Why can't I get it right?

[the_bird]

the sg was 1.072 and the final was 1.022 , I think it needed to ferment a little longer
that FG looks a little bit high.

How did you aerate the beer? Big beers, especially, need lots of O2 for the yeast, or you risk stuck fermenations.

 

[cyberjoey80]

You guys are going to laugh at me for this one but I don't mind feeling stupid sometimes. I ordered an aeriation stone from Midwest. It was supposed to be here Dec x. (can't remember exact date). Anyway, I had all my beer supplies ready, including O2 tank but no stone. It got lost in the mail for over 3 weeks. After a week of waiting, I bought the only thing I could find with a reverse thread for an o2 tank. That was a dual hose for welding. It was meant to connect to mapp gas and o2 for a powerful flame. I just sanitized the whole handle, turned it on and threw it in the bottom of the fermenter (not hooked to mapp gas, just o2) They were some huuge bubbles. I finally got the stone and used it on my newest batch and realized how fine the bubbles are supposed to be. So I guess you can say that I infused it with o2, only not sure how effective it was.

 

[boldone]

Extract recipes are usual acurate with their estimated OG & FG. And dry yeast is usually fairly good at hitting it's apparent attenuation. I have brewed this kit before and the OG should not be higher than 1.068. I ran the recipe through TastyBrew's calculator and came up with this:

OG 1.066
FG 1.017
IBU 64
ABV 6.3 %
SRM 9


I have a feeling maybe your hydrometer readings were slightly off. Adjust the temp of your brew and you should see (taste) a big improvement.

 

[homebrewer_99]

...I'm not doing the math!!!- I'm the math idiot...

Some days I feel like a savant without the math skills...

 

[berudd]

I agree that 1.022 for a FG is high. I don't think I have done anything that was above the 1.013 range. A higher gravity means that you still have some unfermented sugar in there.

Here is what I would recommend. Step back and pretend you are doing it all for the first time. Go to Austin Homebrew and orde an extract kit for a style of beer you like but something fairly basic. I recommend the Warrior Pale Ale. Forget your present assumptions and concentrate on the kit instructions. Maybe have someone else following along with you to make sure you are not missinterpreting the instructions. I'd also so to bottle it instead of kegging it this time as well. Measure you OG and your FG and make sure they match what the kit says they should. If you are off on these, then you may have made a mistake somewhere.

I think you should try to keep the fermentation temps under 70. I have used the 1056 yeast with fermentation temps around 65 and it came out great. After bottleing, leave it alond in for a couple of weeks and then see what happens. The Warrior will have some floral aroma but it won't be sweet.

 

[cyberjoey80]

Yeah..it is possible that my hydrometer readings are off. I don't know why I have so much trouble reading this thing accurately. Chalk it up to a seasoned rookie. I think I am going to try and brew the same exact beer (even though it may be over my head a little) and use my fridge to keep everything on par with the receipe sheet and give it more time in secondary. Maybe about 3-4 weeks. I am not in a hurry so I have nothing to lose.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Carbonated with CO2 over 7 days.

7 days being forced carbed, isn't long enough to age your beer.

 

[cyberjoey80]

What kind of time frame are you recommending? Since I have pulled some out already, is it too late? This is my first keg batch. I am thinking to just leave psi around 10 for a few weeks more. Think that will work?

 

[BrettMan]

Wow - you guys know a lot about making some beer! I would have never guessed that the size of my boil would have any effect on how much I get outta my hops.... that's good to know.

I can only hope to be as brew-savvy one day!

 

[Yooper]

Wow - you guys know a lot about making some beer! I would have never guessed that the size of my boil would have any effect on how much I get outta my hops.... that's good to know.

I can only hope to be as brew-savvy one day!

I learn things on here every day! I didn't realize the size of the boil changed hops utilization a couple of months ago, either. My beers get better each time, from all the things I'm learning on here.

Lorena

 

[boo boo]

A f.g. of 1.022 is terribly high- no wonder it tastes sweet. You kegged it, right? Otherwise, I'm thinking bottle bombs. Depending on the attenuation (I'm not doing the math!!!- I'm the math idiot), the beer is possibly/probably not done.
Lorena

I agree with Lorenae. 1.022 is high and from a combination of a low amount (6g) of dry yeast into a high gravity under oxygenated wort that isn't a full boil will give you under attenuated wort in which you used hops more appropriate for a full 5 gallon boil.

In effect your yeast pooped out before it was finished and your bittering level wasn't enough to counteract the sweetness.

 

[Lusch]

try festabrew, or all 23 litres in the kit to get your confidence back
A