I’m an extract brewer with 17 batches now complete. I’ve hit only 2 target FG’s of the 17 I’ve done. Strangely, both targeted FG’s were the only Belgians I’ve made. What I focus on is as follows:
I add yeast nutrient to the wort at 10 minutes left in the boil
Pitch enough yeast.
The average OG for my beers is 1.055-1.072 for most batches. I usually use a 2 liter starter with a SG around 1.38 and then step up again (on my higher gravity beers) with the same SG. I’ve tried several liquid yeast strains including WLP san diego super yeast (very high attenuating strain) and WLP 001
3.Aerate the wort.
I usually vigorously shake the primary for 5 minutes. I’ve recently added a fish tank pump in addition to this for about 20 minutes.
Ferment at the optimal temperature. I have a small dedicated freezer for my primary with a johnsons a419 temp controller set at usually 68-69 degrees F for IPA’s that I mostly make with the differential set at 1-2 degrees. I often check the temp of the controller and it reads several degrees cooler than targeted temp but I have a second thermometer that shows at the targeted temp usually. I feel that this must be normal then. Should I ferment at 70 degrees? Most literature states 67-68 is the sweet spot for IPA’s.
My usual FG is 1.015 with lower OG and 1.020 on my higher OG’s. I like a dry IPA and looking for a FG of 1.010-1.012. I’m lost on this + frustrated. Bought a second hydrometer to make sure that’s not the issue – it’s not. Any thoughts would be helpful! Thanks
I know you said you bought a second hydrometer, but double check both of them in regular old water at the correct temp (60-70 degrees) to make sure they are both calibrated properly.
That said, extract brewers notoriously finish high. Try subbing 5-10% regular sugar for malt extract. That will dry the beer up with no noticeable flavor difference.
I agree with Jim and Keith. Extract is not often highly fermentable, so if you want lower gravity, you need to replace some of your extract with simple sugar like cane or corn sugar. You might appreciate this and many other hints available here (click to enlarge):
thank you all for your help! Really appreciate it! The chart is great - will definately use those tips. I usually put around 10% corn sugar to help with this but may go up to 15% and see how it tastes. It’s time for me to save up and go to all grain.
If 100% extract doesn’t attenuate as well as grain, I wonder if it would help doing a partial mash with a few lbs of 2-row? If so, how much should I use?
The mini-mash could help, especially if you mash really low - like 146-148F, but there is a bit of guesswork involved there too. And it’ll be tough to translate that into an all-grain recipe if you eventually go that route.
You could also try a different brand of extract. Designing Great Beers has a fermentability table on pg 15. If you don’t have the book, you can see that page in Amazon’s preview mode.
Each pound of 2-row will convert twice its own weight in other grains, so for most any mini-mash a pound would be enough. Expect each pound of grain in the mash to contribute around 0.004-0.006 SG in 5 gal of wort.
This could also just be a recipe issue, especially if you’re already using 10% simple sugars. Make sure to use only the lightest extract you can find and get your color and flavor from the specialty grains.
It’s also difficult, verging on impossible, to tell the difference between two FGs that close, so at a certain level you just can’t sweat it.
+2. I’ve had beers beers attenuate better than planned - like 1.008 - that tasted just like what I wanted. And I’ve had 1.012 beers that seemed a little thin. Grist and yeast strain play a big role.
I’m definately good with any gravity reading as long as the beer tastes great for the style. The thing is, the style I’m currently focused on is IPA and I tend to favor a low and dry malt profile to have the hops shine through. Which leads into a 2nd chronic issue I’ve had with my IPA brewing is a lack of hop flavor. I know that this is off the yeast/fermentation category but may relate to the yeast problem I’ve had with attenuation. With all your advice, I have a lot of things I can try! Thank you ALL!
I’ve been shying away from bittering because I prefer a less bitter IPA with high emphasis on flavor/aroma with little to show for it. Below is my last batch brewed that I recently kegged with a final gravity of 1.015, amber in color, mild hoppiness for IPA standards:
Steep: 4.2% carapils
4.2% caramel 20
60 minutes: 82% Pilsner LME
10 min: 1 oz simcoe
7 min: 1 oz simcoe
5 min: 1 oz simcoe
2 min: 1 oz simcoe, 1 oz cascade
0 min: 2 oz centennial, 1 oz cascade
0 min: 9.6% corn sugar
cooled over 15-20 minutes with wort chiller
aerated + pitched WLP 001 (2L stepped up decanted starter)
fermented at 68-69 degrees
Dry hopped 10 days 2oz simcoe
Dry hopped 5 days 1oz cascade, 1oz centennial
kegged
Solutions
-Will use all this advice to help with the FG (breiss pils DME over LME, 2-row grain low temp mini mash, increase simple sugars a bit etc.)
-buying a hopback, plate chiller, pump
-FWH for smooth mild bitterness
-might use 50% softer water (distilled)
The best way to increase hop flavor is to use a hop stand. Use just enough of a smooth bittering hop at 60 minutes to get your target IBU’s, then add all your flavor hops after flameout once your wort gets down to about 170F. Stir the heck out of it, then let it steep at that temp for a half an hour (stirring occasionally) before chilling the rest of the way and pitching. You will be amazed at how much hop flavor you will get. There is no need for a hopback, this works way better.
Something I’ve recently started doing is to take steps to minimize O2 exposure throughout the fermentation/transferring/kegging process. I found my beers would typically lose their hop aromas/flavors during fermentation. Ditching transferring for “secondary” and filling the receiving vessel with CO2 as much as practical has made a big difference.
I don’t know what your process is like, so this may not even be an issue.
Do you cover the kettle for the half hour 170 F rest? It seems like the wort would cool to the 130s if uncovered. Or do you give it a shot with the burner?
I brew indoors on my glass stovetop. I put the pot back on top of the hot burner and cover it in between stirs. It is generally still in the 150’s after half an hour. I do try to minimize temp loss, but I’m not overly concerned about losing even 20 degrees or so.
