Low Attenuation - How low is too low?

[spryzie]

I've got this in the fermenter right now.

The FG is much higher than I expected. OG 1.033. FG 1.013. It was a short high mash though - never done one before.

How low in alcohol is too low? Will beer keep at 2.7% ABV?
Mild

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (L): 17.0
Total Grain (kg): 2.403
Total Hops (g): 40.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.033 (°P): 8.3
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (°P): 3.3
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 2.68 %
Colour (SRM): 17.9 (EBC): 35.3
Bitterness (IBU): 24.1 (Average - No Chill Adjusted)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 75
Boil Time (Minutes): 100

Grain Bill
----------------
2.178 kg Munich I (90.64%)
0.075 kg Crystal 60 (3.12%)
0.065 kg Chocolate (2.7%)
0.050 kg Crystal 120 (2.08%)
0.035 kg Black Malt (1.46%)

Hop Bill
----------------
15.0 g Willamette Pellet (5.3% Alpha) @ 100 Minutes (Boil) (0.9 g/L)
25.0 g East Kent Golding Pellet (5.7% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil) (1.5 g/L)

Misc Bill
----------------
4.0 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) @ 0 Minutes (Mash)

Single step Infusion at 68°C for 30 Minutes.
Fermented at 20°C with Safeale S-04

Notes
----------------
Mashed in at 72 which brought the mash temp to 68 (shy of the 70 planned). Rested 30 minutes. Boiled for 90 minutes.

 

[indica86]

Why would it not keep? Why were you planning to mash @ 70°c ?
In my experience with S04 be happy you got the ****** that low.

 

[spryzie]

That's what I've read to do for a Mild - mash high for 30 minutes.

I figure you need enough alcohol for something to keep - I'm not sure how much that is.

 

[indica86]

As far as my limited knowledge extends, the higher mash is to create some non fermentables - ie sugars to lend themselves to mouthfeel to give the beer some body.

 

[Spiesy]

Yep makes sense.

Alcohol can add a sense of body and mouthfeel to a beer.
Mashing high can also help to increase body and mouthfeel, as well as keep the alcohol at bay due to less fermentables.

 

[n87]

from my understanding, hops act as a preservative, so hops and alcohol assist in the longevity of the beer.
this is how IPA's came about.

 

[manticle]

My milds change pretty rapidly and are best drunk fresh.
Short high mash works well.

 

[super_simian]

from my understanding, hops act as a preservative, so hops and alcohol assist in the longevity of the beer.
this is how IPA's came about.

Nope.

 

[mje1980]

Nope.

Wow, such a hugely relevant and informative post there. Good to have such helpful and knowledgable people here on ahb sharing their immense knowledge.

 

[Donske]

Seems about right mate, I've been doing the 70°C/30 min mash on my milds since Bribie brought up the idea in a thread a while back, I wouldn't go back to 60 minute mashes now.

Just checked my notes, my last mild went from 1.042 to 1.015 for a whopping 65% attenuation, so only a touch higher that your 60.5% attenuation, which makes sense considering how lazy S04 can be.

 

[spryzie]

Good to hear it's not too abnormal.

Bottling it sometime today/tomorrow.

 

[super_simian]

from my understanding, hops act as a preservative, so hops and alcohol assist in the longevity of the beer.
this is how IPA's came about.

Nope.

Wow, such a hugely relevant and informative post there. Good to have such helpful and knowledgable people here on ahb sharing their immense knowledge.

Well, it's better than people sharing the same old (and incorrect) tripe about beer history. IPA wasn't strong, Mild wasn't weak, Scotch Ale was hoppy, Porter and Stout aren't discernibly different - do your homework before regurgitating bollocks.

 

[n87]

Well, it's better than people sharing the same old (and incorrect) tripe about beer history. IPA wasn't strong, Mild wasn't weak, Scotch Ale was hoppy, Porter and Stout aren't discernibly different - do your homework before regurgitating bollocks.

at which point did i say that IPA was traditionally strong?
which statement of mine where you saying 'nope' to?
if you are going to say someone is wrong, atleast say which part of the post was wrong... and an explination woud also help.

you still havnt mentioned why my post is... 'nope'

 

[danestead]

Yep... there always seems to be some sort of douche on every forum I read....

 

[super_simian]

at which point did i say that IPA was traditionally strong?
which statement of mine where you saying 'nope' to?
if you are going to say someone is wrong, atleast say which part of the post was wrong... and an explination woud also help.

you still havnt mentioned why my post is... 'nope'

this is how IPA's came about.

This part. This statement. It is a statement. It is a statement, which is wrong. It is an incorrect statement. It is also grammatically wrong, on two counts.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

Give it a rest mate, the thread is about attenuation.

 

[Spiesy]

This part. This statement. It is a statement. It is a statement, which is wrong. It is an incorrect statement. It is also grammatically wrong, on two counts.

Grammar Nazi?

Kind of apt, with your avatar. Lol.