Way dry

[kcross13]

I have a hef that I just bottled that dried out to 1.004 I am worried about infection. Tastes seem fine. Nothing odd with fermentation. Two weeks ago it was at 1.008. Not even much alcohol taste even though it should be coming out around eight percent , OG 1.065.

Just bottled. should i pad the room?

 

[TimTrone]

Did you mash at. Really low temp? What yeast? Fern temps? Recipe?

 

[kcross13]

4 lbs wheat
2 lbs pilsner 2 row

Step
20 min 120 degrees
30 min 135 degrees
15 min 145 degree
45 min 155 degrees

mash out 170 degrees ten minutes.

Sparge with 170 degree water.

.5 oz Tettnang hops 60 min

.25 oz Saaz hops 10 min
.25 oz Saaz hops 5 min
.5 oz Saaz hops steep


Wyest 3056 bavarian

 

[scubaDAN1985]

You might want to calibrate your thermometer

 

[kcross13]

Why? Is there something you see in the recipe that leaves to believe that the thermometer is off.

 

[TimTrone]

Why? Is there something you see in the recipe that leaves to believe that the thermometer is off.

He means that your thermometer might be giving you a temp that is lower than the actual temp. For example your therm might give you a temp of 150, when it's really 147. The difference of a few degrees has a pretty profound effect on the fermentability of your wort.

If it tastes fine you probably don't have a infection. You may want to open a bottle every week just to double check.

 

[kcross13]

That is what i figured I just wanted some clarity that it seems my temp is off. It has calibrated fine the batch before but I did not re calibrate for this batch. I never had a batch dry out like this, however there is still a pretty good malt note to it.

 

[jhamilt]

Is the wheat your using malted or unmalted? If it's malted that protein rest you're doing might be making your beer too thin. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't affect final gravity, but a protein rest on fully modified malts can reduce body and head retention to unacceptable levels.

 

[kcross13]

Good to know. Yeah it was malted. That is why I aimed at the higher mash temp to try and give body.

 

[jhamilt]

Also noticed you do a 15 min rest at 145, which is right in the middle of the temp. range for beta amylase. That'll definitely result in a higher wort fermentability, low f.g.

 

[ChillWill]

Check your hydrometer as well, that seems very low. Also, shouldn't really still be dropping?

Then maybe look at mash schedule some more, it looks ott to me, even though I'm sure each rest had good thinking behind it, it might have been too much.

Also, hefe's are pretty prone to infection with low hop rates and all the wheat proteins etc, not saying it is, but it's possible.

If you want more from you hefe, look at decoction mashing? Or just simple two step mashing.

 

[kcross13]

This hydrometer is good but not accurate. My good one got broke, and this is the back up. I wanted a good fermentability but then cranked up the temp to get some body. Basically playing around with technique. Nothing tasted off so I am praying.