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Author Topic: FG Variance  (Read 6378 times)

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2015, 03:58:57 pm »
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.

should read 1.00 in distilled...not tap water.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
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Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2015, 04:01:22 pm »
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.

you either had very good attenuation for the yeast strain (also can be over pitch issue), mash temp was lower than read (doesn't seem like that's your issue with thermopen) or your hydrometer is off.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline flbrewer

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2015, 04:03:52 pm »
Well I did pitch the starter w the krausen going. Not sure if a factor.

Offline brewday

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2015, 04:06:34 pm »
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.

should read 1.00 in distilled...not tap water.

Mine reads 1.004 in both.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #19 on: January 30, 2015, 04:12:02 pm »
I check my hydrometers each time now.  I have 2 that read accurately for years, but over time the damn paper scales slipped, and one reads .02 high, the other almost .04 high. As long as you know your correction factor, all is good in beerland.
Jon H.

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #20 on: January 30, 2015, 04:12:11 pm »
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.

should read 1.00 in distilled...not tap water.

Mine reads 1.004 in both.

yep it can. but calibration should always be done in distilled. not all tap water will give 1.000 reading...mine does not.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline brewinhard

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #21 on: January 30, 2015, 04:19:51 pm »
There are too many variables involved to predict a FG unless you have repeatedly brewed the same recipe over and over at home and know the range you will get.  As stated above, things like mash temp accuracy, grain to water volume, malt used, conversion efficiency, wort aeration levels, yeast vitality/pitch rate/health, post boil volume accuracy, and fermentation profile are just a few that come to mind. 

As Denny said, don't take too much heed in hitting an exact FG.  In a perfect world we would hit it every time but Lord knows that doesn't always happen. I consider my brew days a complete success if I am within 2 points + or - of my OG and FG expected. 

After all we are just homebrewers....

Offline brewday

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #22 on: January 30, 2015, 04:22:28 pm »
To Denny's point, I rarely hit beersmith's predicted final gravity, unless I manually edit the ingredients (yeast attenuation range, for example) for a recipe or process I'm very familiar with.

Many things can influence how a beer is perceived, regardless of where the numbers end up.  What's important is that it tastes good!

----

Edit:  D'oh!  brewinhard beat me to it.

Offline brewinhard

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #23 on: January 30, 2015, 04:27:51 pm »
Sorry Bud... :)

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #24 on: January 30, 2015, 04:30:32 pm »
+2. Remember we drink beer, not numbers.  Taste the final product and decide how you feel about it. I like well attenuated beer and I've had beers come in at 1.009-1.008 FG that, while a little lower than targeted, were damn good beers.
Jon H.

Offline jeffy

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #25 on: January 30, 2015, 04:52:03 pm »
I wish some of my beers finished at 1.008.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #26 on: January 30, 2015, 04:59:45 pm »
+2. Remember we drink beer, not numbers.  Taste the final product and decide how you feel about it. I like well attenuated beer and I've had beers come in at 1.009-1.008 FG that, while a little lower than targeted, were damn good beers.
+3 i like many beers very dry....some struggle to get there.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline cascadesrunner

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #27 on: January 30, 2015, 05:45:16 pm »
I look forward to the batch that finishes lower than it is "supposed" to. 
Run then beer.

Offline beersk

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #28 on: January 31, 2015, 11:05:02 am »
My beers almost never finish below 1.010 and the only ones that finish that low are lagers. I had a pale ale finish at 1.009 last year, which surprised me. Most of my ales finish in the 1.011-1.016 range, with a few here and there that finish high (which pisses me off). I have a porter on tap now that finished at 1.021, while it's good, it would be SO much better if it had finished at 1.015 or around there.
Perhaps it's because I'm fermenting in kegs, but I'm still not convinced that fermenter geometry has that effect on the yeast.
Jesse

Offline flbrewer

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Re: FG Variance
« Reply #29 on: January 31, 2015, 11:57:58 am »

+2. Remember we drink beer, not numbers.  Taste the final product and decide how you feel about it. I like well attenuated beer and I've had beers come in at 1.009-1.008 FG that, while a little lower than targeted, were damn good beers.
+3 i like many beers very dry....some struggle to get there.

Does a low FG always equate to a dry beer regardless of what the OG was?