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Trying to brew heavier beer around the 5.2AV

4

4x

Gaday all,

Just recently I have started trying to brew heavier beer around the 5.2AV mark. Before this I was  turning them out at 3.2AV – 3.6AV with good success.
With the heavier brews I'm using a Cooper's kit as the base and then either liquid or dried to reach my desired SG. This has been giving me a SG around the 1.051 mark.
The yeast that has just been off the top of the can and as usual I rehydrate (250mls -300mls) it an hour or so before hand (1pkt @ 7gms)
The problem (of sorts)
The brew doesn't seem to be fermenting out. SG  1.051 – fg1.017. I now have one sitting around the 1.030 mark
The questions
1.what should I expect my FG's to be?
2.Does the all malt brews take longer to ferment out, say the last 10 -15 points?
3.Is the yeast up to the job? Should I make a large starter? How big?
4.Or should I just increase my SG to 1.060 – 1.065?


TA
4x  ???
 
Hi 4X,

Kit brews and all extract brews will typically finish at a higher gravity 1.012-1.018, the reason for this is that the extracts are mashed at a higher temp to take into consideration that the kit brews are supposed to have 1 kilo of sugar added to achieve the required starting gravity.
Because the sugar ferments out completely you end up with a gravity a lot lower than with all extract brewing.

your not doing anything wrong.

this is one of the reasons I switched to all grain brewing, It gives me the ability to mash my grains at a lower temp, meaning more fermentables and a lower final gravity.

Don't forget also that the higher your starting gravity the higher your final gravity.

Regards
Andrew
 
Not necessarily true. I have had big Belgian beers start at 1.088, and finish at 1.008. I had a lager go from 1.145 to 1.040, for an ABV of 14.26%. It depends on the health of your yeast, the temps, how much you oxygenate, etc.
 
Not necessarily true. I have had big Belgian beers start at 1.088, and finish at 1.008. I had a lager go from 1.145 to 1.040, for an ABV of 14.26%. It depends on the health of your yeast, the temps, how much you oxygenate, etc.

While I wouldn't expect an extract wort to ferment out as far as a carefully mashed AG wort, 1.030 seems too high. I have to agree with TF, there are a number of factors that will effect FG.

For bigger beers, make a starter and be sure there is lots of disolved oxygen in the work. For you, this probably means shaking the fermentor -- lots of vigorous shaking.

You might consider rousing the yeast on that 1.030, by giving it a little swirl.

-L
 
Hey Thanks for all your input I have taken a little wisdom from each of you. I am Going to do a two can Morgan's Yukon Ale (smoked) with a Coopers Sparkling Ale. I will do a 1.5 starter out one of the yeast packets to get things going. Can't wait for the finished result

Salud
4x  ;D ;D
 
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