Why is my ABV so high?

[year2beer]

So I'm sipping on my Belgian honey (8%)... and I can't help but question how one smack pack with no starter got my "honey" induced ale to ferment so fervently?

In fact, all my ales seem to finish higher in ABV than what the recipes call for.

My only thought is the amount of yeast nutrients I utilize...

Does anyone have any other thoughts as to why this continues to happen?

Caveat: I'm not complaining...

Standing by...

J

 

[Sippin37]

What was the OG and FG? Fermentation temp? What amount of yeast nutrients did you utilize? How long in primary? What yeast strain?

I'm just curious too, because I'd love to get mine to bring my FG lower and my ABV higher!

 

[weirdboy]

Maybe you have a nice Brett culture growing in your fermenter.

 

[dcHokie]

maybe your efficiency is higher than the estimated efficiency for the recipe?

 

[year2beer]

Maybe you have a nice Brett culture growing in your fermenter.

Def. Not that... beer is really tasty and no visual signs of Brett...

 

[year2beer]

What was the OG and FG? Fermentation temp? What amount of yeast nutrients did you utilize? How long in primary? What yeast strain?

I'm just curious too, because I'd love to get mine to bring my FG lower and my ABV higher!

Knew someone would ask. LOL...

Og: typically on point with really recipes

Fg: typically .02-05 lower

Temps: 59 for a week, 65 for a week, 70 for final week. All in primary...

I then cold crash and bottle condition @ 70-76F for 3 weeks.

No starters, but I did hydrate my S-04/05

Keep it coming...

 

[TyTanium]

There was a study a while back comparing under pitch, over pitch and proper pitch. IIRC, the under and over pitch BOTH finished lower than the proper pitch. The big difference was the flavor profiles created (proper pitch being by far the best).

 

[HopDr]

It probably has nothing to do with the amount of yeast you are pitching. If you had stuck fermentations or other problems it might mean you need more, but not really the other way around.

Is this AG or extract?

 

[microbusbrewery]

Is this AG or extract?

Assuming it is AG, are you hitting your mash temps? Also (if AG), how much temp loss are you seeing during the mash? Since lower temps results in more fermentable sugars, that would be my first thought.

 

[year2beer]

Assuming it is AG, are you hitting your mash temps? Also (if AG), how much temp loss are you seeing during the mash? Since lower temps results in more fermentable sugars, that would be my first thought.

Extract.

Rule that out...

 

[BrewKnurd]

Extract.

Rule that out...

Could be that you just have highly fermentable extract...

 

[HopDr]

Hmm. The simple answer is that you have more fermentables in there than anticipated, but I think you need to post the recipe if you want more insight into how that happened.

 

[cfonnes]

Hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[year2beer]

Could be that you just have highly fermentable extract...

Hmmm...

I have consistently ordered from Midwest... could be a theme?

I'm thinking my fermentation is kept really controlled and dark. Plus, I made the Wort with love! LMAO

I've played the under/over pitch game... I always finish too low, even with the Mr malty yeast calculation.

Beer is good though... just a little on the "warm" side

 

[year2beer]

Hydrometer or refractometer?

Calibrated hydro

 

[year2beer]

Hmm. The simple answer is that you have more fermentables in there than anticipated, but I think you need to post the recipe if you want more insight into how that happened.

They are all extract kits followed to the letter! No variations...trying to perfect my process first.

Full boils, no late additions.

Ferm/BC schedule above...

 

[KevinW]

Knew someone would ask. LOL...

Og: typically on point with really recipes

Fg: typically .02-05 lower

Temps: 59 for a week, 65 for a week, 70 for final week. All in primary...

I then cold crash and bottle condition @ 70-76F for 3 weeks.

No starters, but I did hydrate my S-04/05

Keep it coming...

You mentioned "one smack pack" in your first post but here you mention hydrating the S-04/05? So is it dry yeast or smack pack/liquid yeast?

Not that it matters all that much but if you are using dry yeast they tend to perform better "under-pitched" then "under-pitching" liquid yeast! Under-pitching meaning using one pack/vial of yeast anyway!

Just a thought!

 

[year2beer]

I do use both... anyone else think it could be yeast nutrient?

 

[Piratwolf]

I do use both... anyone else think it could be yeast nutrient?

The anecdotal evidence I've seen here on HBT seems like a toss up on whether nutrient has any significant effect on attenuation.

My thought is going in a different direction. Listening to JZ's podcasts and reading the "ymmv" posts here have convinced me that the million tiny variables between systems/processes means that everyone will get a slightly different result.

To me, the real question is not the guessing game you've got going here, but why--given your apparent consistency with higher ABV--you haven't adjusted the amount of extract you add so you can hit your target?

 

[year2beer]

The anecdotal evidence I've seen here on HBT seems like a toss up on whether nutrient has any significant effect on attenuation.

My thought is going in a different direction. Listening to JZ's podcasts and reading the "ymmv" posts here have convinced me that the million tiny variables between systems/processes means that everyone will get a slightly different result.

To me, the real question is not the guessing game you've got going here, but why--given your apparent consistency with higher ABV--you haven't adjusted the amount of extract you add so you can hit your target?

Mostly because I am such a beginner. I want to ensure that I am following recipes, minimizing variables, and perfecting my process.

I'm getting ready to brew 2 more kits... and I'm not shooting for a "guessing game"...

The high ABV is something that could be controlled easy enough through constant hydro or refractometer measurments daily.

Also, I'm hitting my OG consistently... although a coarse measurment, it seems reasonable to belive that my attenutation shouldn't be off by 1-2%???

No worries, just curious if anyone else had any experience with this (didn't find anything in the search).

 

[dcp27]

where are you getting your predicted FG value from?

 

[year2beer]

where are you getting your predicted FG value from?

Brewzor, Google, How to Brew calculations (by hand), etc.

Typically, I start at the recipe and then after I use Mr. Malty-- I validate the FG.

My FG's are finishing at 1.005-1.009 consistently. That's too low for one smack pack in my opinion, or one pack of hydrated S-04/05.

 

[Piratwolf]

Rereading my post from earlier, I think I came off a little more rude than I intended. I guess my point was just that if you are consistently getting the same results over a number of brews... then you HAVE perfected your process. From here on it's a matter of adjusting to get the outcome you want.

 

[pm5k00]

have you checked your thermometer against another one, or two? if its off than your adjustments for the hydrometer will be off too.