Consistently high FG

[kane85]

Hi guys, just a quick question.

My last few brews no matter what the OG is have all finished with an FG of 1010 to 1014. I know these are still low enough to work with but i would still like to be hitting at least the 1008 mark. Is there anything I can do to assist this? The brews have been a range of basic can kit, boiled extract with grain, and a half grain pimped out can brew. Brew temps have been from 10degrees in winter to 24 degrees now its summer. There has not been any real issue with the beers so i'm hoping im just putting too much emphasis on the FG?

 

[kane85]

As a side note i will be re testing my hydrometer when i get home as i realize i have not checked its accuracy in water for a while,

 

[manticle]

Any reason you want to hit 1008? There are methods to get it lower but if the beer is OK, I'm not sure you need to worry.

 

[AndrewQLD]

kit and all extract brews would not as a rule finish lower than 1.010, your kit and grain brew could if you mash at the lower temp of 63°.

 

[kane85]

Any reason you want to hit 1008? There are methods to get it lower but if the beer is OK, I'm not sure you need to worry.

Just due to the general idea i have picked up from reading is anything above 1010 is high. A lot of the recipes tried all call for a FG of about 1008. I used to always hit around this mark. Its not really an issue, as i said the beer has been fine. Im more wanting to know why its not getting as low. Hopefully its the hydrometer being off.

 

[manticle]

If your earlier brews were kit/kilo and you are now adding malt extract, that will result in a higher FG.

1008 is quite low. 1010 is not high generally speaking - preferred FG is often style/beer dependent.

 

[Spiesy]

Lots of factors will influence your FG.

Mash temp. Type of fermentables used. Type of yeast used - condition and handling of that yeast. Fermentation conditions (i.e. temperature).

Saying that 1010 is too high is a pretty large generalisation, as Manticle points out - different beer styles will generally demand a different FG. But having said that, as a generalisation, I certainly don't think 1010 is high.... 1008 and 1010 are pretty close, you're talking two gravity points here.

 

[carniebrew]

I don't recall any of my extract with spec grain brews finishing below 1012, it's quite normal.

My extract dunkel, using 3068 yeast at 17C always finishes around 1017 (even with a forced ferment test) and it's lurvely IMHO.

RDWHAHB!

 

[kane85]

Cheers all. Will be happy with what I am getting then.

 

[merlin032]

In AG brewing you can control the ferment-ability of the wort by varying the mash temperature.

In extract/kit brewing you don't have that ability, it's already been mashed - to whatever the manufacturers specifications were.

The kit makers know that most people will go from the kit instructions and add 1kg of sugar. And they usually mash the extract to give you a dry beer finishing at ~1.006ish when you use 1kg of sugar

Extract brewers often substitute malt extract and maltodextrine (or spec grains) for sugar, this adds body and flavour but also creates a less fermentable wort.

Sugar is close to 100% fermentable
Malt extract varies from brand, but often around the 75% mark (most manufacturers of extract publish this figure)
Maltodextrin is only 20% fermentable, it's generally used to add body.

When you substitute the sugar for malt extract or maltodextrine, you end up with a less fermentable wort, and more residual sugar in the end product.

So, the key concept is, you can control your FG by controlling the ferment-ability of the wort, and you do this by controlling the amount of sugar you add vs malt extract / maltodextrine

Just be sure that that's what you actually want though - like others have mentioned some styles demand a fuller body.

 

[Screwtop]

In AG brewing you can control the ferment-ability of the wort by varying the mash temperature.

In extract/kit brewing you don't have that ability, it's already been mashed - to whatever the manufacturers specifications were.

The kit makers know that most people will go from the kit instructions and add 1kg of sugar. And they usually mash the extract to give you a dry beer finishing at ~1.006ish when you use 1kg of sugar

Extract brewers often substitute malt extract and maltodextrine (or spec grains) for sugar, this adds body and flavour but also creates a less fermentable wort.

Sugar is close to 100% fermentable
Malt extract varies from brand, but often around the 75% mark (most manufacturers of extract publish this figure)
Maltodextrin is only 20% fermentable, it's generally used to add body.

When you substitute the sugar for malt extract or maltodextrine, you end up with a less fermentable wort, and more residual sugar in the end product.

So, the key concept is, you can control your FG by controlling the ferment-ability of the wort, and you do this by controlling the amount of sugar you add vs malt extract / maltodextrine

Just be sure that that's what you actually want though - like others have mentioned some styles demand a fuller body.

As Merlin points out above, adjuncts affect fermentability. Some are more fermentable and others less fermentable. In your OP you mentioned the addition of grain ("The brews have been a range of basic can kit, boiled extract with grain, and a half grain pimped out can brew."), steeped I guess. If the grain was crystal/cara, these also contribute to a less fermentable wort. They are designed to add colour, flavour and sweetness/body. Beer is a sweet malty drink........... balanced by some bitterness, usually but not always provided by the use of hops in the boil, and as Manticle rightly points out balance, OG and FG can all be style dependent. A big IPA can finish at 1.016 with a sweet full mouthfeel but be perfectly balanced by the use of a big charge of bittering hops.

Screwy