1318 high final gravity

[ashopis]

Hey there,

I've been using 1318 to brew NEIPAs and I can't seem to get the final gravity below 1.022. Usually, it comes in at 1.024. Any ideas what could be causing that?

Typical Recipe:
12-15 lbs two row.
Hop stand 6 oz of hops for 20 min at 170F
Pitch yeast at 66F
Ferment at room temp (approx. 68F)
Dry hop at 48 hours with another six oz.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[bracconiere]

what do you use? hydrometer or refractometer? refractometers need to be adjusted for the presence of alcohol....

and what is your mash temp, if not a simple measurement thingy?

and also, i've seen with a refractometer and a hydrometer comparison there's a formula to tell OG and ABV.....( i think)

 

[Dgallo]

Hey there,

I've been using 1318 to brew NEIPAs and I can't seem to get the final gravity below 1.022. Usually, it comes in at 1.024. Any ideas what could be causing that?

Typical Recipe:
12-15 lbs two row.
Hop stand 6 oz of hops for 20 min at 170F
Pitch yeast at 66F
Ferment at room temp (approx. 68F)
Dry hop at 48 hours with another six oz.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

What are you using to measure you FG?

What’s your mash temp?


How long was fermentation?


What is your pitch rate for yeast?

 

[day_trippr]

- does this typical recipe use anything other than base malt? all my neipa's use something more.
- mash temperature profile?
- what's the pitch rate? I use 1318 (or a38 in a pinch) and go with 1M cells/ml/°P and my neipas typically finish within a point either side of 1.015 (OG's are usually 1.068-1.070)...

Cheers!

 

[ashopis]

Thanks for these replies!

Here is some more info...
-I measure OG with a refractometer and FG with a Hydrometer.
-Length of fermentation = 2 weeks (14 days)
-Not sure about fermentation temp. I don't have a way to measure it.
-I use one smack pack of 1318 for a 2.5 gallon batch. I've also used Imperial Juice for 5 gallon batches.
-No other grains, just two-row.

Thanks again!!!!

 

[Dgallo]

Thanks for these replies!

Here is some more info...
-I measure OG with a refractometer and FG with a Hydrometer.
-Length of fermentation = 2 weeks (14 days)
-Not sure about fermentation temp. I don't have a way to measure it.
-I use one smack pack of 1318 for a 2.5 gallon batch. I've also used Imperial Juice for 5 gallon batches.
-No other grains, just two-row.

Thanks again!!!!

We still need your mash temp? That will effect how much residual sugar you’ll have after fermentation. Say you mashed at 148-150*f you could expect a 1.008-1.011 fg. Now if you mash 156-158 you could potentially see 1.020-1.022.

Another possibility is that since you’re not monitoring ferm temps that at the tail end of it when it slows down it’s getting too cold and floccing our the yeast which could stall ferm.

 

[VirginiaHops1]

You didn't actually say what your OG was either. Yeasts typically attentuate at a certain %, they don't attenuate down to a specific FG. In other words, higher OG = higher FG

Looking at my notes my 3 batches I did with 1318 awhile back went like this:

Generation 1 : OG: 1.058, mash temp 153, FG: 1.014, attenuation: 76%
Gen 2 : OG: 1.058, mash temp 156, FG: 1.020, attenuation: 66%
Gen 2 : OG: 1.060, mash temp 149, FG: 1.010, attenuation: 83%

I would think one pack for 2.5 gallons should be enough without a starter unless it was old but I always do starters now, even for smaller 3 gallon batches I do. The 3 noted above were all 3 or 3.5 gallon batches. You can try doing a starter and increasing your pitch rate if you can't get it down by mashing lower.

 

[ashopis]

On my latest batch...
Mash Temp: 149
OG: 1.071
FG: 1.025

 

[VirginiaHops1]

When my OG is that high I sometimes replace some grain with corn sugar to help it attenuate lower, depending on what type of yeast I'm using. Maybe try that or pitch more yeast. Was the smack pack you used fresh?

 

[Dgallo]

When my OG is that high I sometimes replace some grain with corn sugar to help it attenuate lower, depending on what type of yeast I'm using. Maybe try that or pitch more yeast. Was the smack pack you used fresh?

That’s still an extremely high fg for a 149, 1.010 is much more likely especially being a base malt. I brew 1.078 doubles that mash at 154 and will still finish 1.016/1.018 with LAIII.

I would think there is instrument or human error on mash temp or ferm temp. Maybe a bad temp reading by the thermometer

 

[ashopis]

I have a theory that my thermometer is off. It's a digital thermometer meant for meat. Perhaps I'll pick up a new one.

 

[VirginiaHops1]

I have a theory that my thermometer is off. It's a digital thermometer meant for meat. Perhaps I'll pick up a new one.

Even if it's marketed for meat it should read the temp of liquid fine unless it's malfunctioning or not calibrated. Make a glass of ice water(with crushed not cubed ice if possible) and see if the thermometer reads 32F in it. Or boil some water and see if it reads 212. If it's working fine and you really mashed that low try pitching more yeast

 

[ashopis]

Sadly, the thermometer doesn't read down to 32F. However, during the boil, it reads 106F.

 

[day_trippr]

Um...what?

 

[luckybeagle]

Sadly, the thermometer doesn't read down to 32F. However, during the boil, it reads 106F.

Yowza! I've been there.

My first couple batches I used a meat probe thermometer. It was not accurate, and so my beer did all kinds of funky things. I couldn't figure it out because the rest of my process seemed fine. Turns out it wasn't so waterproof, despite the claims, so I was likely mashing very high and creating a marginally fermentable wort.

Amazon has a selection of halfway decent insta-read handheld thermometers. I think mine cost $9 shipped. I still use it and double check it as mentioned above (ice water, boiling water) every few batches, just to make sure.

Right now your apparent attenuation is 64%:

OG 1.071 - FG 1.025 = .046. .046/.071 =0.64.

You should be getting 75 - 80% with most strains if your wort is properly fermentable, enough oxygen at pitching, enough viable cells at pitching (not a crazy old smack pack, always kept fridged, etc) and the temps you reported.

75% of 71 = 53.25 points
71 - 53.25 = 17.75 remaining points
FG = 1.017 at 75% attenuation

80% of 71 = 56.8 points
71 - 56.8 = 14.2
FG = 1.014 at 80% attenuation

You could try to rouse the yeast off the bottom of the fermenter with a sanitized wine thief and move the carboy to a warmer part of the house. I'm guessing your samples are tasting way too sweet?

 

[Dgallo]

I feel like we’re being trolled....

 

[ashopis]

The thermometer I've been using just reads "low" when it gets down to a certain temp. Not sure what, but not even close to 32F. I'm going to get another thermometer and compare with my current. I'll report back.

Thanks all, for the input.

 

[ashopis]

Sadly, the thermometer doesn't read down to 32F. However, during the boil, it reads 106F.

 

[ashopis]

Error!the thermometer reads206 during the boil. Oooos! Still off by six degrees

 

[Dgallo]

Error!the thermometer reads206 during the boil. Oooos! Still off by six degrees

Do you live at a high elevation? Than it could be close but if not than yeah get a new one lol

 

[luckybeagle]

Toss that sucker. A mash at 154 is going to be much more fermentable than 160. A mash at 149 moreso than 155, etc. That could explain a a large part of your problem