Low ABV...thoughts?

[Bartlebrewer]

So, first time BIAB and my grain bill was a little light too.

My OG was 1.041(corrected for temp).

This is a very dark ( Black) sweet beer. It's been fermenting for about two weeks. I took a sample last night, it tasted great but it's FG was 1.021. That makes an ABV of 2.63%.

Questions are...

1. I plan to keep fermenting for several more weeks, any chance I'll gain any in the FG/ABV department?

2. Is there anything I can do to bump it up, I've seen people on the forum talk about adding honey. This beer is already quite sweet...bad idea?

I appreciate your thoughts on this!

 

[stevo4361]

I think you'll have to post recipe details for the FG question, is your FG close to what you were expecting?
Adding honey will, from my understanding, dry out your beer and add alcohol and slight honey flavor, but not sweetness.
Honey would probably work, but a super low abv beer, if you like the taste, can be a great beer. I messed up my first partial mash Irish dry stout, and ended up with 3% abv and really enjoyed the beer. Good luck!

 

[peterj]

Yeah, a lot depends on your mash temperature, recipe, fermentation temperature, etc. Post some more details and we can help more. Depending on all of that you may need to rouse the yeast or that could be all you're going to get out of them.

Like stevo said, honey will ferment out completely because it's basically just sugar so it wouldn't do anything to your gravity. Adding more fermentables is not the way you want to go.

 

[jonnyp1980]

If it tastes good now leave it. You'll have a tasty beer. Next time just learn from whatever your mistake was. I'm sure after you post all the details people will tell you what you can correct.

 

[J187]

How about Amylase enzyme?

 

[JonM]

I had this exact thing happen a whole back and I decided to just let it go. Best "mistake" I ever made. Turned out I had a really tasty 3.2ish session beer, which everyone liked, and which we could enjoy many pints and not get hammered. I've been deliberately repeating that mistake ever since.

 

[J187]

I agree with those saying it will be good as a session beer, but for me, it would prob be just a little too low even for a session. If it were my beer, I think at the least, I'd try to get it up to the mid threes or thereabouts. 2.5 is cough syrup .

 

[davesrose]

Looks like the beer hasn't attenuated fully. +1 on not adding more fermentables yet (it won't solve the problem if the yeast is getting stuck). There are several factors that can lead to a stuck fermentation: yeast go dormant if there's not enough fermentable sugars, nutrients, oxygen levels, low PH, fermentation temp.

Amylase will break down complex sugars to fermentable sugars if you didn't extract enough during the mash. It doesn't hurt to add some, oxygenate the beer, rouse the yeast cake, and increase fermentation temp a few degrees.

Unattenuated beer isn't necessarily bad: less ABV and more filling

 

[Bartlebrewer]

Thanks guys. I guess the main thing I want to figure out is if I could get it up to 3.5 or so or if I should just be happy with what I've got. Here's some more info:

I was modifying a recipe for an "Mild English Brown" I think it already was aimed low as I got one point away from the target OG of 1.042.
The grain bill was: 5lbs 2 row, 2lbs Maris, 1lb Chocolate, 1lb Crystal-120. 9 total lbs for 5 gallons.
You think it was just I needed more grain? Was it not being adept at the BIAB techniques? Anything to be done? I'll enjoy it nonetheless but I agree that getting at least to three would be good. Is that enzyme a typical product at a LHBS?

Thanks

 

[Bartlebrewer]

Forgot to add...mashed at 155 degrees, have been fermenting at about 68 degrees

 

[stevo4361]

What were your temps? Sounds like either yeast crapped out or you mashed too high.

Edit: missed your last post.

 

[BigFloyd]

You have 2 lbs of pretty unfermentable grains in the mix and mashed it on the high side. You're going to end up with a sweeter beer and low attenuation (high FG). 1lb of chocolate and a whole lb of crystal 120 is a bit much.

What yeast did you pitch and how much?

 

[Bartlebrewer]

I used a packet of Safale-04 dry english

 

[davesrose]

Forgot to add...mashed at 155 degrees, have been fermenting at about 68 degrees

IMO, the best mash temps are between 148-152. There are many complexities about brewing...from just looking at these temps, I'd say it would lead to a malty tasting beer, but it wouldn't account for unattenuated beer. Ever since I've gotten into AG brewing, I've been sure I oxygenate the wort and have a healthy yeast count. Getting good fermentation and attenuation is pretty important IMO: it makes it easier to figure out the other subtleties about whether you want to mash in the 150s vs 140s/ particular water chemistries/ etc. But just as you've mentioned on this thread...your unattenuated beer still tastes great, so all of this is food for thought more more batches!!