Should I expect to have a higher FG than anticipated?

Should I expect to have a higher FG than anticipated?

by balli1990

HI

I brewed an english bitter from BCS a few weeks ago and its been in the fermenter for 14 days now at a constant 19 - 21 degrees thanks to my new fish tank heater. PP very kindly advised me on how to put the recipe into the BIABacus.

When I mashed In I made a big mistake, the water was 10 degrees too high (79c)

I realised after about 5 mins so I pulled the bag and let the water cool to 67 and mashed in again. Air lock activity stopped after 7 days.

The FG reading was at 1.016 yesterday ill take another reading in 2 days time to see if its changed.

Should I expect a higher FG due to my incompetence with a thermometer? could I have denatured the enzymes that produce the most fermentable sugars? have a I produced a beer full of tanning?

The style guidelines say that an English bitter should finish between 1.008 and 1.013 so at 1.016 should it still be a drinkable beer if not a bit sweet?

I tasted the hydrometer sample, as is tradition, and it was quite sweet.

Cheers!

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Should I expect to have a higher FG than anticipated?

Post #2 made 11 years ago

by gmhowell

With my lame palate, I wouldn't notice the difference between 13 and 16.

And as PP and others have pointed out, single readings on the homebrew scale are notoriously unreliable.

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-George
"I ride for the same reason dogs stick their heads out of car windows."

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Post #3 made 11 years ago

by balli1990

Thank you for the quick reply, yeah don't think I would be able to taste the difference either tbh.

Think I'm just overthinking things

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Post #4 made 11 years ago

by PistolPatch

gmh's post above applies triple-fold when it comes to final gravities...

Two weeks of S-04 at that temperature is heaps so package it for sure balli. THe mash could have been a stuff-up but nothing can be done about it now anyway unless you want to add chemicals.

FG is a very unpredictable estimate. The only way I would count on an FG is...

1. If I was copying a recipe from a brewer I knew.
2. I had tested my hydrometer against that brewer's.
3. I had tested my thermometer against that brewer's.

FG estimates from software (including the BIABacus) are ball-park at best.

For example your GAW was 1.041 versus 1.038 estimated so as far as I know (and I'm not that knowledgeable on FG's) your FG will already end up being higher than estimated. But who even knows what the attenuation of S-04 even is? All they say is medium on the Fermentis site. The BIABacus default is 75% but who knows if that is medium?

So package it and see how she tastes Balli

.

Nice job on the file too balli. Only thing I would question is the KFL of 0.55 L. Occasionally though I'll get a brew like that. Sounds fair. Just make sure you aren't over-doing your kettle trub management

.

PP

I think new brewers

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Post #5 made 11 years ago

by balli1990

Cheers PP

I'll definitely bottle/mini keg this batch, when or if I ever get a day of work this month.

I'll look into KFL, I think I may have measured the trub in the kettle but not the gunk left in the no chill cube.

Cheers!

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Post #6 made 11 years ago

by jhough

balli , after bottling , might want to let it condition for about 6weeks to let it mellow out a bit.Usually works for me.
Joe

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Should I expect to have a higher FG than anticipated?

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