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I think I know why my F.G. is so high, but I would like to know what are my options to try and fix it and what are the pros and cons of each.

Below is my recipe and readings during mash.

the options I see

  1. leave it alone and drink it
  2. add amylese enzyme (uknown if my brew shop has it.)
  3. add Beano -- ( I have heard both good and bad)
  4. add unboiled wort, that still has the enzymes, probably not possible due to barely any room to add more liquid.
  5. Add sugar, to bring up ABV to what I expected. (7%-8%)

Mash time 1.5 hrs

Mash Temp unknown, lost my digital thermometer during my move, was using a meat thermometer. This is where I screwed up, I think I mashed way too high

S.G. 1.072

F.G. 1.041

est ABV ~4.5%

Recipe:

20Lbs 2 row

1lbs dark caramel malt (no lovibond)

1lbs chocolate malt

1lbs roasted barley

1lbs special B

2oz nugget 15% alpha

2 packets of WLP-002

Right now it tastes pretty good, but I want to evaluate my options before I commit to kegging/bottling it.

Update-9/27/18

Fast ferment

Yeast Viability: 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup of beer, still has yeast and will ferment simple sugars. did not take reading.

Beano: Used 1 full pill for 1/3 cup of beer -- 48hrs Only dropped .002,

Update 10/04/18

Fast Ferment with wort only, only dropped 2 points. final reading 1.038

Doing more research, I have found Attenuation/fermentability drops like a rock at higher temperatures. So my fermentibility may only be around 44% according to my sources. Source

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4
  • homebrew.stackexchange.com/questions/6956/… I think a forced ferment test is another option to see how enzymes and other options will pan out, with minimum loss.
    – jsolarski
    Commented Sep 24, 2018 at 23:16
  • #4 is a NO for sure. Unboiled wort will contain bacteria and sour your batch.
    – Evil Zymurgist
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 15:07
  • byo.com/article/raw-ale It could sour it, but it is an option that could work, it would be a calculated risk. please put it as an answer, definitely a con on #4
    – jsolarski
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 17:21
  • Sounds like you understand where you went wrong. You could try exogenous beta and alpha amylase enzymes, but you will not be operating at their prime pH or temperature. Likely you have longer sugars, while it may not be to style in the end, you could try a cleaner Brettanomyces strain as they will munch on pretty well all sugars.
    – John
    Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 0:08

2 Answers 2

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2

It seems like you have a pretty good grasp of where you went wrong, and what your options are. I would suggest one more approach though - blending. You could brew a similar beer, but make sure it overattenuates, then blend the two. You could use the same grist, but mash low and long, and you could also sub out a few pounds of base malt and replace with dextrose or cane sugar.

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2
  • I do like the idea of blending, but i brew once every few months, and wont be doing another batch for about a month or so. If i am still undecided what to do by then, it will be an option.
    – jsolarski
    Commented Sep 24, 2018 at 23:13
  • Just complementing the idea, if you have spare equipment of course. You could mash at a higher temperature, collect a certain volume of wort and keep it over the 76-77 ºC, add more water to the mash tun and keep mashing at a lower temperature. Never did it, and I'm not sure it's something applicable at all. Seems too much work.... :(
    – rondonctba
    Commented Sep 25, 2018 at 3:53
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I don't think this is Terminal Gravity even if mashed very high. Highest Terminal Gravity I've seen from complete Alpha-Amylase mash is around 1.030.

I would try to get it to finish out by rousing the yeast and getting it warmer.

As far as what to do with a high FG beer that is indeed at TG.

  1. leave it alone and drink it That's one option, if it's enjoyable then do it. Be cautious of bottle bombs.

  2. Add amylese enzyme

  3. Add Beano These are both the same amylase and is your best option if it is at TG.

  4. add unboiled wort No, unboiled wort has bacteria that will sour the batch or worse.

  5. Add sugar, to bring up ABV to what I expected. (7%-8%) This would only work of you are at TG and yeast is still viable. But would only add ABV and would do little to balance the sweet / bitter.

  6. Save it for blending. This would be a great base for a Braggot or Malted Cider. Again, only good if indeed at TG.

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6
  • Since i did not have a good thermometer, i can guess my starting mash temp was about 180f to 190f, when i accidentally dipped my finger into my strike water, it scalded it pretty good, and nearly instantaneous. I am currently running a fast ferment test, with extra sugar to verify yeast and one with beano just to see what it does.
    – jsolarski
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 18:29
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    @jsolarski this a little unknown but Alpha-Amylase can actually renature if denatured from heat (not chemically) if there is calcium for it to grab. Now this isn't to say it always happens, but it can. Beta-Amylase is different and I've not read any papers on it renaturing. Long story short, I think you had complete conversion but more complex sugars than normal, but not enough to account for your high FG. I would force ferment test without adding sugar also.
    – Evil Zymurgist
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 18:50
  • I will try a forced ferment with out sugar, and see. Thanks for the info. The other 2 tests should be finished.
    – jsolarski
    Commented Sep 27, 2018 at 19:51
  • started fast ferment with just the wort, no additives, but I think you are right I have lots of complex sugars. I am going to try a starch test later as well. I also tried to find any info on renaturing B-amylase but no success, so maybe it cannot be easily done.
    – jsolarski
    Commented Sep 28, 2018 at 3:15
  • @jsolarski while I think you have more than usual amount of unfermentables. I don't think it's at TG. For your recipe I'd estimate its TG around 1.024 if completely mashed for alpha.
    – Evil Zymurgist
    Commented Sep 28, 2018 at 14:17

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