. I've even stirred it up with a sanitized spoon, but it's still stuck at 1.020 after 9 days.
 
fdefulvio said:
I'm having the same problem with my current batch. Two days of activity to hit 1.020 and no change in the last 5 days. OG was 1.047. I think my first mistake was placing it in the basement where the temperature was getting down to the low 60's over night. I thought the lower temps would help improve the taste, but instead, my yeast seemed to have decided to go into hibernation.

I've tried warming it up by placing it on my kitchen counter next to my range, but I'm concerned that the only air lock activity I'm seeing has more to do with the air expanding due to the increase in temperature. As soon I I turn the heat off, the activity stops. I've even stirred it up with a sanitized spoon, but it's still stuck at 1.020 after 9 days.

Sounds like your numbers are pretty close to mine. Hopefully it won't be too much of a problem for either of us...
 
LOL that makes three of us I have a vanilla caramel cream ale going and my og was 1.050 and im looking to hit about 1.014 or so. Ive had mine in the secondary for 12 days and its dropped from 1.022 to 1.020 and its been stuck there for the last 3 or 4 days. I tried stirring the yeast up so they would finish the job but they must be on strike. Its getting close to bottle time but i dont want to make bottle bombs by bottling a beer that hasnt finished fermentation.
 
1.054 to 1.018 is 67% attenuation. Not great, but you did use Windsor yeast which typically has low attenuation anyway.

I recently brewed the IPA Gold Seal Extract Kit from Austin Homebrew and I got around 70% attenuation. I aerated with pure O2 and pitched with a big liquid yeast starter, so I was expecting higher attenuation. I think it might have to do with the LME they supply.

I went ahead and bottled after 2 weeks in primary and 1 week in secondary. I'm looking forward to trying the first bottle this weekend.

So, I would swirl it gently a few times to rouse the yeast and take two more hydrometer readings. I wouldn't expect the FG fall much further, though. If the FG stays the same then I'd say its OK to bottle.
 
Beerthoven said:
1.054 to 1.018 is 67% attenuation. Not great, but you did use Windsor yeast which typically has low attenuation anyway.

I recently brewed the IPA Gold Seal Extract Kit from Austin Homebrew and I got around 70% attenuation. I aerated with pure O2 and pitched with a big liquid yeast starter, so I was expecting higher attenuation. I think it might have to do with the LME they supply.

I went ahead and bottled after 2 weeks in primary and 1 week in secondary. I'm looking forward to trying the first bottle this weekend.

So, I would swirl it gently a few times to rouse the yeast and take two more hydrometer readings. I wouldn't expect the FG fall much further, though. If the FG stays the same then I'd say its OK to bottle.

Thanks. I don't really mind if it ends up producing a lower quality beer (I would just call it a "learning experience"), but I was mostly worried about the bottle bomb possibility.
 
9/9 said:
Now, I have been told the exact opposite on this site a few times, that in extract kits it is almost impossible to miss the expected OG and anything off is likely due to poor mixing. :confused:

Sorry. I meant to say the FG. My mistake.
 
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