FG Question

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Jourdo

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Hi guys, just wondering if I have reached FG or maybe the yeast has stalled.. would love your opinions..

recipe was
1 Can Coopers Lager
1kg BE1
500g LDM
Kit yeast

Its been in the fermenter for 12 days now and the last three have shown the gravity at 1015.. I thought this was a bit high? or is it possibly done?

Thanks
 
If we are talking 20-23 litres then sure, that's not high. Considering maltodextrin (400 grams in the BE1) is only about 30% fermentable
 
I agree it's ready to go, but maltodextrin is actually unfermentable, by brewer's yeast anyway.
 
It's mostly unfermentable, not completely (around 75 % I think) but that FG looks Ok with those ingredients. A few more days will help mature it though and if you can keep it at ferment temps, will add a bit of confidence in the FG
 
I've only ever seen it referred to as non-fermentable, such as here: http://liquorcraft.com.au/afawcs0133827/CATID=0/SUBID=369/ID=5/SID=3665310/productdetails.html, here: http://www.coopers.com.au/forum?g=posts&t=337 (2nd post, from Frank, a Brewer at Coopers) and here: http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=44616 (again 2nd post)

Also the software I use (Ianh's spreadsheet) has it with a fermentability of 3 (compared to dextrose with 100). So I guess he's calling it 3% fermentable.

Now I'm just confused. Not that it matters given I don't think I've used it since about my 2nd ever brew.

EDIT: Maybe this is where Ian got the 3% from: http://www.ibrew.com.sg/Ingredients.asp
"Good for adding mouth feel, body and head retention to brews without affecting flavor. Maltodextrin is a chain between 4 and 20 dextrose units in length making it only 3% fermentable by brewer's yeast."

And Coopers definitely think it's non fermentable too: https://store.coopers.com.au/shop/product/DBS643/

Is it possible there's different types of maltodextrin?
 
For all intents and purposes, it can be considered unfermentable. I can't remember the exact amount but I'm pretty sure it's more than 3%. It's an academic discussion (which I'm happy to research more and happy to admit if I'm wrong) as it will generally lead to a fuller body and higher FG and is predominantly an unfermentable product.

I'll have a look and see if I can work out where I got 75% from.
 
There does seem to be a massive difference of opinion out there when it comes to maltodextrin. The wikipedia entry says this towards the bottom:


Maltodextrin has no flavor and is not fermented by the yeast, so does not increase the alcohol content of the brew
I'm pretty sure I still have a bag of it lying around somewhere, might be time for an experiment...if I can find some Coopers kit yeast to waste on it.
 
It is a matter of refinement.
It is derived from starch and I believe can come in a range of "dextrose equivelents"
I used to use it in a range of food products in a previous life.
The stuff from China was all over the shop for purity, but the "better" suppliers could provide quality assurance and a standardised product.
So...Oils aint oils, but it is, generally speaking, a non-fermentable adjunct (with a tolerance of a few % here or there).
 
Apparently it can be derived from potato, corn, rice or wheat...and is such a highly processed product that even when made using wheat it's still gluten free.
 
Yep...refined.
Starch separated from protein (glutens) and partially hydrolysed to denature starch function....cant remember the chain length polymer.
= cheap by-product/filler/carrier/processing aid for the food industry
 

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