US Safale 05 Attenuation of 90%?

[CarolinaMatt]

Hi All-

so I brewed a session IPA end of February and after 8 days took a gravity reading last night with refractometer.

OG was 1.044

Reading last night came in at 4.75 brixx and once converted in calculator that says it is at 1.003 gravity.

So if that is all correct that means I had an attenuation of over 90% in 8 days and abv around 5.3-5.5% when brewer's friend gave expected FG of 1.008 and abv 4.55%. I used rehydrated US Safale 05 yeast.

Does that seem right?

Brew details below:

OG 1.044
60 min mash - 153
10 min dunk sparge - 170
Fermentation chamber at 63 degrees

.5 lb American - Pilsner
3.5 lb United Kingdom - Golden Promise
1 lb American - White Wheat
1 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 20L

0.5 oz Amarillo Pellet 8.4 First Wort
0.5 oz Centennial Pellet 9.9 Boil 20 min
0.5 oz Amarillo Pellet 8.4 Boil 20 min
0.5 oz Simcoe Pellet 13.3 Boil 20 min
0.5 oz Amarillo Pellet 8.4 Boil 5 min
0.5 oz Crystal Pellet 3.1 Boil 5 min

 

[kh54s10]

I would guess it is close. IMO, the calculations are that, calculations. There is a degree of error. Personally I would guess that your FG is closer to the Brewer's Friend estimate than the calculated refractometer reading.

If you want to be certain - use a hydrometer.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

I would guess it is close. IMO, the calculations are that, calculations. There is a degree of error. Personally I would guess that your FG is closer to the Brewer's Friend estimate than the calculated refractometer reading.

If you want to be certain - use a hydrometer.

Yea I think I will test it with the hydrometer tonight to compare. Guess it's not unheard of for US 05 to fly through a beer that quickly is it?

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Nothing overly surprising about the rate or level of attenuation. US-05 is a nice, neutral yeast. Confirm your FG with a calibrated hydrometer and enjoy.

 

[bigdawg86]

I just got 86% attenuation on a stout I just made using US05. I ended up adding 1lb of lactose into secondary to bump up the body a bit.

 

[thehaze]

8 days is not quick, but US-05 is not the fastest fermenter maybe...?`

I have experienced yeast finishing fermentation and reaching FG after 3-4 days in a wort with much higher OG.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

8 days is not quick, but US-05 is not the fastest fermenter maybe...?`

I have experienced yeast finishing fermentation and reaching FG after 3-4 days in a wort with much higher OG.

Yea I suppose too this is my first time having ferm. chamber. I guess ideal conditions really unleashes the beast! That is crazy in 3-4 days -- what yeasts did you usually use?

 

[kh54s10]

Fermentation temperature control, usually means you are keeping the temperature cooler, which would make the time to FG longer. Most yeasts will finish in 3-5 days, a few more days allows any "clean up" the yeast might do. It also helps be sure that you are truly at FG.

I don't know how long it actually takes for US05 because I always allow 2 weeks. I can't be bothered checking the gravity multiple times... And most often I have other things to do when bottling/kegging time comes, or just through procrastination my fermentations are longer.

 

[ba-brewer]

@CarolinaMatt, how much yeast did you use? If you used a whole packet that could of been a over pitch which can lead to higher attenuation.

I normally get upper 70s low 80s from US05.

Fermentation temperature control, usually means you are keeping the temperature cooler, which would make the time to FG longer. Most yeasts will finish in 3-5 days, a few more days allows any "clean up" the yeast might do. It also helps be sure that you are truly at FG.

I don't know how long it actually takes for US05 because I always allow 2 weeks. I can't be bothered checking the gravity multiple times... And most often I have other things to do when bottling/kegging time comes, or just through procrastination my fermentations are longer.

I cant help myself I check my beers probable too often, but I agree that most yeasts are done in the 3-5day for medium gravity beers and few more days do help clean thing up.

 

[deadwolfbones]

I've done a couple session SMaSH beers of around the same OG with US-05 recently and ended up around 1.009, so 79%. Mine used Vienna as the base grain. I started them around 66F and let it rise to around 68F, then stepped it up to 70-72F to finish after the krausen had dropped.

Not sure if the base grain affects attenuation. I also only used half packets because they were 2.5gal batches.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

@CarolinaMatt, how much yeast did you use? If you used a whole packet that could of been a over pitch which can lead to higher attenuation.

I normally get upper 70s low 80s from US05.


I cant help myself I check my beers probable too often, but I agree that most yeasts are done in the 3-5day for medium gravity beers and few more days do help clean thing up.

I used the whole packet and re-hydrated the yeast prior to pitch. Yea I usually follow the course of just leaving it be for 2 weeks and then a secondary if needed otherwise just 3 weeks primary to really clear it up.

Maybe I leave them too long? -- especially if most yeast finish in 3-5 days and clean up for a few days after.

 

[ncbrewer]

Reading last night came in at 4.75 brixx and once converted in calculator that says it is at 1.003 gravity.

Maybe I missed something, but I get a conversion of 1.019 SG using Brewer's Friend.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

Maybe I missed something, but I get a conversion of 1.019 SG using Brewer's Friend.

It does, but does not take into account the alcohol present from fermentation so have to use part II for FG

 

[ba-brewer]

I calculate the gravity from the refract while fermenting don't put too much weight on the actual value, I mostly go by when the reading is stable. Once stable I take a measurement with a hydrometer when I keg and that is the value I use for FG. In general the calculated value comes pretty close, like a point or two off.

I use the sean terrill calculator and I think that is closer than the beersmith calculator, except when the gravity get below 1010. Beersmith gives 1.003 for 4.7Brix with a 1044 start. The terrill calculator gives 1.0077 with 11brix start and 4.7brix end. Most likely your actual gravity is somewhere between those two.

 

[CarolinaMatt]

I calculate the gravity from the refract while fermenting don't put too much weight on the actual value, I mostly go by when the reading is stable. Once stable I take a measurement with a hydrometer when I keg and that is the value I use for FG. In general the calculated value comes pretty close, like a point or two off.

I use the sean terrill calculator and I think that is closer than the beersmith calculator, except when the gravity get below 1010. Beersmith gives 1.003 for 4.7Brix with a 1044 start. The terrill calculator gives 1.0077 with 11brix start and 4.7brix end. Most likely your actual gravity is somewhere between those two.

Thanks for the input! Never used the sean terrill calculator before. I'll have to check it out. Really was hoping this beer stays between 4.5%-4.75%. I think I'll do the hydrometer reading before moving to secondary this weekend then.

 

[rodwha]

I have had one off the charts as well. Typically I see between 75-80% efficiency so I just leave it set at 75%. Tried to brew a 4.8% Mild with an OG calculated at 1.045 and FG of 1.009. Instead (sparged the hell out of it) I got a hydrometer reading (yes it’s calibrated) of 1.059 with an FG of 1.014. Obviously I got additional sugars to begin with but I also got higher attenuation as well.

 

[Lalo]

Hello all...this is an old post but I wanted to comment on a beer I made 10 months ago using Safale US-05. I brewed the American Caramel Ale recipe by KingBrianI. Mine was a mini-mash version, OG 1.051 and estimated FG 1.007. I bottled at 1.008 since readings were not changing and since it was close enough to the estimated FB, but months ago I opened a bottle and bubbles came gushing out. I thought it was an infection but the beer is fine, no sourness or off flavors, and today I opened another bottle and took a gravity reading: 1.002 . I have used US-05 many times and attenuation is around 80%. According to an ABV calculator I used attenuation this time was 96%. Anyone else experienced this? I can't think of any other variable that could account for this low FG except for the yeast. Puzzled.

 

[dmtaylor]

I calculate the gravity from the refract while fermenting don't put too much weight on the actual value, I mostly go by when the reading is stable. Once stable I take a measurement with a hydrometer when I keg and that is the value I use for FG. In general the calculated value comes pretty close, like a point or two off.

I use the sean terrill calculator and I think that is closer than the beersmith calculator, except when the gravity get below 1010. Beersmith gives 1.003 for 4.7Brix with a 1044 start. The terrill calculator gives 1.0077 with 11brix start and 4.7brix end. Most likely your actual gravity is somewhere between those two.

A couple months ago, Sean Terrill and I kind of worked out that the accuracy of different refractometer conversion calculators is FG-dependent. Terrill's calculator is more accurate when actual FG is less than about 1.014, whereas the Brewer's Friend calculator is more accurate with actual FG above 1.014. In the vicinity of roughly 1.012-1.016, both calculators are quite accurate so either one can be used. (Meanwhile, I am not familiar with BeerSmith's calc so cannot comment on that one.)

In this specific case, the most accurate calculator for you is Terrill's, which will give you an FG of 1.008-1.009, and this gives a more believeable attenuation of 81% and ABV of about 4.7%. Brewer's Friend (i.e., Petr Novotny's) calculator is giving a bogus result as it's unfortunately proven not to be very accurate at very low SG.

Reference:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/bs3af9/sean_terrills_website_issues/

 

[Dland]

Hello all...this is an old post but I wanted to comment on a beer I made 10 months ago using Safale US-05. I brewed the American Caramel Ale recipe by KingBrianI. Mine was a mini-mash version, OG 1.051 and estimated FG 1.007. I bottled at 1.008 since readings were not changing and since it was close enough to the estimated FB, but months ago I opened a bottle and bubbles came gushing out. I thought it was an infection but the beer is fine, no sourness or off flavors, and today I opened another bottle and took a gravity reading: 1.002 . I have used US-05 many times and attenuation is around 80%. According to an ABV calculator I used attenuation this time was 96%. Anyone else experienced this? I can't think of any other variable that could account for this low FG except for the yeast. Puzzled.

I wonder if it is possible you got some super-attenuating infection that does not happen to change the flavor much. In any case, I'd get those bottles in a nice cold fridge, if you have not done so already.

The lowest I've seen US-05 go is 1.005, but 1.008-10 is more common.

 

[Lalo]

I suppose an infection is possible and the only explanation left for the +90% attenuation. Someone suggested that it could be a Diastaticus yeast. A Brett strain would add flavors and perhaps leave some residue in the bottle. Not sure if it was in my bottling bucket or some of the bottles. I did bottle another batch the next day and so far no issues there. I have 2 bottles left...if both gush bubbles then the batch was infected, if not then some of the bottles were. I can see now why quality control would be a priority even for nano-breweries...a few cells could ruin an entire batch!

I wonder if it is possible you got some super-attenuating infection that does not happen to change the flavor much. In any case, I'd get those bottles in a nice cold fridge, if you have not done so already.

The lowest I've seen US-05 go is 1.005, but 1.008-10 is more common.

 

[dmtaylor]

I doubt it's infected. As stated previously, just need to measure with a hydrometer instead of refractometer. I'm sure it's closer to 1.008 which is appropriate.

 

[bkboiler]

Something else to consider is mashing higher so you have a higher FG..made a few session IPAs and that helps a lot

 

[Spartan1979]

I almost always have higher than expected attenuation when I use S-05, but not to the degree the OP experienced. So I used S-05 recently for a 1.078 stout with that in mind and it quit at 60% attenuation.

 

[Just_another_drunkard_666]

I consistently have us05 attenuate in the 90 percentile. Not sure why. For example tomorrow I'm kegging a kviek hazy that attenuated to 80 percent and an Irish red that attenuated to 92 with us05. Not surprising for the red had a temp drop during mash bringing it down to 148 so it went to town. Still happy with the results.