Ideal OG for a pale ale?
- Thread starter Somegeek
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Most American Pale Ales have a target original gravity of 1.045 - 1.06 and an FG of 1.01 - 1.015.
I’m not sure what your batch size or estimated efficiency is, but 10.5 lbs of base malt in a 5.5 gallon batch usually gets me something like 1.05 OG on my system. I see your recipe lists a target OG of 1.042 - is that your desired OG?
With your lower mash temp, you could extend your mash to 90 minutes to get a little more conversion. This can increase your OG versus a 60 minute mash. Not sure if you’re going for that or not.
The lower temp will also make your wort attenuate more, so you might end up with a lower FG than a higher mash would provide. Nothing wrong with that, it’s a good temperature for a drier finish on a pale ale.
Edit: and I see the recipe lists an FG of 1.009. That is in the ballpark of what your 148F mash will get you with US 05
I’m not sure what your batch size or estimated efficiency is, but 10.5 lbs of base malt in a 5.5 gallon batch usually gets me something like 1.05 OG on my system. I see your recipe lists a target OG of 1.042 - is that your desired OG?
With your lower mash temp, you could extend your mash to 90 minutes to get a little more conversion. This can increase your OG versus a 60 minute mash. Not sure if you’re going for that or not.
The lower temp will also make your wort attenuate more, so you might end up with a lower FG than a higher mash would provide. Nothing wrong with that, it’s a good temperature for a drier finish on a pale ale.
Edit: and I see the recipe lists an FG of 1.009. That is in the ballpark of what your 148F mash will get you with US 05
5 gallon batch size
Thanks for the insightful response. I'll try the 90 minute mash down the road as a new variable.
My go to beer is a lower alcohol pale ale around the 4% mark which is similar to what you are doing. With the lower alcohol I find it better to try and get a higher FG to get better mouthfeel as they can end up watery. I'd try for 1.015 myself. The 1.009 beer will be fine though.
"With your lower mash temp, you could extend your mash to 90 minutes to get a little more conversion. This can increase your OG versus a 60 minute mash. Not sure if you’re going for that or not."
A long rest at 148F causes beer to be thin and dry. FG should end up close to expected FG.
At 148F Beta is active and conversion occurs, but at 148F Beta doesn't last too long, it denatures. During conversion Beta converts glucose released by Alpha during saccharification into maltose and maltotriose which are complex types of sugar that yeast doesn't like as much as glucose. After Beta denatures, Alpha continues to release sweet tasting, nonfermenting sugar and glucose which yeast likes a lot, until denaturing. At 148F more glucose than sweet, nonfermenting sugar is released.
During primary fermentation yeast rips through glucose cranking out ABV and leaves sweet and complex sugar behind.
Assuming the malt contained Beta, which it doesn't need to contain to be called malt, the wort will contain maltose and maltotriose which yeast does nothing with until secondary fermentation and aging. During secondary fermentation yeast absorbs maltose through the cell wall and an enzyme within yeast converts maltose back into the sugar it came from, glucose. The glucose is expelled through the cell wall and it becomes yeast fuel. Gravity reduces closer to expected FG. During aging the same thing happens to maltotriose and natural carbonation occurs. FG is hit.
When beer is primed and complex sugar is in the mix, yeast goes after the priming sugar, and then, it goes after complex sugar. Over carbonation, gushers, bottle bombs can happen.
A long rest at 148F causes beer to be thin and dry. FG should end up close to expected FG.
At 148F Beta is active and conversion occurs, but at 148F Beta doesn't last too long, it denatures. During conversion Beta converts glucose released by Alpha during saccharification into maltose and maltotriose which are complex types of sugar that yeast doesn't like as much as glucose. After Beta denatures, Alpha continues to release sweet tasting, nonfermenting sugar and glucose which yeast likes a lot, until denaturing. At 148F more glucose than sweet, nonfermenting sugar is released.
During primary fermentation yeast rips through glucose cranking out ABV and leaves sweet and complex sugar behind.
Assuming the malt contained Beta, which it doesn't need to contain to be called malt, the wort will contain maltose and maltotriose which yeast does nothing with until secondary fermentation and aging. During secondary fermentation yeast absorbs maltose through the cell wall and an enzyme within yeast converts maltose back into the sugar it came from, glucose. The glucose is expelled through the cell wall and it becomes yeast fuel. Gravity reduces closer to expected FG. During aging the same thing happens to maltotriose and natural carbonation occurs. FG is hit.
When beer is primed and complex sugar is in the mix, yeast goes after the priming sugar, and then, it goes after complex sugar. Over carbonation, gushers, bottle bombs can happen.
