[Lylebobyle]

I did pretty well in hitting my gravity goals on my British Red Ale so far. Post boil was 1.054.....
It has been in primary for 7 days now and gravity reads 1.025. This seems kinda off, as the estimated FG is 1.010 at 5.1 ABV. I am just wondering if it's just slow going (been fermenting at 68-72 degrees) or my final product will be more of a session beer at around 3.8 ABV. Any suggestions?

[morticaixavier]

are you measuring with a hydrometer or a refractometer? if refract you have to adjust for the presence of alcohol.

other than that, if you underpitched significantly it can just take longer than 7 days to finish.

post more details for more insight. (recipe, procedure, etc)

[Lylebobyle]

Measuring with Refractometer....didn't take the alcohol into consideration.
Here is recipe though:



Red Ale

American Amber Ale (6 B)



Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.89 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 6.76 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 4.75 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage


Date: 05 Mar 2014
Brewer: Lyle
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: Pot and Cooler (10 Gal/37.8 L) - All Grain
Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 85.1 %
Taste Rating: 30.0


Taste Notes:


Prepare for Brewing

◯ Clean and Prepare Brewing Equipment
◯ Total Water Needed: 10.03 gal


Mash or Steep Grains

Mash Ingredients


 Amt

 Name

 Type

 #

 %/IBU

9 lbs 10.3 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 86.5 %
1 lbs 2.4 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 2 10.3 %
3.3 oz Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 3 1.9 %
2.3 oz Roasted Barley (300.0 SRM) Grain 4 1.3 %

Mash Steps


 Name

 Description

 Step Temperature

 Step Time

Mash In Add 17.14 qt of water at 163.7 F 154.0 F 60 min
◯ Fly sparge with 5.74 gal water at 168.0 F

◯ Add water to achieve boil volume of 7.89 gal
◯ Estimated pre-boil gravity is 1.045 SG

Boil Ingredients


 Amt

 Name

 Type

 #

 %/IBU

1.69 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 25.8 IBUs
1.10 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 6 -
0.28 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] - Boil 3.0 min Hop 7 0.5 IBUs
◯ Estimated Post Boil Vol: 6.76 gal and Est Post Boil Gravity: 1.054 SG

Cool and Transfer Wort
◯ Cool wort to fermentation temperature
◯ Transfer wort to fermenter
◯ Add water if needed to achieve final volume of 5.50 gal

Pitch Yeast and Measure Gravity and Volume

Fermentation Ingredients


 Amt

 Name

 Type

 #

 %/IBU

1.6 pkg Irish Ale Yeast (White Labs #WLP004) Yeast 8 -
◯ Measure Actual Original Gravity _______     (Target: 1.054 SG)
◯ Measure Actual Batch Volume _______     (Target: 5.50 gal)
◯ Add water if needed to achieve final volume of 5.50 gal

Fermentation
◯ 05 Mar 2014 - Primary Fermentation (4.00 days at 67.0 F ending at 67.0 F)
◯ 09 Mar 2014 - Secondary Fermentation (10.00 days at 67.0 F ending at 67.0 F)


Dry Hop and Bottle/Keg
◯ Measure Final Gravity: _________  (Estimate: 1.016 SG)
◯ Date Bottled/Kegged: 19 Mar 2014 - Carbonation: Keg with 12.54 PSI
◯ Age beer for 30.00 days at 65.0 F
◯ 18 Apr 2014 - Drink and enjoy!

Pre boil was 1.042 and post boil was 1.054....1st week primary 1.025 using refractometer. The yeast was very slow starting, so 24 hrs after, I added Safale S-04 and it went to town!

[morticaixavier]

In that case your true gravity is ~1.011
check out this site for future reference

http://seanterrill.com/2012/01/06/refractometer-calculator/

[Lylebobyle]

Thanks so much for the help!