FG question on all grain brews

[NinjaBear]

I've now done two all grain recipes, so I'm still new to kicking the extract habit.

I don't seem to have any difficulty hitting my target SG, but both times my FG has come out 10 points higher than expected.

Example, my second batch was a nut brown ale recipe I came up with. Based on SG, experience with extract beers at that SG, and experience with yeast used, I was expecting a FG of 1.01 to 1.014.

Online calculators put it at 1.012.

Two weeks primary, two weeks secondary. Gravity is at 1.022.

I put the grain in a bag, dough in, stir to avoid clumps, measure temp (154°), I've gotten the process of mashing to maintain temp with indirect heat, it comes out, still at 154°, pull the grains and sparge allowing the water to run into the brew pot till I reach 6 gallons, continue to brew as before.

Is there a step I'm missing or something inherent in all grain brewing accounting for the higher FG? Both times it was pretty much at 10 points above.

Anything I can adjust or do to get the FG closet on target?

 

[Dixon9717]

I've never done biab but your grain bill will help those who do biab help answer your question.

 

[billl]

154 is on the high end for mashing. You'll get a less fermentable wort at that temp. Drop down to 150-152 and you should get similar results to extract. Drop down to 148, and you'll get an even drier finish.

 

[btbnl]

154 is on the high end for mashing. You'll get a less fermentable wort at that temp. Drop down to 150-152 and you should get similar results to extract. Drop down to 148, and you'll get an even drier finish.

Even at 154F I'd expect to get significantly lower than 1.022 (and routinely do). My suspicion would be the grain bill not containing enough diastatic power.

 

[kh54s10]

Even at 154F I'd expect to get significantly lower than 1.022 (and routinely do). My suspicion would be the grain bill not containing enough diastatic power.

The 154 mash temperature will contribute to a high fg.

I would expect a pale ale to go well below 1.022, But a Stout or similar would not surprise me at stopping at 1.022.

154 is just about the highest I have ever used for a mash temperature.

Another thought, check your thermometer. Make sure it is not really at 160 but reading 154 etc.

 

[NinjaBear]

Diastatic power?

 

[NinjaBear]

I periodically check the thermometer against known temperature points.

It tends to read about 2° high, so 154° is more likely 152°

I just keep my notes at what it reads so I don't have to remember if I adjusted or not, adjust back on the next attempt, etc.

Looking back, the original print out I made mentions he lost 2°-4° during his mash time while my set up is able to hold temperature much better. I wonder if that's why he recommended a 154° starting temp because he finished at 150-152°.

I'll try to lower mashing point the next time.

 

[Aristotelian]

As others asked, what's in the grainbill? Lots of crystal malts or anything that would contribute unfermentable sugars?

What yeast are you using and what is your fermentation process? Is something happening that would cause low attenuation?

 

[btbnl]

I'll try to lower mashing point the next time.

Until we know the grain bill there's no guarantee this will have any impact.

 

[unviewtiful]

Are you using a refractometer? If so, the measurements are thrown off in the presence of alcohol.

 

[NinjaBear]

Are you using a refractometer? If so, the measurements are thrown off in the presence of alcohol.

Hydrometer.

 

[NinjaBear]

Until we know the grain bill there's no guarantee this will have any impact.

Attempt #1
2-row 4#
6-row 4#
Victory Malt 2#
OG 1.046 FG 1.020

Attempt #2
2-row 4#
American Pilsner 4#
UK Brown 2#
UK Dark Crystal 2#
66% Efficiency
OG 1.051 FG 1.022