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Higher than expected FG_ Wife's British Brown Ale

hayes_nt

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I have posted previously re the above about 5 months ago, same brew, same problem.  It is a Brown Ale recipe where the FG is 1.019 ( last brew finished 1.022) when the expected is 1.009. SG checked with calibrated hydrometer and waited  30 mins to take reading for all bubble minor activity to be gone  Same grain bill, same small batch size of 12 litres, using same yeast of Wyeast 1275, OG was on target, fermentation slowed after 3 days and then increased temp from 16.5 to 21 deg C for diacetyl rest.  10 days later, FG as above, so gave everything a good stir and shake to waken up the yeast. Checked again 3 days later, same FG.  Then added another yeast starter (same variety) after stirring and purging upper fermenter space with CO2. Checked again 4 days later no change, FG per the above, wort was clear, all yeast had dropped  Given the higher than predicted FG and lack of any further activity decide to Keg instead of bottles. Fermentation carried out in Bar fridge at controlled temperatures.
My cleaning regime is good and has been the same since re -commencing brewing 18 months ago.
Equipment is a Grainfather Connect and have cross checked all expected specific gravities by double entering recipes on both BS3 and Grainfather Community recipe site.
Is there something I've missed.  Dud yeast???
It appears only to be this recipe and yeast combination but it is the beer my wife looks forward to each week.
Any suggestions much appreciated
 
drop your recipe here as a bsmx, that may help to diagnose the issue.

my opinion is likely a lack of o2, and cold temperatures. You fermented at/below the recommended temperature for that yeast. We are already stressing yeast slightly by forcing them to ferment at temperatures lower than they would prefer.

another potential is inaccurate or incorrect mash temperatures or lack of conversion.
 
Is this from a kit? I've never seen a brown ale recipe that listed the FG as low as 1.009. Your actual result, 1.019 is fairly common for a brown.
 
Additionally, the fermentable value of extract can vary quite a bit between manufacterers.  I temember seeing kits several years ago known affectionally as 'kit and kilo' recipes as they were designed to be used with a kilo of sugar as a good portion of the fermentables.  The extract was much less fermentable than what I see now from Breiss and others to provide for some body in the finished beer.
 
Found the previous post. I assume it to be this one: http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php/topic,20548.msg73226.html#msg73226

If so, I'm going to hold my guns on lack of Oxygenation, or too low of fermentation temp. 16C is pretty darn low, when I try to control my yeast growth I'll start the first day around there but ramp up over 3 days to more like 19C



The unexpected additional fermentation that happened when bottling is likely from the addition of o2 that happened when the beer was transferred to the bottling bucket.

I'll also add, if this is the beer your wife looks forward to, and it constantly finishes high/under attenuates, perhaps you should alter your recipe to a higher FG as she likely wont enjoy it if you dry it out to 1.009!
 
HI,

Thanks for the responses. It an all grain recipes and I do ferment at the lower end of the yeast recommendations but do up things if there is a slow start. Have been using my GF aeration paddle and running that for 3 minutes before pitching.  Have attached both the GF recipe and BS 3 recipes
 

Attachments

  • Spotted Brown Dog.bsmx
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  • Brown Ale.pdf
    19.6 KB · Views: 164
I'm super confused now.

You over shot your OG by .028 and you're surprised that the FG is a little high?

I'm unsure of what a GF Aeration paddle does... are you using this after the wort has cooled? have you transferred the wort to another vessel before using this paddle? If you're just stirring the wort in the same vessel you just boiled it in, there will be minimal o2 available.

1: find the errors in your equipment and/or measuring that have created such a difference between your estimated/actual
2: start your fermentation a bit warmer. 18.5C yeast prefer higher temps, we prefer lower temps. give a little.
3: lowering your mash temperature a bit 66.5C (also, check to be sure you're at that temperature with multiple devices)
4: using o2 to oxygenate.

given your previous issue of the beer "finishing" after bottling this can likely only be caused by one thing. lack of o2. (or hop creep, but that's VERY unlikely)
 
Yep I can now see what you mean by .28 points but I have not updated the 1.065 OG. My OG remains at 1.037 as I update that to reflect brewhouse efficiency which at 62% doesn't look good.  I am experiencing vast differences between BS3 and the Grainfather recipe program and that is where the 62% is generated, also I have been adjusting my brewing and equipment profile as the numbers BS3 predict and what I am getting are vastly different.  It is not due to poor practices, grain milling and processes (the beers I have been brewing have been great) but a difference in what is happening with this recipe and I'll heed you advice to aerate better and I'll also use a different yeast next time to check the numbers.
Thanks again for your support and advice.
 
I have been adjusting my brewing and equipment profile as the numbers BS3 predict and what I am getting are vastly different.

If you have customized your equipment profile accurately... meaning you have measured and accounted for every drop of liquid lost... your end result should be very close to the predictions.

Just because there is a GF profile available somewhere does not mean it will work for you. Your practices and processes do affect the outcome. And your practices and processes are likely not the same as whoever provided that GF profile. You must customize the profile to your equipment and how you used it or you will always end up with irregularities and frustrations like this.

 
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