US-05 Super High Attenuation and Fast

[cank]

I just brewed BierMunchers Centennial Blond and after 4 Days OG of 1.04 went to 1.002!!!

Fermented at 165

Mashed 149 which I guess was the problem but that was what was recommended. Is there a way this could be an infection. I have had a lot other batches get this low but would not know the the signs of this kind of infection. I really don't like that harsh alcoholic bite at the end of these beers.

This was the first time I used slurry from my last batch and didn't know if I pitched too much? 1/2 Mason Jar.

I think I've only had one of my batches finish at 1.010 with US-05 and that was mashed at 154. Is the best way(only way) to help this yeast finish higher, 155 mash temps? Or should I try a different yeast?

I just ordered some Pac Man yeast but don't want to have this same problem. What temps do you recommend for Pac Man?

Is there any way to fix or help a super low Final Gravity once it's done?

 

[BreezyBrew]

I'd check the thermometer that you mashed with. You may have mashed with a much lower temp than was presented to you.

95% apparent attenuation is really high and it sounds like something with your equipment is off.

 

[BeerLoverHere]

I'd check the thermometer that you mashed with. You may have mashed with a much lower temp than was presented to you.

95% apparent attenuation is really high and it sounds like something with your equipment is off.

Yeah, something seems off w/perhaps your equipment; I've pitched loads of yeast before and had some beers get really low, really fast, but not that low; as far as an infection, I would think it would be too early to tell from my experiences. Maybe not though??? Did you taste it after taking your reading?

 

[cank]

I have several thermometers that I checked last time and they were withing 1 deg of my RTD. I also bought a new Hydrometer last time at my LHBS and it read 1.003

Hydrometer sample tasted like warm bud light? That was my first impression anyway.

It's cold crashing now and I talk a sample again when I keg it this weekend.

 

[BeerLoverHere]

As long as it tastes good to you, that's all the matters!

 

[cank]

Well that was the problem, I don't like that harsh alcoholic bite at the finish. I've been looking into my water as a source of this but I think it is how high the yeast is attenuating. At first I thought it might be tannins or too high mash PH (which could affect some of it) but I think it's mostly that the beer has finished too low.

Nothing to remedy this after the fact? Make some more wort with less fermentables and add it in to the fementer? Add Honey, Sugar? Something to counteract or balance out how dry it is?

 

[BeerLoverHere]

From my experience, honey will dry your beer out even more. At least that is from my experience. When I first started brewing I put honey in everything to boost alcohol flavor and all my beers seem to have the same dry finish. I also think I read this in a "booklet" that came with my original kit many years ago.

I would think you could make some more wort and mash @ 156-ish so that would give you more body/mouth feel/sugars left behind that are not fermentable.

 

[BeerLoverHere]

Add some dextrin to give more body/mouthfeel perhaps?

 

[VincentxH]

This seems to answer my question too.
I had a packet of safale 05 to spare and used it to create some mead.

It's running quite a bit dryer than I expected going from 1.071 to 1.002 in primary fermentation after two weeks (97% attenuation, over 9% ABV).

Has anyone else run into the same problem of safale 05 making your beer/mead far dryer than expected?

And is my guess right that beer yeast has less trouble with fermenting the sugars of honey?