How to hit OG and FG targets for style?

[beersheba]

My husband and I both brew beer together (usually AG, 5gal batches) and we've finally gotten to a point where we've worked out all the kinks in our system and can produce good beer regularly.
I've read like 5 different homebrew books, but I haven't been able to find any information about hitting OG and FG targets better.

Our issue is usually that our OG is a tadbit under the goal for the style (for example, OG for an IPA was 1.049 when the goal was 1.056) and then the FG drops to a very low amount (goal was 1.008 but we hit 1.002).

How important is it that we hit the actual targets? How do we even go about doing that and adjusting our beer while we brew to get those targets?

 

[mac_1103]

When you find a recipe online or buy a kit, the target OG is based on an assumption about brewhouse efficiency. If you are consistently a few points low of the OG target it just means your efficiency is a little lower than that assumption. Depending on your system, you may be able to increase your efficiency to hit the targets, but consistency is more important than efficiency and it's a lot easier to just use a little more grain.

Similarly, the target FG is based on an assumption about the fermentability of the wort and the attenuation of the yeast. If your beers consistently finish lower than the target FG you might try mashing a little higher, or just checking the calibration of your thermometer. And while you're at it, maybe check the calibration of your hydrometer too.

But if you "produce good beer regularly" then maybe just RDWHAHB. You're brewing beer, not numbers.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Our issue is usually that our OG is a tadbit under the goal for the style (for example, OG for an IPA was 1.049 when the goal was 1.056) and then the FG drops to a very low amount (goal was 1.008 but we hit 1.002). How important is it that we hit the actual targets? How do we even go about doing that and adjusting our beer while we brew to get those targets?

Are you buying all-grain kits? Working from your own recipes? Grinding your own malt, or having someone do that for you? Brewing in a bag? Are you using any brewing software?

I'd say it's fairly important to understand WHY you aren't hitting your expected numbers, so you can adjust (whether that means just adding more malt, or getting a better crush on your malt, or measurement errors on your water).

Being consistently under expected OG can usually be explained by:

• poor crush on your malt
• not boiling off enough water (or starting with too much)
• you are using recipes that expect a higher lauter efficiency than you are actually achieving (see: poor crush on your malt)

Being consistently under expected FG can usually be explained by:

• low OG
• mashing at too low of a temperature

So... give us some more details on what you are doing, and double-check your thermometer's accuracy for starters!

 

[SonomaBrewer]

My husband and I both brew beer together (usually AG, 5gal batches) and we've finally gotten to a point where we've worked out all the kinks in our system and can produce good beer regularly.
I've read like 5 different homebrew books, but I haven't been able to find any information about hitting OG and FG targets better.

Our issue is usually that our OG is a tadbit under the goal for the style (for example, OG for an IPA was 1.049 when the goal was 1.056) and then the FG drops to a very low amount (goal was 1.008 but we hit 1.002).

How important is it that we hit the actual targets? How do we even go about doing that and adjusting our beer while we brew to get those targets?

Good on the two of you for brewing together!

 

[refect]

Are you buying all-grain kits? Working from your own recipes? Grinding your own malt, or having someone do that for you? Brewing in a bag? Are you using any brewing software?

I'd say it's fairly important to understand WHY you aren't hitting your expected numbers, so you can adjust (whether that means just adding more malt, or getting a better crush on your malt, or measurement errors on your water).

Being consistently under expected OG can usually be explained by:

• poor crush on your malt
• not boiling off enough water (or starting with too much)
• you are using recipes that expect a higher lauter efficiency than you are actually achieving (see: poor crush on your malt)

Being consistently under expected FG can usually be explained by:

• low OG
• mashing at too low of a temperature

So... give us some more details on what you are doing, and double-check your thermometer's accuracy for starters!

^^^ This 100% Tell us a little more about your process and equipment and we can help you figure it out. Also remember to take notes on each batch so you can better dial in your brewhouse efficiency/consistency!

Also, that is awesome that you brew together!

 

[hotbeer]

Finding your efficiencies doesn't have to be as involved and complicated as it sounds. Just use some beer recipe software or a site such as Brewer's Friend which is the place that the Brewing Software tab at the top of most every page here takes you to.

Put your recipe in there. If the OG and FG doesn't match what the recipe says, then adjust that efficiency number till both are as close as you can get them. That is what the author of that recipe gets for their efficiency.

Then if you know the numbers still for what you got from that recipe, adjust the efficiency percentage again and that is what you are at for efficiency.

For your next batch of beer, if you change nothing in your process, then just scale up the fermentables in the recipe evenly till you get the OG and FG to match or there about. Your beer should then come out much closer to the recipes numbers.

Realize that knowing the volume and weights of every thing you add to and get out of the brew matter for efficiency. So accurately account for what you get and if it's different every time you brew, then your numbers for OG and FG and efficiency will always be off.

And remember, efficiency doesn't have to be high to make a passing grade on brewing. It just needs to be consistent. The only real negative about having a brewing efficiency of 60% as opposed to 80% is that you use more malts and other fermentable products.

 

[Climb]

If you find that your pre-boil gravity is low, you can add LME or DME to get to the targeted pre-boil gravity, Then with a consistent evaporation rate during the boil, you should be able to predict your OG fairly accurately. If you find that your pre-boil gravity is high, add more water to get to the targeted pre-boil gravity. It is easiest to use calculators to help you determine how much LME, DME or water to add.

Also if your pre-boil gravity is off target and you decide not to adjust it, you should adjust the amount of hops used to target the same BU:GU ratio as that of the original recipe. If you decide not to adjust your hop rates, that's ok, it's still going to be beer, but it won't be the same beer from the recipe.

 

[jakegreen58]

I came to say this:

Being consistently under expected OG can usually be explained by:

• poor crush on your malt
• not boiling off enough water (or starting with too much)
• you are using recipes that expect a higher lauter efficiency than you are actually achieving (see: poor crush on your malt

But it had already been said.