OG fine, FG High. What happened?

[lazinskm]

OG was 1.052 (range of Brewers Best Dunkel 1.049-53), but FG was 1.02 at end of 9 days of fermentation. What happened? Just trying to learn for the future. Thanks guys, great forum.

 

[jonmohno]

is it a lager,or what temp u have it?

 

[lazinskm]

dunkel, so an ale, temp was probably 70ish (live in FL).

 

[JLem]

dunkel, so an ale, temp was probably 70ish (live in FL).

Well, a Dunkel should be a lager...but if you used an ale yeast, your temps are fine (though still on the high side)

Was this an extract batch? If so, it's probably the "curse of 1.020" (search for it here on HBT). Many extract batches finish around 1.020 due to the relatively low fermentability of the extract.

 

[AdamPag]

I just finished a dunkel, OG was 1.06 FG 1.019 giving me an ABV of about 5.4% at bottling, Id say you're pretty close, what recipe what yeast?

 

[MaynardX]

Well, a Dunkel should be a lager...but if you used an ale yeast, your temps are fine (though still on the high side)

Unless it was a Dunkleweizen. And 70 is a slight bit too high, but shouldn't keep the beer from attenuating. Did you pitch the appropriate amount of yeast? I would let it sit a week or 2 more to make sure its finished fermenting.

 

[brewski08]

OG was 1.052 (range of Brewers Best Dunkel 1.049-53), but FG was 1.02 at end of 9 days of fermentation. What happened? Just trying to learn for the future. Thanks guys, great forum.

what temperature did you mash at?

it sounds like you mashed at a higher temperature (155-160 F). when you mash, there are two types of amylase enzymes active, alpha and beta. the amylase enzymes basically cleave your starch molecules (very large polysaccharides) into shorter saccharide chains to form your sugars in your wort. one of these amylases is more active at lower mash temperatures (149-152 F) and the other is more active at higher mash temperatures. the one that is more active at lower temps cleaves sugars that yeast easily convert to alcohol, whereas the other one which is more active at higher temps cleaves sugars that yeasts are unable to turn into alcohol.

both types of these sugars contribute to your O.G. however, your F.G. reflects what type of sugars contributed more to your O.G.

in your case, it sounds like you had more high temperature sugars that were unable to be converted to alcohol (gravity ~ 1.00). these sugars will contribute to the mouth feel and body of the beer (which is MUCH more important in my opinion).

that's my take on it. there are also other factors that may be contributing. what is your fermentation temp? fermentation occurs at much lower rates at lower temps. fermentation can continue occurring after 9 days as well!

 

[AdamPag]

Unless it was a Dunkleweizen. And 70 is a slight bit too high, but shouldn't keep the beer from attenuating. Did you pitch the appropriate amount of yeast? I would let it sit a week or 2 more to make sure its finished fermenting.

Spot on and Id like to correct my self, I just bottled a Dunlewiezen. and +1 to 9 days isnt enough at all, I dont even start to measure SG until 10 days, then again at 13-14 days, then again at 18 days and then I decide if im bottling that nite or waiting long. Still, we need to know your recipe and yeast strain.

 

[bottlebomber]

Brewers Best Dunkel

what temperature did you mash at?

 

[AdamPag]

Alright Hater. Dunkel = Dark Weizen = wheat = Dark Wheat. And heres the ingredient list.

Ingredients

6.6 lb. Briess Bavarian Wheat LME
1 lb. Maltodextrin
8 oz. Crushed Chocolate
8 oz. Crushed Munich Malt
Danstar Munich Yeast
1 oz. Willamette Bittering Hops – 4.7% alpha acid
1 oz. German Spalt Select Aroma Hops – 2.2% Alpha Acid
5oz. Priming Sugar

Additional Details

SG 1.062
FG 1.022
5.3% ABV

 

[ChrisJPassarelli]

Well hey, as long as he threw an ale yeast in there, there's not much to worry about. I'll second the extract-low-fermentables suggestion. I've had some very weird results in my previous LME batches. Haven't tried DME but I suspect it's the same. In the future a yeast starter might help avoid the hold-up if there are more fermentables in there, but otherwise I wouldn't worry. 1.020 ain't the end of the world. Just leave it longer to be sure that's where it wants to stay before bottling precariously.

 

[ashplub]

Dunkel. It's whats for dinner.

 

[lazinskm]

Thanks for all the info guys- seriously I followed the instructions given for the brew and am just learning as I go. The instructions for the brew are here.
http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1029 Dunkelweizen.pdf
So brewski 08, you are saying I should watch the temp thru the whole mash, not just the steep? They state "rolling boil", where I was at the low end of, but I like the idea of keeping the temp stable throughout (the steep was kept at 155 the whole time. It got bottled after 9 days at the 1.020, so we will see what happens- do I have to worry about explosions if the yeast was not fully used??? Thanks for all the tips everyone, and if anyone has a suggestion for a good IPA recipe (not all grain) I am all ears. Going to try one w/ possible dry-hopping next. Thanks again!

 

[ChrisJPassarelli]

Just keep in mind here, it's an extract brew, so there's no mashing going on (hence bottlebomber's post). No conversion from starch to fermentable sugar is going on to speak of, since that's all provided by your extract and dextrose. The steeping of the grains provides all sorts of lovely flavor, but not much in the way of yeast-food.

You do want a good vigorous boil to get rid of a few compounds that can lead to off flavors down the line, and get the right amount of evaporation, but that wouldn't be responsible for the incomplete fermentation. There could be a risk of bottle explosions (not from yeast not being fully used, but from sugars not being fully consumed). Keep your bottles in a bin or something where it won't ruin your floor on the off chance anything goes wrong!

Best wishes on the future brews. Definitely give the dry hopping a shot... it's very easy, and makes an excellent difference in the aroma especially. Cheers!

 

[ChrisJPassarelli]

One final note, too... I mistakenly said "dextrose," which is totally fermentable; maltodextrin, on the other hand, isn't. The 1 lb. addition of that in your recipe means you will indeed have a good bit of extra FG, so 1.020 really isn't too far from reality. Within the margin of error, almost.

In short, the risk of a restarted fermentation and bottle bombs is even lower that I would have guessed before. Hope you're all set!

 

[beerman0001]

Alright Hater. Dunkel = Dark Weizen = wheat = Dark Wheat. And heres the ingredient list.

Ingredients

6.6 lb. Briess Bavarian Wheat LME
1 lb. Maltodextrin
8 oz. Crushed Chocolate
8 oz. Crushed Munich Malt
Danstar Munich Yeast
1 oz. Willamette Bittering Hops – 4.7% alpha acid
1 oz. German Spalt Select Aroma Hops – 2.2% Alpha Acid
5oz. Priming Sugar

Additional Details

SG 1.062
FG 1.022
5.3% ABV

ummm
Dunkel, or Dunkles, is a dark German beer. Dunkel is the German word meaning dark, and dunkel beers typically range in colour from amber to dark reddish brown. They are characterized by their smooth malty flavour.[1]

Dunkel, along with helles, is a traditional style brewed in Munich and popular throughout Bavaria. With alcohol concentrations of 4.5% to 6% by volume, dunkels are weaker than Doppelbocks, another traditional dark Bavarian beer. Dunkels are produced using Munich malts which give the Dunkel its colour. Other malts or flavours may also be added.

Dunkels were the original style of the Bavarian villages and countryside. Lighter-coloured lagers were not common until the later part of the 19th century when technological advances made them easier to produce.

Dunkels have a distinctive malty flavour that comes from a special brewing technique called decoction mashing.

Most commonly, dunkel beers are dark lagers, but the term is also used to refer to dark wheat beers such as Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel. Dunkel weizen is another term used to refer to dark wheat beers, which are fruity and sweet with more dark, roasted malts than their lighter counterpart, the hefeweizen.