I transferred my IPA from primary to secondary. The OG was 75, higher than the 71-072 the recipe called for. Primary fermentation was extremely active but I didn't do transfer until today, 9 days after boil. On transfer today the gravity is 12! The FG is supposed to be 17-18 per the recipe. The wort is still sweet, but I'm afraid of getting solvent notes if it gets too high an ABV. So what do I do?
Reached target FG too early
- Thread starter SonOfGosh
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Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Going from 1.075 to 1.012 puts it at 8.4% ABV...
What is the brew?
I would have left it on the yeast (since it's using ale yeast) for the duration. Especially since it had a high OG... Since you've already racked it off the yeast, you might as well leave it in the bright tank for at least a few weeks, or longer. IF it doesn't taste hot, then just give it time to finish up... Take a SG reading (a single low SG reading isn't a FG) in a few weeks, then another a few days later and compare. TASTE the sample after you've taken to reading. IF it tastes ready, bottle/keg it... If not, give it more time...
I hate how so many instructions tell people to rack off of the yeast after X days, or when fermentation slows... Doesn't mean it's actually ready to be moved, or that it's even a good idea to rack it. I'm not the only person that's tossed racking to a bright tank out the window (as a process)... There are a few cases where it makes sense, such as racking OFF of a flavor element and onto another. Or after several weeks on the cake, and you're planning to age it on another element for weeks more. Otherwise, chances are you'll get a great brew by leaving it on the yeast... There are people that have left their brew in primary for MONTHS with zero ill effect (Revvy has mentioned going 6 months with one brew)... Personally, I've gone 6 weeks so far and had a great brew because of it. I'm not even thinking about taking a brew off of the yeast cake until it's been there for 3-4 weeks... Every time I do this, I get really, really clear brews, that taste great. I just wish I had known to do this for my first two batches...
What is the brew?
I would have left it on the yeast (since it's using ale yeast) for the duration. Especially since it had a high OG... Since you've already racked it off the yeast, you might as well leave it in the bright tank for at least a few weeks, or longer. IF it doesn't taste hot, then just give it time to finish up... Take a SG reading (a single low SG reading isn't a FG) in a few weeks, then another a few days later and compare. TASTE the sample after you've taken to reading. IF it tastes ready, bottle/keg it... If not, give it more time...
I hate how so many instructions tell people to rack off of the yeast after X days, or when fermentation slows... Doesn't mean it's actually ready to be moved, or that it's even a good idea to rack it. I'm not the only person that's tossed racking to a bright tank out the window (as a process)... There are a few cases where it makes sense, such as racking OFF of a flavor element and onto another. Or after several weeks on the cake, and you're planning to age it on another element for weeks more. Otherwise, chances are you'll get a great brew by leaving it on the yeast... There are people that have left their brew in primary for MONTHS with zero ill effect (Revvy has mentioned going 6 months with one brew)... Personally, I've gone 6 weeks so far and had a great brew because of it. I'm not even thinking about taking a brew off of the yeast cake until it's been there for 3-4 weeks... Every time I do this, I get really, really clear brews, that taste great. I just wish I had known to do this for my first two batches...
jimsnewbrew
Member
I am in a similar situation as Sonofgosh. My IPA (my first batch other than MR. Beer) is an extract plus grain batch. I brewed 2.75 Gal and at the advise of the local HB store I pitched a whole pack of dry yeast sized for a 5gal batch. The temp in my basement started out at 67 F but with this freaking second winter, it went down to 61. After 5 days, I had no bubbles in my air lock and it looked like nothing was happening so as per the recipe, I racked it to secondary today. My OG was 1.077 with a target FG (predicted by Beersmith) of 1.020. I took a gravity reading after racking it and got 1.015. I get 1 bubble every 4 to 5 minutes. The plan was to ferment in secondary for 10 days and to dry hop for the last 5. I will take a gravity reading again tomorrow.
If I get the same reading for 2 or 3 days in a row, should I stick with the plan or bottle it sooner?
Thanks for your help,
Jim
If I get the same reading for 2 or 3 days in a row, should I stick with the plan or bottle it sooner?
Thanks for your help,
Jim
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Hydrometer readings only tell part of the story... You need to taste the brew before you decide to bottle it up. Or give it plenty of time on the yeast cake...
I wish that the stores would also warn people about the potential issues that come with racking to a bright tank. For one thing, you have an increased risk/chance of contamination. For another, you're making more work for yourself than you need to. You can let it go MONTHS on the yeast cake with zero negative impact. If anything, there's a higher chance of getting a better brew from the recipe.
Personally, I wouldn't bottle a moderate OG brew before it's been on the yeast for a solid month. Talking about an OG of 1.065 or lower. Anything higher, I go 5 weeks as a minimum, with 6+ weeks being preferred. Since your brew is at 1.077, I would leave it alone for another month. Taste it every week or two (if you must) and then after a few days with the dry hops added. Probably pretty safe to let it dry hop for a solid week there too (depending on how much you plan to add)...
I have an ESB in primary that I'll be dry hopping for about a week (could go a bit longer)... I won't even be looking at it until it's been on the yeast for 3-4 weeks. The OG there was 1.068, so 4-5 weeks on the yeast should do well. Of course, I'll taste it before I decide to dry hop it (and take a SG)... I'll be dry hopping in primary.
At this point, I plan on having a brew go from grain to glass in 7+ weeks. That includes time on the yeast, and 3 weeks bottle conditioning/carbonating. Bigger brews have gone about 3+ months grain to glass. Hell, I have a wee heavy with an OG of 1.072 that sat on the yeast for just shy of 6 weeks before I added oak cubes (on Friday)... I plan on letting it sit on those for about 3-4 weeks before checking and seeing if it's ready for bottling... So it will be about 10 weeks from grain to bottling... Maybe longer.
Don't put a human calendar onto your brew... Yeast needs time to do it's magic... Let it have what it needs and you'll be rewarded with great brew.
I wish that the stores would also warn people about the potential issues that come with racking to a bright tank. For one thing, you have an increased risk/chance of contamination. For another, you're making more work for yourself than you need to. You can let it go MONTHS on the yeast cake with zero negative impact. If anything, there's a higher chance of getting a better brew from the recipe.
Personally, I wouldn't bottle a moderate OG brew before it's been on the yeast for a solid month. Talking about an OG of 1.065 or lower. Anything higher, I go 5 weeks as a minimum, with 6+ weeks being preferred. Since your brew is at 1.077, I would leave it alone for another month. Taste it every week or two (if you must) and then after a few days with the dry hops added. Probably pretty safe to let it dry hop for a solid week there too (depending on how much you plan to add)...
I have an ESB in primary that I'll be dry hopping for about a week (could go a bit longer)... I won't even be looking at it until it's been on the yeast for 3-4 weeks. The OG there was 1.068, so 4-5 weeks on the yeast should do well. Of course, I'll taste it before I decide to dry hop it (and take a SG)... I'll be dry hopping in primary.
At this point, I plan on having a brew go from grain to glass in 7+ weeks. That includes time on the yeast, and 3 weeks bottle conditioning/carbonating. Bigger brews have gone about 3+ months grain to glass. Hell, I have a wee heavy with an OG of 1.072 that sat on the yeast for just shy of 6 weeks before I added oak cubes (on Friday)... I plan on letting it sit on those for about 3-4 weeks before checking and seeing if it's ready for bottling... So it will be about 10 weeks from grain to bottling... Maybe longer.
Don't put a human calendar onto your brew... Yeast needs time to do it's magic... Let it have what it needs and you'll be rewarded with great brew.
@ Golddiggie - This is a clone recipe for Stone IPA. This is just my my second batch (after 3 batches just 18 years ago! ;-) so I figured why not shoot for the moon as a starting point? ;-) There is a ton of malt in this one - 5 lbs. DME and 4 lbs LME.
Good info on leaving it on the yeast - thanks.
This definitely needs more time but I'm also concerned as there is zero CO2 production at this point. I'm wondering if I should bring it upstairs as it's a little warmer so might cause enough fermentation to at least push out any oxygen in the carboy. Downstairs it's a pretty steady 66-68.
Good info on leaving it on the yeast - thanks.
This definitely needs more time but I'm also concerned as there is zero CO2 production at this point. I'm wondering if I should bring it upstairs as it's a little warmer so might cause enough fermentation to at least push out any oxygen in the carboy. Downstairs it's a pretty steady 66-68.
jimsnewbrew
Member
Goldiggie,
Thanks for the info. I tend to overthink everything I do. (Retired mechanical engineer) I guess my concern is that when I quit seeing bubbles, I lose confidence that there is still CO2 over the beer protecting it.
Jim
Thanks for the info. I tend to overthink everything I do. (Retired mechanical engineer) I guess my concern is that when I quit seeing bubbles, I lose confidence that there is still CO2 over the beer protecting it.
Jim
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Guys... Remember: RDWHAHB!
If the wort is in the happy range for the yeast, leave it be... If it's not, then warm it slightly. That could be as simple as moving it to another room, or getting one of the heating items to go around the primary... I've also used a heating pad on it's lowest setting to get a little more warmth into a brew...
Also, as it's plastered all over the place here, airlock movements are no reflection of what's going on inside the fermenter. The ONLY thing it means is that it's not producing enough excess CO2 to need to release some via the airlock. OR your bucket's lid isn't on tight enough and it's venting from there.
I have one brew that is slated for bottling soon, that stopped having airlock movements after about 10 days from when the yeast was pitched. I just left it alone. I know that giving the brew more time on the yeast cake lets the yeast clean up any off flavors that might have been produced while it was fermenting. The only way around that is to have a fermentation chamber that you can set to a tight temperature range for the brew... I have neither the space, or funds, to do that right now. Luckily, the room I ferment in is usually within the range I need.
If the wort is in the happy range for the yeast, leave it be... If it's not, then warm it slightly. That could be as simple as moving it to another room, or getting one of the heating items to go around the primary... I've also used a heating pad on it's lowest setting to get a little more warmth into a brew...
Also, as it's plastered all over the place here, airlock movements are no reflection of what's going on inside the fermenter. The ONLY thing it means is that it's not producing enough excess CO2 to need to release some via the airlock. OR your bucket's lid isn't on tight enough and it's venting from there.
I have one brew that is slated for bottling soon, that stopped having airlock movements after about 10 days from when the yeast was pitched. I just left it alone. I know that giving the brew more time on the yeast cake lets the yeast clean up any off flavors that might have been produced while it was fermenting. The only way around that is to have a fermentation chamber that you can set to a tight temperature range for the brew... I have neither the space, or funds, to do that right now. Luckily, the room I ferment in is usually within the range I need.
Well, I personally would NEVER want an IPA or IIPA to finish at 1.018! That's WAY too high for an IPA. So whoever gave you the "target" FG was simply wrong. A FG of 1.010-1.014 is a better target for an IPA or IIPA.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
The only IPA I'll consider brewing right now is an English IPA... Basically, I don't care for a brew with a lot of IBU's... For me 45-50 IBU in a moderate OG brew is the limit... I can't drink DFH 60 minute IPA at all... All I get is bitter from it...
I will say, that I did like my semi-ESB that had an OG of 1.052 and FG of 1.010...
I'm still working on getting style mash temp ranges factored properly... I made a few with mash temps in the 156-158F range, and found they finished a bit higher than I wanted... So, I've decided to go with more in the 150-153F range... Figure it's just part of the learning curve with all grain brewing... Use the right mash temp for the brew to get to the range you want for the FG...
I will say, that I did like my semi-ESB that had an OG of 1.052 and FG of 1.010...
I'm still working on getting style mash temp ranges factored properly... I made a few with mash temps in the 156-158F range, and found they finished a bit higher than I wanted... So, I've decided to go with more in the 150-153F range... Figure it's just part of the learning curve with all grain brewing... Use the right mash temp for the brew to get to the range you want for the FG...
18 would be for a very high OG beer. I think my preference would be 1.010-1.012 for an IPA. You want it clean, crisp, and drinkable not cloying and "thick" so I think you'll be happier anyway!
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
I'll second the lower FG being a really good thing... The brew I made that finished at 1.010 was really easy to drink... Just hope the second batch finishes in the same area... The OG is higher this time, since I didn't F up the mash...
What's kind of ironic is that my first batch was an APA and I didn't take a SG before deciding to bottle - just did the one week primary 2 week secondary rotation. It turned out to be a great session beer by all accounts, but another week would have helped a lot. The FG was 20 when it should have been 15-16. If I can keep making mistakes like that one I'll be a happy man.
jimsnewbrew
Member
I am brewing a clone of Great Divides Titan. It finishes pretty malty so I was not too concerned when Beersmith predicted 1.020 with the top of the range being 1.018. My reading today was 1.015 using my refractometer and Northernbrewers conversion calculator. The conversion could be a few points off. I also have added a lamp to warm up the wort a little. It is now at 62-63 F up from 60-61F. I now am getting 1 bubble every 2 minutes. This is in a carboy so I would expect no leaks.
I am learning. Thanks for the help.
I am learning. Thanks for the help.
