US-05 finished?

[slime]

Hi all, I feel I may not have escaped my first brewday without a few mistakes, I didn't rehydrate the US-05 and I didn't aerate the wort (except for pouring it from the kettle into the fermenter)... Now after 8 days my IPA's FG is staying at 1.024 rather than the 1.015 predicted by the beersmith recipe, OG was dead on at 1.060, same with SG at 1.050. I fermented as consistently as i could between 64-70 degrees. Have let it warm to 72 and swirled it a tiny bit over the last few days but its staying at 1.024, smells great but tastes a fair bit sweeter than I'd hoped. Don't think I underpitched because I'm doing 3 gal batches and i put a whole packet in. Should I pitch more yeast? Would that have negative repercussions?

Have searched a lot but often advice is that their primary is done. Is there a way to avoid a sugary beer or is that the end of it?

 

[IslandLizard]

Chances are it isn't done, 8 days is too short. Let it ferment at least 3 weeks, maybe 4. Swirling the yeast back into the beer may help to get it started up again, as do slightly higher temps (70-74°F).

Unless you have a real lot of unfermentables in there it should attenuate further. I guess this brew is from extract?

 

[slime]

Ok thanks a lot, thats kinda what I wanted to hear. Happy to leave it in primary for 3-4 weeks. It was an All Grain brew, BIAB.

 

[rayfound]

Did your mash temps match the beersmith mash profile you used?

 

[slime]

My mash temps may have dropped from the 68.9 degrees on the beersmith profile a few times by 2-3 degrees. I wrapped the pot in towels and tried not to check the temp too many times because it meant lifing the lid. I gave it more gas once or twice. Could i have screwed up the mash and still got the correct OG reading?

 

[rayfound]

My mash temps may have dropped from the 68.9 degrees on the beersmith profile a few times by 2-3 degrees. I wrapped the pot in towels and tried not to check the temp too many times because it meant lifing the lid. I gave it more gas once or twice. Could i have screwed up the mash and still got the correct OG reading?

Lower temps would yield a lower FG, not higher. Mash probably isn't the culprit. OG would be about the same regardless of mash temp, provided it was in the general range.

 

[BigFloyd]

You're ferment temps were OK (if measured on the fermenter). Maybe a touch on the warm side. US-05 does great at 64-65*F. What temp did you pitch at?

8 days??? Leave it completely alone for another 2 weeks and then see if you have an attenuation problem (or not). I would not try to raise the temp over 70*F.

 

[slime]

Thanks guys, am going to leave this baby alone.

 

[kapbrew13]

My mash temps may have dropped from the 68.9 degrees on the beersmith profile a few times by 2-3 degrees. I wrapped the pot in towels and tried not to check the temp too many times because it meant lifing the lid. I gave it more gas once or twice. Could i have screwed up the mash and still got the correct OG reading?

Mash at 68? I mashed at 145. Did I do something wrong? Is that in Celsius?

 

[slime]

Sorry yeah that's celsius, learning to use fahrenheit but old habits die hard!

 

[rayfound]

Sorry yeah that's celsius, learning to use fahrenheit but old habits die hard!

You're fine with C. Don't switch on account of us.

 

[beersk]

This probably isn't your issue since it sounds like you didn't apply heat to the kettle during the mash, but, I've had issues with under attenuation with brews in a bag. I think because with my kettle not having a thick bottom and applying direct heat to the mash to keep it at the same temperature. I think what this does is denatures some enzymes since the wort at the bottom of the kettle, near the burner will be hotter, perhaps as high as 170, which will denature some enzymes. All of my brews in a bag have stopped at around 1.018 to 1.020. I aerate well, pitch a ton of yeast, even low gravity beers stop short. The ONLY thing I can think is causing this is my theory of applying direct heat, even with stirring, the bottom of the kettle will still be hot. In using a false bottom, the enzymes are in the thin part, the liquid, so this is what makes sense to me.
But it doesn't sound like that's your issue. Perhaps just under aerated, not enough yeast since you didn't rehydrate...
Just wanted to share my brew in a bag experience. Cheers & beers.

 

[ryanhope]

You should really bump the temp up on your fermenter a few degrees and the US-05 will get down to your target FG.

 

[slime]

So 2.5 weeks after brewday my FG is still at 1.024, looks to be done. Thanks to some of your input and a Brew Strong episode about attenuation I'm thinking a few things about why my US-05 didn't attenuate to the expected 1.015...

-Possibly denatured the enzymes during mash, when i used the flame (although i lifted the BIAB bag while i did), or by having the strike temp too high initially (168).

-Possibly mashed too high (156), the grain bill was 75% pale, 12.5% Crystal 20, 12.5% wheat.

-Didn't aerate wort

Not sure whether to bottle it or to pitch a new starter of a high attenuating yeast.
Its an IPA with 55 ibu, I'm thinking that the extra body may not be so bad. The taste seems ok but I'm just not confident it's going to be drinkable in any quantity...

Do homebrewers gain a higher tolerance for gross beer from looking at a damn fermenter for weeks?

 

[beersk]

-Possibly denatured the enzymes during mash, when i used the flame (although i lifted the BIAB bag while i did), or by having the strike temp too high initially (168).

The enzymes are in the thin part of the mash though. That is why decoction mashing works, because you pull the thick part leaving as much liquid behind as possible.

I hate when my beer under attenuates. I prefer most beers to finish in the 1.012-1.016 range. Good luck, use this as a learning experience.