When to bottle??

[loudrail]

Need some help guys. I've had this hefeweizen in the carboy for 24 days. I had a OG of 1.052 and last reading took was 1.022today . I followed the recipe exactly as it was described and been fermenting around 70 degrees. Any suggestions on why the gravity is taking so long to drop? Any recommendation?

 

[Jaybird]

What was the recipe and what yeast did you use?

Cheers
Jay

 

[loudrail]

This is the one I used

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: White Labs Hefeweizen IV
Batch Size (Gallons): 6
Original Gravity: 1.051
Final Gravity: 1.01
IBU: 11.9
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 4.0
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 3
Tasting Notes: Lemon-Lime in your face flavor....real easy to drink and drink and drink!

After brewing this beer several times and having other people brew it as well....I can tell you this will be one of your favorite recipes!

All Grain
6.25lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
4lbs White Wheat Malt
1lb Vienna Malt
****Mash 158 for 45 minutes****
0.25 Motueka Hops at 60 Minutes
0.25 Sorachi Ace 20 minutes
0.25 Motueka Hops 20 minutes
0.25 Sorachi Ace 7 Minutes
0.50 Lime Zest 5 Minutes
White Labs Hefeweizen IV Ale Yeast
****Start Vigorous Fermentation****
After Vigorous Fermentation subsides, add 1.75L Simply Limeade
****Ferment for a minimum of 3 weeks****

 

[Travestian]

Chances are your fermentation is done. Your current gravity reading is not far off from the expected 1.010. Take another gravity reading tomorrow and if it is still 1.012 bottle or keg it. It won't go any lower.

 

[loudrail]

Thanks Travestian,

But I am currently setting at 1.022 is that to far away from 1.010 to go ahead and bottle?

 

[Jaybird]

Was it good viable, healthy yeast? How is your aeration method? Are you sure your Hydro reading is accurate? Have you tested your hydrometer?

Cheers
Jay

 

[Jaybird]

There is a LOT of things that can cause a higher than expected FG. What was "YOUR" mash temp?

Cheers
Jay

 

[Yooper]

Thanks Travestian,

But I am currently setting at 1.022 is that to far away from 1.010 to go ahead and bottle?

With a mash temp of 158 (that's high!), the beer is done. Mashing at 158 means that there is no way that this beer would finish at 1.010. If you mashed at 150, then it would be possible.

 

[loudrail]

Mashed at 158

 

[loudrail]

I pitched yeast and waited 3 days and no activity at all. So I pitched another vial and within hours I had activity.

 

[Jaybird]

Dude its done! Bottle like a mad man.

That seems a little high for a mash temp but you will have a boat load of mouth feel and sweetness.

Cheers
Jay

 

[Travestian]

Thanks Travestian,

But I am currently setting at 1.022 is that to far away from 1.010 to go ahead and bottle?

Wow I totally missed that one. My mistake.

 

[vNmd]

Mashing at 158 means that there is no way that this beer would finish at 1.010.

I have always heard to shoot for 152ish for mashing. Assuming the yeast is good and there is still sugars / food available for the yeast, what happens @ 158 that keeps yeast from continuing?

Would you be able to bottle carb normally or would you have to adjust the priming amount to account for the additional sweetness in the liquid?

 

[RM-MN]

I have always heard to shoot for 152ish for mashing. Assuming the yeast is good and there is still sugars / food available for the yeast, what happens @ 158 that keeps yeast from continuing?

Would you be able to bottle carb normally or would you have to adjust the priming amount to account for the additional sweetness in the liquid?

Mashing, the conversion of grain starch to malt sugars is accomplished by 2 enzymes, alpha and beta amylase. These enzymes have specific temperatures where they work and they differ in how they work. Beta amylase makes short chain sugars that the yeast eat quite readily but it works at the lower end of the mash temperature and is denatured as the temperature goes up. Alpha amylase starts working at a higher temperature but it doesn't break down the starches into fermentable sugar. When you mash low (146-150) beta amylase is the most active and you will get beer that ferments out to a quite low FG, I've seen one of mine end up at 1.002. As the temperature goes up there will be a mix of sugars produced until the temperature is high enough to denature the beta amylase. At 158, the beta amylase would not be able to function for long so you get unfermentable sugars. These lead to beer that is "malty" and the FG will be higher than wanted.

 

[Setesh]

I have always heard to shoot for 152ish for mashing. Assuming the yeast is good and there is still sugars / food available for the yeast, what happens @ 158 that keeps yeast from continuing?

Would you be able to bottle carb normally or would you have to adjust the priming amount to account for the additional sweetness in the liquid?

The higher the mash temperature the less fermentable the sugars that are produced. Here is a good explanation:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14-5.html

 

[vNmd]

Mashing, the conversion of grain starch to malt sugars is accomplished by 2 enzymes, alpha and beta amylase. These enzymes have specific temperatures where they work and they differ in how they work. Beta amylase makes short chain sugars that the yeast eat quite readily but it works at the lower end of the mash temperature and is denatured as the temperature goes up. Alpha amylase starts working at a higher temperature but it doesn't break down the starches into fermentable sugar. When you mash low (146-150) beta amylase is the most active and you will get beer that ferments out to a quite low FG, I've seen one of mine end up at 1.002. As the temperature goes up there will be a mix of sugars produced until the temperature is high enough to denature the beta amylase. At 158, the beta amylase would not be able to function for long so you get unfermentable sugars. These lead to beer that is "malty" and the FG will be higher than wanted.

Nice. I never thought about unfermentable sugars, but it makes sense.

 

[HalsAle]

As long as your SG remains the same and is not dropping anymore at all, your ready to bottle. Just be sure it has stopped dropping or you'll have glass and beer to clean up! There are so many factors that can affect your beer, best advice, RHHB!! Good luck...