New to all grain suffering low final gravity

[Photopilot]

I have done a few batches of all grain. I have been getting good efficiency but lower final gravity than expected. I use starters calculated by Mr Malty and have been getting FG around 1.010 usually but have been getting FG of 1.015 to 1.020 with my all grain batches. My technique: mashing at 154 for 60 mins and fly sparging at 170, iodine test for conversion. I am getting efficiency of 80% or more.

My last two batches were my first 10 gallon batches.I was fermenting both of these in a sanke keg for the first time. I fermented them in a room around 62 degrees, figuring the fermentation would bring the temp higher.

• A brown ale with an OG of 1.072 WLP001 that had an FG of 1.020 after 5 weeks
• A British pale with and OG of 1.060 using WLP005 had an FG of 1.018 after 4 weeks.

I put half the brown into a corny and the rest into a carboy and pitched some safe-ale s-04 to see if I can get it to a lower FG. The British Pale I left in the sanke for now.

Is there something I am doing with my AG to get such low FG?

 

[killian]

what were your grain bills for these beers?
Have you calibrated your thermometers lately?
You could try lowering your mash rest to something like 152.
You might want to try sticking one of those temp strips to the sanke, that should get you a good idea of the ferment temp.

 

[shortyjacobs]

I have done a few batches of all grain. I have been getting good efficiency but lower final gravity than expected. I use starters calculated by Mr Malty and have been getting FG around 1.010 usually but have been getting FG of 1.015 to 1.020 with my all grain batches. My technique: mashing at 154 for 60 mins and fly sparging at 170, iodine test for conversion. I am getting efficiency of 80% or more.

My last two batches were my first 10 gallon batches.I was fermenting both of these in a sanke keg for the first time. I fermented them in a room around 62 degrees, figuring the fermentation would bring the temp higher.

• A brown ale with an OG of 1.072 WLP001 that had an FG of 1.020 after 5 weeks
• A British pale with and OG of 1.060 using WLP005 had an FG of 1.018 after 4 weeks.

I put half the brown into a corny and the rest into a carboy and pitched some safe-ale s-04 to see if I can get it to a lower FG. The British Pale I left in the sanke for now.

Is there something I am doing with my AG to get such low FG?

I'm confused...you mean your FG is too high, right? You say you are used to getting 1.010, but instead with AG you are getting 1.015-1.020, right?

Also, 1.020 from 1.072 is 72% attenuation, which is decent. 1.060 -> 1.018 is 70%, also decent. Maybe you were used to lower OG brews?

That's too high of an FG, not too low....in any case, drop your mash temps if you want your FG to go down more.

 

[Photopilot]

Yep I meant the FG too high.
My thermometer is new and calibrated.
I just replaced my hydrometer as i realized it was off, but I am factoring that in.

It was my first time fermenting in a sanke. I am used to watching the fermentation process in a carboy; ferment, clear, stop bubbling, after a month I take a FG measurement then keg. In the sanke the airlock never stopped bubbling in the sanke, although slowly. When I opened it and found the FG so high I was a little nervous to put into bottles. Also the sankes are too heavy to move to crash cool. I will take some FGs over the next couple of days and see if there is any movement. If not I will keg and bottle the rest.

Here is the grain bill for the brown:
16.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 65.63 %
3.00 lb Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 11.93 %
2.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 9.94 %
1.13 lb Brown Malt (65.0 SRM) Grain 4.49 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 2.98 %
0.50 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 1.99 %
0.38 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 1.51 %
0.38 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 1.51 %

Are any of these grains are any of them non fermentable? In the case of non fermentable grains, will it show up as sugar in terms of OG but not ferment? I assume from the suggestions a too high mash temp give me an OG without being fermentable.

 

[david_42]

All of the caramels plus the chocolate are largely non-fermentable. they raise both the OG and FG.

Yes, higher mash temperatures increase non-fermentables. With all of the caramels you have, a mash temperature of 150F would be more reasonable.

 

[Photopilot]

All of the caramels plus the chocolate are largely non-fermentable. they raise both the OG and FG.

Thanks David,

I had read these were non fermentable. Would these be considered aromatics? I did not realize it came out in the OG as sugars though. Looking back at Beersmith it shows an estimated FG of 1.18. So i am close now.

 

[shortyjacobs]

Thanks David,

I had read these were non fermentable. Would these be considered aromatics? I did not realize it came out in the OG as sugars though. Looking back at Beersmith it shows an estimated FG of 1.18. So i am close now.

I'll let David handle the aromatic question, as I have no clue. I do know that unfermentable sugars still affect OG, (anything dissolved in the wort affects OG).

I also know that Beersmith's FG estimates are full of hokey. They are based purely on average attenuation for the yeast you choose. What affects your FG far more than what yeast you use is what temp you mash at. 149*F = lowest FG, and FG will climb as you either go cooler or warmer than 149*F, (most people go warmer). Yeast will also affect your FG, but not as much as mash temp.

 

[Photopilot]

Here is a definition of aromatics from foampage.


Aromatic
(Mildly Kilned) Used at rates of up to 10%, Aromatic malt will lend a distinct, almost exaggerated malt aroma and flavor to the finished Ales and Lagers. Aromatic malt also has a rich color and is high in diastatic power for aid in starch conversion. D/C Aromatic malt. As the name suggests, adds aromatics to a beer.

Apparently it is only a few specialized grains that give the aromatic quality.

I will aim for 149 on my mash. As far as differing from 149 deg. What difference will going up vs down in temp give me?

 

[andrewp]

i found this thread on my search for a solution to the opposite situation. my last 4 batches have finished really, really low.

pale ale at 1.004 (1.042)
red ale at 1.004 (1.052 OG)
IPA at 1.006 (1.063 OG)
stout at 1.008 (1.062 OG)

except for the IPA, i haven't hit a theoretical OG yet (for the IPA i was only off by .006). what could be the cause of continuously low final gravities. i've tried to hit a mash of 152 every time. it usually starts around there and levels at 150-149 by the end of the hour mash. any solutions?

sorry in advance for hijacking the thread but this looked like a solution is near.

 

[Photopilot]

No Prob for the hijack, I am guilty myself at times. I can think of no better place to post a question than where people are thinking along the same lines.

Up till now I was having the same problem low FG. I was using a new to me refractometer to check my OG and my hydrometer to check my FG. I was getting low FG consistently and figured my superior fermenting skills were to thank. My old hydrometer was well old. It turns out it was off by quite a bit by around -.005 points potential gravity.

Have you checked your hydrometer? The paper in it can slip and it can become inaccurate. Use distilled water at the correct temperature or compensate the temp to see if the hydro shows 1.000. If not you have an error factor to either subtract or add to FG or OG results. Or maybe you have excellent fermentation skills also

They also make precise hydrometers. Like a bottling hydrometer that I would consider for accurate measurement for the low end to check for FG readings as I that is the only measurement I am looking for now that i use a refractometer for OG.

 

[shortyjacobs]

i found this thread on my search for a solution to the opposite situation. my last 4 batches have finished really, really low.

pale ale at 1.004 (1.042)
red ale at 1.004 (1.052 OG)
IPA at 1.006 (1.063 OG)
stout at 1.008 (1.062 OG)

except for the IPA, i haven't hit a theoretical OG yet (for the IPA i was only off by .006). what could be the cause of continuously low final gravities. i've tried to hit a mash of 152 every time. it usually starts around there and levels at 150-149 by the end of the hour mash. any solutions?

sorry in advance for hijacking the thread but this looked like a solution is near.

Check your hydro and thermometers first. Second, raise mash temps or increase unfermentables, (crystal malts), to help raise FG. Finally, you can try fermenting a bit colder...but this should just slow the process down, you should still probably hit the same FG, it'll just take longer.

 

[andrewp]

i have been fermenting on the high side (mid 70s) but that is acceptable for dry yeast.

i checked my hydrometer not too long ago and it was calibrated correctly. my thermometer is usually never the same since i have three completely different ones, however that could be it. i doubt that my fermentation skills are so great since all i have been doing is rehydrating two dry yeast packets per batch and pitching them on the warm side (80ish) and letting the temp come down over night by leaving it outside.