[flbrewer]

Just cold crashed my Regal Pale Ale and my FG is quite lower than the recipe called for. I'm sure I used the correct amount of grain...what else could cause this? I didn't really want a higher ABV, but I guess there are worse things!

Recipe- OG- 1.056, FG- 1.014 (5.5% ABV)

My Brew- OG- 1.057, FG- 1.008 (6.4% ABV)*

*This is an 85% apparent attenuation.

[Joe Sr.]

I'm sure I used the correct amount of grain...what else could cause this?

Mash temp and mash time are the first things that come to mind. I'm sure there are other variables. 

Final gravities in recipes are an estimate.

[HoosierBrew]

You used a hydrometer and corrected for temperature ?  Remember, FG estimates from recipes or software are just that - estimates.  Several factors figure into your FG - yeast strain/quantity/health, mash temp, your grain bill.

[denny]

Just cold crashed my Regal Pale Ale and my FG is quite lower than the recipe called for. I'm sure I used the correct amount of grain...what else could cause this? I didn't really want a higher ABV, but I guess there are worse things!

Recipe- OG- 1.056, FG- 1.014 (5.5% ABV)

My Brew- OG- 1.057, FG- 1.008 (6.4% ABV)*

*This is an 85% apparent attenuation.

I say this over and over....just ignore it when a recipe tries to predict FG.  It's so inexact as to be worthless.  If the recipe is correct, it's more luck than anything.

[flbrewer]

You used a hydrometer and corrected for temperature ?

Yup

[HoosierBrew]

You used a hydrometer and corrected for temperature ?

Yup

Then what Denny said. FG estimates are worthless.

[Jimmy K]

My first mash thermometer was a basic kitchen digital thermometer. I checked it one day against a better thermometer and it was almost 10 degrees low. So when I thought I was at 155 I was really around 145. That would dry your beer out!

[Wort-H.O.G.]

might be a little more dry than you like and little less mouth feel.....but its beer and all things considered, that's at worst a small challenge to tackle and overcome in next batch.

[flbrewer]

My first mash thermometer was a basic kitchen digital thermometer. I checked it one day against a better thermometer and it was almost 10 degrees low. So when I thought I was at 155 I was really around 145. That would dry your beer out!

I pretty confident in my Thermapen, something to think about though.

[denny]

My first mash thermometer was a basic kitchen digital thermometer. I checked it one day against a better thermometer and it was almost 10 degrees low. So when I thought I was at 155 I was really around 145. That would dry your beer out!

I pretty confident in my Thermapen, something to think about though.

It could be something as basic as differences in the malt you used vs. the "typical" malt used in the FG prediction.  Seriously, just ignore that in the future.

[flbrewer]

There was the whole "Caravienne" misunderstanding at my LHBS. It was only 5 ounces though, apparently what I got was something closer to a crystal grain.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

mash temp-what was it?

[flbrewer]

mash temp-what was it?

153. Recipe called for 154. Could it be a water volume issue?

[brewday]

mash temp-what was it?

153. Recipe called for 154. Could it be a water volume issue?

If you added water after you measured post-boil gravity, then maybe.  1.008 is low, but not crazy low.  Have you calibrated your hydrometer in water?  Mine reads .04 pts high, so I always know to compensate for that.

[flbrewer]

mash temp-what was it?

153. Recipe called for 154. Could it be a water volume issue?

If you added water after you measured post-boil gravity, then maybe.  1.008 is low, but not crazy low.  Have you calibrated your hydrometer in water?  Mine reads .04 pts high, so I always know to compensate for that.

That's an idea...let me check it.