Need some Quick thoughts on Gravity readings

[McBrewskie]

So I have two beers that have stopped fermentation right now. One an IPA with an OG of 1.077 and one a APA at 1.066. Now both have stopped at 1.018 exactly. Which is odd to me because I used San Diego Super Yeast and White Labs California Ale WLP001. Both should ferment out clean. So I checked my hydrometer on filtered water and I got 1.000. Still it seems odd that both would stall at the same exact gravity. So I took a Deschutes Chain Breaker and poured a glass that I let go flat. I did a reading and guess what? It reads at 1.018. What the eff is going on here?

 

[NcBrewer35]

So I have two beers that have stopped fermentation right now. One an IPA with an OG of 1.077 and one a APA at 1.066. Now both have stopped at 1.018 exactly. Which is odd to me because I used San Diego Super Yeast and White Labs California Ale WLP001. Both should ferment out clean. So I checked my hydrometer on filtered water and I got 1.000. Still it seems odd that both would stall at the same exact gravity. So I took a Deschutes Chain Breaker and poured a glass that I let go flat. I did a reading and guess what? It reads at 1.018. What the eff is going on here?

1.018 is not a horrible reading. Its a bit sweet for an IPA or APA but should be drinkiable. I personally prefer my IPA/APA on the sweeter side.

There are many variables to this question, mash temps can play a role as well as yeast pitch rates. Can you provide some additional information so we can properly answer this question? All grain or extract? If all grain what was your mash temp? How much yeast did you pitch? how viable was it?

In your first beer that started out at 1.077 you ended up with 75.3% attenuation which falls into that yeast parameters of 73-80%.

The one you fermented with San Diego Super reached an attenuation of 71.4% which is low for that yeast which is usually 76-83% +.

I would think the IPA falls into parameters nicely, the APA did finish a little high for that yeast strain but I would suspect your mash and or yeast pitching amounts as the culprit. Also, San Diego Super is known to be a pretty finicky strain as far as fermentation temps go. Do you have controlled fermentation temps or are you fermenting at ambient air temperatures?

 

[Demus]

You have entered... The twilight zone...

 

[McBrewskie]

1.018 is not a horrible reading. Its a bit sweet for an IPA or APA but should be drinkiable. I personally prefer my IPA/APA on the sweeter side.

There are many variables to this question, mash temps can play a role as well as yeast pitch rates. Can you provide some additional information so we can properly answer this question? All grain or extract? If all grain what was your mash temp? How much yeast did you pitch? how viable was it?

In your first beer that started out at 1.077 you ended up with 75.3% attenuation which falls into that yeast parameters of 73-80%.

The one you fermented with San Diego Super reached an attenuation of 71.4% which is low for that yeast which is usually 76-83% +.

I would think the IPA falls into parameters nicely, the APA did finish a little high for that yeast strain but I would suspect your mash and or yeast pitching amounts as the culprit. Also, San Diego Super is known to be a pretty finicky strain as far as fermentation temps go. Do you have controlled fermentation temps or are you fermenting at ambient air temperatures?

Thanks for the thought out response. All grain on both. I mashed both at 152, probably too high for the APA for sure, and I did not do a starter, I pitched two vials of each yeast.

 

[McBrewskie]

Reading that last post I'm starting to think I found my issue.

 

[McBrewskie]

Any more thoughts?

 

[2bluewagons]

I agree that for homebrew, 1.018 is not that bad and can still be an enjoyable beer. However, I seriously doubt that Chainbreaker has an FG of 1.018, I am guessing based on ABV and calories from Deschutes website it is more like 1.013. I think fermentation is to blame here, more healthy yeast next time. You should get more attenuation with a 152 mash temp. How confident are you in your mash thermometer? Maybe it's high?

Also, what container are you using for hydrometer readings? Maybe it gets hung up on something around 1.018?

 

[McBrewskie]

I agree that for homebrew, 1.018 is not that bad and can still be an enjoyable beer. However, I seriously doubt that Chainbreaker has an FG of 1.018, I am guessing based on ABV and calories from Deschutes website it is more like 1.013. I think fermentation is to blame here, more healthy yeast next time. You should get more attenuation with a 152 mash temp. How confident are you in your mash thermometer? Maybe it's high?

Also, what container are you using for hydrometer readings? Maybe it gets hung up on something around 1.018?

I'm thinking that not doing a starter was not so smart. I think that's the main culprit here. Gonna add a dab of amylase to both I think to dry them out some. Overall the flavors in both are awesome, just a tad sweet.