My most recent helles (OG 1.050) finished at 1.005. This is a real head scratcher for me. Maybe some of you guys have a few ideas as to why this happened. It's way too dry with too much alcohol.
I've brewed probably 7-8 helles lagers and all of them have had a malt bill that is roughly 90% German pils and 10% German light Munich (6L). I've done a number of single infusion mashes (at 150F) and a couple of hockhurz double decoctions. Either way, my target gravity is always 1.050 and my finishing gravity is always 1.010 -- always. The only thing I did differently this time was add a small portion of acid malt to adjust the mash pH (which was 5.3 on the nose) and use WLP833 Bock Lager yeast instead of my usual Wyeast 2206. The yeast difference doesn't make sense to me, since 833 is supposed to be slightly less attenuative. I pitched the same amount of yeast as I normally do too (2 vials in a 2L stirplate starter). Aeration was as usual, with a mix-stir.
I'm honestly stumped. This beer was supposed to be on showcase for my Oktoberfest party on Saturday. I'll still be serving it, but I'm going to rebrand it as "a bavarian-style light lager with a decidedly dry, crisp American lager finish." It will be called Einwanderer, or immigrant.