I have read several posts about under attenuation. However, I keep on “over attenuating” my beer… Is this even a thing? Often I shoot for 1.010… this time I was shooting for 1.016… I usually hit 1.006-1.008… what’s up with that?
Cheers!
Are your starting numbers hitting design? Is there a possibility your hydrometer is not calibrated? If you’re using a refractometer for final gravity I understand you need to put in a correction. I don’t so I’ll defer to others to weigh in on that.
Have you tried mashing warmer
Could be any number of things.
What’s your mash temp? Are you pitching enough healthy yeast? What’s your fermentation temperature? Are you careful about cleaning and sanitizing everything? How are the finished beers?
Same here. I know how my kveik yeast reacts. So in about. 10 days its about 1.020. Than 3 weeks later about 1.010. Did a test. Let one stand longer. Grav did not change. Other one. 5 sample test. Over a period of 2 weeks. Grav did not change. Did stay at 1.010. But cleaning calulations. Grain bill. Will effect the grav as well. I think
Finished beers at always good. I am pretty confident in my sanitation practices. I always do a yeast starter (unless using dry yeast)
I think I’m going to start with temp. I typically mash in the low to mid 150’s.
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If you want .016 better mash upper 150 also you could add more c malt
I always would get lower than whats calculated. Il mash at 158. If you’re loosing temperature in your mash go a degree or 2 higher yet try to stay above 156-7. Not sure why you mentioned sanitation if you’re thinking infection it would probably be lower than .006. Yeast selection could make a difference also attenuation ratings are an average so you can’t count on what the calculations say switch to a yeast that doesn’t get as high attenuation
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What kind of thermometer are you using?
It’s odd that you’d get over attenuation with every yeast you use in that temp range.
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Someone else asked me about my sanitation… you may have jumped in the middle of that thread. But, thanks for the tips…I will give that a shot. Do you think I should stay below 160? I tend not to loose much heat at all in my mash…usually only 1 degree over an hour…if that
Is there a problem with it finishing so low? Mine always do and I’ve no problem… Sneezles61
Well I’m brewing today and I have a similar problem. I’m making a hoppy beer today and have been very happy with the higher finish I get from wy1968. Low and behold I pulled out my last jar and it’s unpitchable. I’m going backup us-05 I’m going to try to hold back on the areation a bit see if that helps keep it from going low. If it does, like @sneezles61 said no big deal just be different but it’s to late now mash is on
That may be my issue too. I may be aerating too much…
Another issue I’m having and you and sneezle are awesome for helping.
All of my IPAs are ending with a harsh… back of the throat bitterness.
I just did an NEIPA. Great juicy hop flavor, but not that smooth end. Still harsh bitter on the finish. I believe I even did a 2-1 chloride to sulfate ratio.
I’m sure you two have ideas…
Harsh bitterness on the finish, I would inquire about water chemistry, mash pH, chlorine and chloramine, and fermentation temperatures.
Yeah. I am not 100% on water chemistry. Not chlorine or anything using RO water… shot for a 5.4 mash ph. Using beersmith.
I will send more info when I get to my computer.
I think that I have my ratios correct, but am unclear on total desolved solids ppm.
Understanding pH in the mash is tricky… But it did improve my brews… ALSO… what malts are you using… Too much 6 row gave up some strong flavors… Sneezles61
I’ve read that 6-row can do that, but I never noticed it in my beers(a total of 4, so not a large #) with 6 -row. Two Pre-Pros and 2 Cream ales later I still really like 6 row. The use of adjuncts with these traditional recipes probably had an effect of leading to a smoother taste… @sneezles61 did you go with a high percent of six row?
Discussion here: Two-Row vs Six-Row Barley - American Homebrewers Association
It was about the only one, short of specialty stuff I could get my hands on… So I know my brews base malt was 6 row… It had a harsher flavor… It took some getting used to… Now I can get what ever I like… with in reason… It sure seems my base has evolved to half and half, Marris Otter and Pils… Very happy as it is now… I’m still tweaking the amounts of C in some recipes… Sneezles61
