Fg Problems

[nine_cases]

Hi guys, I am currently using a thermostat but am having problems getting my FG down. This is a problem across both largers and ales and I cannot work out what I am doing wrong. I currently have a pale ale using good yeast at 22*c and it has been sitting at 1016 for the past few days. Same problem for two largers I did where the lowest I got them was 1012 (one was a fresh wort kit as well).

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?​

 

[unrealeous]

Hi guys, I am currently using a thermostat but am having problems getting my FG down. This is a problem across both largers and ales and I cannot work out what I am doing wrong. I currently have a pale ale using good yeast at 22*c and it has been sitting at 1016 for the past few days. Same problem for two largers I did where the lowest I got them was 1012 (one was a fresh wort kit as well).

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?​

Apart from your wild indenting - doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong.

1016 for an ale and 1012 for lagers isn't unreasonable. What are you expecting?

[Edit] - and welcome to the forums

 

[bcp]

Hi guys, I am currently using a thermostat but am having problems getting my FG down. This is a problem across both largers and ales and I cannot work out what I am doing wrong. I currently have a pale ale using good yeast at 22*c and it has been sitting at 1016 for the past few days. Same problem for two largers I did where the lowest I got them was 1012 (one was a fresh wort kit as well).

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?​

Are you mashing at the right temp? If you mash high you may have more unfermentables in there.
Is your yeast healthy? I found getting my starters right made a big difference in FG.

 

[Pennywise]

Are your other non fresh wort brews AG or extract?

 

[nine_cases]

Unrealous - this is my first time posting (on any forum ever) so its baby steps for me with the formatting. SO far It hasn't affected the taste in any of my brews but I was told by my LHBS that i should be getting below 1010. Thanks for the welcome as well.

bcp - I'm not mashing (yet) just extract, yeast is healthy I'm using safale s-04 for this pale ale. However i did not create a starter just sprinkled it on top.

pennywise - my other brews are extract.

Thanks for the fast replys guys.

 

[Pennywise]

extract brews do tend to finish higher, from memory most of mine were in the 1014 area. You could try subbing a few hundred grams of dextrose to bring get a lower FG. Being a much more simpler sugar it will ferment out 100% (or near enough to it), where as malt extract has a portion of complex sugars that the yeast can't/wont eat, hence the higher FG's.

 

[nine_cases]

That what I did try, in this pale ale I have 940 g malt extract (used 60 g to try and culture) and 250 g BE2. Are there any garunteed steps in the brewing or fementing phases that will lower my FG? (temp, boil time, fermetation, finings etc)

 

[Pennywise]

BE2 isn't dextrose. It's a mixture of 25% malt (mostly fermentable), 50% dextrose (fully fermentable), and 25% maltodextrin (not fermentable much at all, if at all). IMO be2 wont help you bring down the FG, grab youself some dextrose and replace 2-300g of the malt with that.

 

[nine_cases]

I knew it wasn't all dextrose but I didn't know it was that much. I'll try another batch with that. Cheers.

 

[pimpsqueak]

I'd be happy with 1012. In fact that's what my latest brew finished at.
You say you're using "a good yeast", what yeast is it exactly? Just how low are you wanting to go? Are you trying to make a diabetic-safe beer?
You could always try using a yeast nutrient to maximise attenuation. (Not that I am a fan of that)
Still, the easiest way without too much bother is swapping out some malt in favour of dex.

 

[nine_cases]

pimpsqueak - I'm currently using safale s-04. I was going on the advice of my LHBS who said I should be aiming for under 1010 and it has been bothering me that I can't get it down. It's good to hear that it isn't my own wrong doings. I am going to try and add some mre dextrose. Why aren't you a fan of using yeast nutrient pimpsqueak?

 

[pimpsqueak]

Basically I'm not a huge fan of adding anything outside of "The Big 4". Whilst technically there's nothing wrong with it, I shall be avoiding it (except for maybe yeast farming.. dunno)

It's entirely up to your personal tastes at the end of the day. 1012-1016 is pretty good FG I reckon. I'm not at home right now, so I can't plug your ingredients into beersmith to see what the predicted FG would be. *Anyone else care to oblige?*
Just because one person reckons you should be aiming for 1010, don't go writing your brew off because you're only a point or 2 away. There's plenty of calcs and free software you can try out to see for yourself what the FG estimate is.
What's your batch size?

 

[Camo1234]

pimpsqueak - I'm currently using safale s-04. I was going on the advice of my LHBS who said I should be aiming for under 1010 and it has been bothering me that I can't get it down. It's good to hear that it isn't my own wrong doings. I am going to try and add some mre dextrose. Why aren't you a fan of using yeast nutrient pimpsqueak?

Did your LHBS tell you to ferment around 24c as well? The HBS that I bought my starter gear from gave me the usual handout for beginners and a can of goo and 1 kg of Dex... Needless to say my first brew was terrible!

Its amazing how useless the instructions are that some LHBS's give out to first time brewers... These are the people that can become life long customers and they give them an inferior (yes easier) product that is likely to turn them off brewing for life... Why not give them a better informed instruction sheet and first recipe so that they enjoy their first beer? Yes it will be more work and more involved but if your not prepared to do that in your first brew there is no chance you are going to do it down the track and should give up right then and there!

 

[pimpsqueak]

Did your LHBS tell you to ferment around 24c as well? The HBS that I bought my starter gear from gave me the usual handout for beginners and a can of goo and 1 kg of Dex... Needless to say my first brew was terrible!

Its amazing how useless the instructions are that some LHBS's give out to first time brewers... These are the people that can become life long customers and they give them an inferior (yes easier) product that is likely to turn them off brewing for life... Why not give them a better informed instruction sheet and first recipe so that they enjoy their first beer? Yes it will be more work and more involved but if your not prepared to do that in your first brew there is no chance you are going to do it down the track and should give up right then and there!

+1
Same in any hobby I reckon. Man have I heard some crappy advice given out to those who were starting out (in aquariums particularily, but also brewing)

 

[nine_cases]

My original instruction weren't too bad but not great. They did tell me to brew between 20-24. What I think they should have included were the what not to do's ie dont open your primary to have a gander and don't pour the fg samples back in, two things that I have since learnt are a good way to spoil your brew (I learnt the hard way). And I don't get why the lhbs would put together these kits and include dextrose, why not malt extract from the get go.

 

[pimpsqueak]

My guess is the almighty dollar.

I see by your sig you have a few brews in various stages. How is the finished product? I'm betting you didn't hit 1010 on many, if any of those. I will test them for you if you like

 

[nine_cases]

I reckon your right pimpsqueak, still be nice for them to offer you the 'upgrade' right from the start. As for the fg's I had a summer ale (fresh wort kit all gone now) that managed to get to 1010 otherwise they are all about 1012. As for sharing I'm always open to critical reviews.