Yeast Nutrient...

[RichLum]

Will adding a yeast nutrient help the yeast to ferment out more of the sugars so that he FG is lower than what it would be without the nutrient?

My brews lately seem to not get as low a FG as they should. I thought it was just cause I'm adding a bit more stuff now like dry malt and maltodextrin and getting a higher SG to begin with.... but a couple of my brews have not gone any lower than 1020 or 1018 and I've read that I should get at least as low as 1012...

thanks,
Rich

 

[dreamboat]

Throwing away the maltodextrin will help, as it is my understanding that it is non-fermentable by stadard brewing yeasts.

I too was getting sick of too high FG's, though, more around the 1014-1018 mark, and I believe that I have cured this problem through a couple of minor process changes. Firstly, making a big, healthy yeast starter, aerating the wort for the first 12 hours or so after pitching, and adding a hint of zinc to the boil which acts as a yeast nutrient.
My most recent brew (well, that has finished fermenting) was an all grain APA with an OG around 1050 iirc, and it is down to 1008... hard to beat that.



dreamboat

 

[mje1980]

I think if you are not using body boosting adjuncts, big starter + decent aeration = complete fermentation. I could be wrong, but i always get down to at least 1.010, since doing the above, on pretty much all yeasts i brew with. I dont use a stone, but have a really short hose that just goes into the top of my fermentor, and as my cooled wort is going into the ferm, it splashes like mad. Plus a decent starter at high krauzen, and i have had no probs doing this.

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Increase the amount of malt in your beers and you won't need to add yeast nutrients, and to nobody's surprise I heartily second Rob's recommendation to throw away the maltodextrin.

Plenty of splashing/aeration will mean your yeast will multiply many times and again increase the strength of the ferment. One of my customers took this advice so much to heart he tops up his fermenter by placing it under the shower head and just lets the water fall into the fermenter. He reports the wort foams right to the top of the fermenter and he always has good strong ferments. Dunno if he saves water by sharing the shower with his fermenter (TTP)

Jovial Monk

 

[spog]

jovial monk,i know i am off ,post, topic here as i cant remember my previous querey to you but your comment on this post re increasing the malt and doing away with md pricked my memory, and yep hats off to you, as a k& k brewer i have in the past done an all dlme brew and yes it honestly was the best brew i had done so your suggestion about not using md,dextrose is to me proven ( decision reserved in case i at a later date i shoot my self in the foot) but honestly, yes, top advice/suggestion thanks.