Extract Attenuation

[BruceL]

I've only beer brewing for a year, but have found one of the most frustrating things is the variation in fermentability of malt extract. I like to adjust the OG (by varying volume or amount of malt) in an attempt to get an ABV and FG appropriate to the style. However, I've had attenuations varying from 65% to 85%. This variation has resulted in the occasional overly sweet, high FG beer.

Ive brewed most of my beers with Safale 56, and temperatures ranging from 19-22c. So the variation does appear to be due to the extract rather than yeast or temperatures.

It appears that certain kits/extract are more fermentable than others. From my limited information (12 kit brews) it seems that the variation is between manufacturers rather than between kits made by the same manufacturer.

What have other people found?

How would you rank the fermentability of the kits available in Australia?

 

[Mr Bond]

Are u using liquid extract to boost up the can or Dry malt extract?

In my extract days I would use 3kg of Liquid extrac Plus 500 gms of dextrose(base) to thin/lighten the overall body and mouthfeel.
I prefered however to use 2.5 Kg of Dry plus 250 gms dextrose(base) plus a total of 250 gms tops of specialty grains.This combo gave me more of the mouth feel I was after.All extract brews always seemed a little cloying to me.

Make sure you aerate well to give the yeasties a good start.

Nowadays I control my body via mash temps and water to grain ratio.

 

[BruceL]

In most cases I do use a small amount of dextrose. If I am brewing stouts I've done all malt, and occasionally done all malt with highly bittered kits.

The attenuation variations I mentioned ignore the dextrose, which I've assumed is 100% fermentable.

I have had all malt brews of OG 1.040 vary in FG from 1.006 to 1.014.

 

[Kai]

I've always had consistent attenuation with extract, the majority of them being Coopers. If the variation frustrates you, then I'd say either try to stick to one manufacturer or see if you can work out which manufacturers' extract yield what attenuation level.

I found extract always underattenuated, so would regularly compensate with sugar or dextrose.