Dsga Seems Flat

[hellbent]

About 2 weeks ago I posted about my concern on the numbers on my 14ltr DS Golden Ale and was informed by some of you knowledgeable people that they were ok. I have had it fermenting in my Fermenting fridge at between 18c and 20c for 12 days now with the intention to bottle it in another 2 days time. I have just taken a Hydrometer reading and it come up at 1.008, (BrewMates' calculates the FG should be 1.012) .... The thing that concerned me most was that it seemed very flat when I put some in the Hydrometer tube to test and although the taste was great it seemed to have that sort of flat taste about it, no real guts. I used SAFALE-04 yeast (sprinkled) but it never really went mad like the US05 does when I use that, like it never really puffed up the Cling Wrap I had over the top much at all... Is there any possible way of getting some life into the brew? Maybe more dextrose when bottling? or do you think it will come up ok? As this so far is my best AG brew effort to date I am like a bloody expectant father with it, it's my pride and joy and I really don't want it to stuff up now.

 

[Jay Cee]

Maybe more dextrose when bottling?

No.

or do you think it will come up ok?

Yes.



Don't quite know what youre expecting, but your beer should not be carbonated while still in the fermentor.

S04 floccuates more than US05, so maybe previously your were seeing some activity of nucleation points creating a 'fizz', tht is now lacking. That's only speculation, because I dont pay much attention, but Im certain theres no discernabe carbonation when bottling

 

[QldKev]

Do not add more sugar when bottling! You would risk bottle bombs.


It is strange as normally us05 attenuates better than s04, so if anything I would expect the FG to be slightly higher than you are used to.
What yeast did you pick in BrewMate?

Overall as long as the gravity is stable, bottle as per normal.

QldKev

 

[drsmurto]

About 2 weeks ago I posted about my concern on the numbers on my 14ltr DS Golden Ale and was informed by some of you knowledgeable people that they were ok. I have had it fermenting in my Fermenting fridge at between 18c and 20c for 12 days now with the intention to bottle it in another 2 days time. I have just taken a Hydrometer reading and it come up at 1.008, (BrewMates' calculates the FG should be 1.012) .... The thing that concerned me most was that it seemed very flat when I put some in the Hydrometer tube to test and although the taste was great it seemed to have that sort of flat taste about it, no real guts. I used SAFALE-04 yeast (sprinkled) but it never really went mad like the US05 does when I use that, like it never really puffed up the Cling Wrap I had over the top much at all... Is there any possible way of getting some life into the brew? Maybe more dextrose when bottling? or do you think it will come up ok? As this so far is my best AG brew effort to date I am like a bloody expectant father with it, it's my pride and joy and I really don't want it to stuff up now.

S04 does mute the hops a bit unlike US05 so that is likely why you are describing it as a bit lifeless. With some carbonation the hop aroma should lift a little so I wouldn't being doing anything other than bottling at a normal level which for me is no more than 2.0 volumes of CO2.

The attenuation for SO4 is a little surprising although if you pitched an entire packet into 14L the overpitching may explain the low FG.

Expectant father - yes. I was ready to tip out a beer recently that tasted horrid out of the fermenter. Despite brewing for a few years I still fall for those early fermenter samples that aren't what you want. I don't think you ever grow out of this. The beer is now conditioning and tastes great.

 

[Nick JD]

Take another hydro reading tomorrow and on bottling day ... if it's below 1.008 by a significant amount give it a good taste and report back.

 

[hellbent]

Do not add more sugar when bottling! You would risk bottle bombs.


It is strange as normally us05 attenuates better than s04, so if anything I would expect the FG to be slightly higher than you are used to.
What yeast did you pick in BrewMate?

Overall as long as the gravity is stable, bottle as per normal.

QldKev

I had saf 05 as yeast in brewmate.

 

[hellbent]

Just done another reading this morning as suggested by NickJD and it has come up at 1.009. I had a large taste of it and it seemed flattish but ok ....I had intended to bottle tomorrow but now may wait until the day after making it 15 days fermenting

 

[Nick JD]

Just done another reading this morning as suggested by NickJD and it has come up at 1.009. I had a large taste of it and it seemed flattish but ok ....I had intended to bottle tomorrow but now may wait until the day after making it 15 days fermenting

My concern was that it got to 1.008 due to something else in there that likes to eat things yeast can't. So if it was now 1.005 - I'd suggest not bottling it (it would also start to have hints of sourness, or acid).

But it doesn't, so all's good!

 

[mfeighan]

+1 on S04 did a dsga last christmas with it, aggressive yeast was finished in 4 days and 1.009 FG. Lost a fair amount of aroma which wasnt a huge problem as could dry hop.

 

[hellbent]

My concern was that it got to 1.008 due to something else in there that likes to eat things yeast can't. So if it was now 1.005 - I'd suggest not bottling it (it would also start to have hints of sourness, or acid).

But it doesn't, so all's good!

Nick it went from 1.008 to 1.009..... not 1.005...... Still not bottle??

 

[seamad]

Bottle away. If it had dropped to 1005 the brew may have been infected. Sounds all good