Is a high final gravity, dry (unsweet) beer theoretically possible?

Hi,
I have a beer that leveled off at 1.03 SG (started at ~1.06 or so, with ~1.01 expected FG). The beer tastes very dry and a bit astringent, which I attributed to accidentally leaving 1-2 lbs of specialty grains in the boil and in the bucket. Given that the beer is dry (or at least masked by the astringency), it's been in the bucket for 5 weeks, has gone through un-sticking techniques (heated to ~73, added yeast energizer, etc), is there anything else besides sugar that could yield a high SG?

Thanks!
pete

All grain or extract? If all grain, high mash temps will create more unfermentable sugars, leading to a higher FG. Mashing in the upper 150's will give you that FG...

1.03 and it's dry? I would think that would be overly sweet, that's a very high FG. Did you mean 1.003?

gcdowd said:

1.03 and it's dry? I would think that would be overly sweet, that's a very high FG. Did you mean 1.003?

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He did say it was astrigent, which could give you the perception it is dry, or give you a drying effect on mouth feel. Maybe that is over coming the residual sweetness?

Entirely possible, I just wanted to make sure OP didn't mean 1.003.

If the OP meant 1.003 than he wouldn't be asking this question, would he?

woozy said:

If the OP meant 1.003 than he wouldn't be asking this question, would he?

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Ya never know.

It's definitely 1.03 and I've calibrated the hydrometer, adjusted for temperature, etc. The recipe was a partial mash (~8 lbs grain if I recall correctly) and it might have mashed a few degrees too high.

I presume I should be able to taste the unfermentable sugars, so technically 1.03 should be incredibly sweet, which I don't notice at all. Would the 1-2 lbs speciality grain I added to the boil yield enough astringency to mask the sweetness? Would husks or other grain remnants ever be sufficient to impact the specific gravity?

huskeypm said:

I presume I should be able to taste the unfermentable sugars, so technically 1.03 should be incredibly sweet, which I don't notice at all. Would the 1-2 lbs speciality grain I added to the boil yield enough astringency to mask the sweetness? Would husks or other grain remnants ever be sufficient to impact the specific gravity?

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You should definitely be able to taste the unfermentable sugar as sweetness. My imperial stout finished at 1.017, and there is a noticeable sweetness.

I think it has to be that the astringency is covering the sweetness.

Not sure what you mean about husks or grain remnants impacting SG, but they won't. Any grain remnants would have fallen out of suspension and be with the trub and yeast cake at the bottom of the fermenter.

Thank you for all of the feedback.

Is there a cheap way to estimate whether one has a goop of unfermantables versus viable sugars? Iodine works for longer sugars (starches)...
p

I don't know about a way to test it, but it is all about mash temps. For more fermentable sugars, you want to mash low (down to about 149). As the temps get higher, you will get a higher percentage unfermentable sugar.