Final Gravity Won't Drop Under 1.010

[Suds_Moustache]

The last few brews I have done (various types including lagers and ales) I haven't been able to get the SG down below about 1.010.
Is there a general reason for this eg temp?

I don't use refrigeration etc so brew at room temp (around 22 degrees usually - we have air con running) and have been making fairly standard k & K brews.

EG I did a Morgan's Aust Pilsener with a Ultra blend made up by the local brew shop ( Light Malt, Dextrose and Malto-Dex), Safale S-04 yeast, Brewcraft Tettnanger Hops.

Average temp was around 22 degrees using stick on thermometer (not super reliable I know but meh).

Starting SG was 1.022 (taken after two days)

FG 1.012

It sat on the kitchen bench for over 2 weeks (probably 6 days or so at 1.012) but wouldn't budge. Finally bottled and it drinks ok but I was wondering what might cause this.

Previous brews have ended up at 1.004 and so on.

Also last one I did was Morgan's Cortez Cerveza. Starting SG - 1.038 FG - 1.012

I have a Morgan's Blue Mountain Lager down atm that seems to be stalled at 1.015.

Any suggestions?

 

[manticle]

1010 isn't amazingly high. Any unfermentable/semi fermentable products such as the maltodextrin will prevent your gravity getting as low as a straight kk. The light malt is also only semi fermentable (more fermentable than malto-dex but less than plain white sugar or dex).

Were the first few (those that finished at 1004) straight kit and sugar or was there a similar amount of malt and maltodextrin in those?

 

[buttersd70]

Final gravity will depend on what yeast is used and the yeast health and nutrition. It will also depend on the original gravity of the wort, and what fermentables were used....
ldm is not fully fermentable; dextrose is fully fermentable; maltodextrin is unfermentable. So, adjust the ratios of these, and your overall fermentability changes. If you got K&K's down to 1004, it's either that a/ the OG was really, really low to start with, or b/ there was a lot of dex in there and sfa else, or c/ a dry enzyme was used, or d/ a really, really high attenuating yeast was used. My money would be on b/.

for this one:

Morgan's Aust Pilsener with a Ultra blend made up by the local brew shop ( Light Malt, Dextrose and Malto-Dex), Safale S-04 yeast

If this was done to 22-23L, and if the blend just happens to be 500g dex 250g maltodextrin 250g ldm, then I would expect 1010-1012 to be the sg pretty much each and every time....

As to your current problem...what was the OG/volume/fermentables/yeast type?

edit; I will refresh my tabs before posting...I will refresh my tabs before posting...I will refresh my tabs before posting...

 

[Suds_Moustache]

Hmm ok what you have both suggested in terms of the dextrose/malto/malt combo makes sense. It is sort of reflected in the numbers below. Seems the LBS blend and the yeast are contributing factors. I guess all that matters at the end of the day is the taste, but I was curious about the cause of my higher readings.

It should also be note that I have been following recipes posted up at the home brew shop as a guide for the dex/malt/malto mix and the general addition of things like finishing hops and so on. Any advice on this would be great as I am keen to experiment further.

Just for reference here are the numbers:

Brew #1
Coopers Aust Pale Ale
1 kg dex
kit yeast
OG - 1.042
FG - 1.004

Brew #2
Morgan's Blue Mountain Lager
Blend - 500g Dex, 250 Light Malt, 250 Malto-Dex
Dry Enzyme
Finishing Hops
kit yeast
OG - 1.043 approx
FG - 1.004

Brew #3
Morgan's Aust Draught
Blend - 500g Dex 250 Light Malt 250 Malto-Dex
Finishing Hops
Safale s-04 yeast
OG - 1.036
FG - 1.010

Brew #4
Morgan's Aust Pilsener
"Ultra" Blend - 500g Light Malt, 250 Dex, 250 Malto-Dex
Tettnanger Hops
Safale s-04
OG - 1.022
FG - 1.012

Brew #5
Morgan's Chairman's Selection - Cortes Cerveza
Blend - 500g Dex, 250 Light Malt, 250 Malto-Dex
OG- 1.038
FG - 1.012

edit: volume for all brews is 23L

 

[Fourstar]

looking at your yeast choice for the last few beers suds, SO-4 attenutates less than wht something like US05 or kit yeast will. Nothing wrong there. It looks like point 'd' butters was getting at is the cause.

Kit yeast usually attenuates well where as the english counterparts such as S04 are less attenuative.

Cheers.