Is this really possible?

[bboyeruga]

I brewed a Belgian golden ale Brewer's Best extract kit that was supposed to have 7.5-8% ABV. I missed the OG by a couple points at 1.067 and I fermented it at 65 degrees for 3 weeks. Cold crashed and bottled it and the FG was 1.001. Is this really possible? I adjusted both the OG and FG based on the temperature they were upon measuring. According to temperature based ABV calculators out there, it is closer to 9% alcohol.

Can someone explain the science here? I'm interested to be able to tell everyone why it is so high besides the yeast were REALLY happy.

 

[cluckk]

There are many more factors that need to be known to tell you what likely happened. I looked up the kit and could find no specs on the yeast used in the kit. As for whether it was possible, of course it can be done. Many big beers have been made to finish that low, but I would be surprised at this level of attenuation from an extract kit. Most of your sugars would have to be easily fermentable and the yeast would have to be tolerant of that level. I'm surprised but don't doubt it.

 

[bboyeruga]

It was this Danstar yeast. It fermented pretty violently for 4 days and then slowed down. It was fascinating to see how it went from dark brown at brew to a light crystal clear golden at bottling.

I did leave it at room temp (75) for 4 days while it was actively fermenting (knowing it was a saison yeast) and then moved it to the fermentation fridge at 65 degrees.

 

[peterj]

Wow, I've heard that yeast is a really good attenuator but 1.001 is incredibly low. Especially for extract which usually contains a higher porportion of unfermentables.

Oh, I just looked up the recipe and it looks like about 30% of the fermentables are simple sugars. That makes it more reasonable but 1.001 is still really low. Did the beer taste sour or like it could have an infection at all?

 

[bboyeruga]

Nope. Not at all. Tasted fantastic actually. I drank practically a glass and a half from the graduated cylinder and what was left over in the bottom.

 

[peterj]

Nope. Not at all. Tasted fantastic actually. I drank practically a glass and a half from the graduated cylinder and what was left over in the bottom.

Haha, nice! Well if it tastes good, that's all the counts! You should probably just drink it a little slower than you would have.

 

[bboyeruga]

It seems like karma. Today I brewed two 5 gallon batches of Oktoberfest (one Sam Adams and on traditional) and everything possible went wrong. Oh well. RDWHAB

 

[cluckk]

You'll have those brew days where everything goes wrong. You can also have those brew months and brew years where you just seem to get in a bad streak and nothing turns out or happens as you thought it would. It's all part of learning.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

With that yeast and that fermentation temp, does it taste like a Belgian Golden, or a Saison?

Just wondering, as I've never used dry yeasts for my Belgian beers or saisons, but I'd consider it...

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

I have the same thing going on. I have never used that yeast before but saison yeasts will go completely dry given enough time and heat. I racked to secondary yesterday (the yeast doesn't floc well) and my SG was 1.001. OG was 1.062.

 

[bboyeruga]

With that yeast and that fermentation temp, does it taste like a Belgian Golden, or a Saison?

Just wondering, as I've never used dry yeasts for my Belgian beers or saisons, but I'd consider it...

Right out of primary after 3 weeks, it tasted like a golden ale. And I know the difference because I was bottling it while drinking my Belgian saison made with the same yeast strain a month and a half earlier.

I think it's all about the temperature. I kept the saison in the garage which fluctuated from 75-90 for 2 weeks. It has a very deep spice character that the golden didn't even come close to.

I try not to discriminate between dry vs liquid yeasts. I did rehydrate the yeast before pitching though and pitched it at about 80 degrees both times. Don't know if that helps your consideration.

 

[Cyclman]

I think it more likely that the beer wasn't homogenous when you took the reading, ale yeasts just don't typically attenuate that high (wine yeasts do).

Beer, especially in secondary, naturally stratifies, with the heaviest (sugariest?) layer at the bottom.

It needs to be thoroughly stirred, and even then, sometimes multiple readings are necessary.

As long as it's good, all's good.

 

[Mikethepoolguy]

Every saison yeast I have used (565,566,3711, and now Belle Saison) have finished at 2 points or less.

 

[timdurning]

I used this strain recently and, indeed, it is a beast. Made a saison (3gal batch of Jamil's from Classic Styles) that started at 1.067 and finished at 1.002. Just okay yeast-derived aroma, but a great, dry finish.

Is this supposed to be the same strain as Wyeast 3711? To my understanding, this strain is a great attenuator but lacks some of the more classic character that the finicky Dupont strain imparts to a beer.

 

[bboyeruga]

I think it more likely that the beer wasn't homogenous when you took the reading, ale yeasts just don't typically attenuate that high (wine yeasts do).

Beer, especially in secondary, naturally stratifies, with the heaviest (sugariest?) layer at the bottom.

It needs to be thoroughly stirred, and even then, sometimes multiple readings are necessary.

As long as it's good, all's good.

I siphoned off a cold crashed yeast cake into bottling bucket and stole from there. I'm certain the reading is right. I took the one hydrometer reading from the bottling bucket after siphoning, so it should've been well mixed.

I think the general consensus is that is yeast strain is a very good attenuator. I know it's rare, but it sounds like it is not out of the realm of possibility.