I started an IPA the 14th last, pitched a healthy starter 1.25 liter of WLP051. Less than 24 hours later, a healthy foam head and airlock bubbling away. OG was 1.065. A week later the gravity is a little above 1.020, after 11 days it’s about 1.018. Temp wise it began in mid 60s, gradually upping to 70. The projected FG is 1.008 to 1.014, but I hope for the lower range of this. Was thinking of pitching a champagne yeast to get the gravity down. Seems concerning that full attenuation is not achieved nearly 2 weeks after pitching. Should I just be patient and give it a few more days, or pitch the champagne yeast?
I wouldn’t be too quick to add another yeast… How are you checking yer gravity?
Sneezles61
Sounds pretty normal to me. Was this an all-grain or extract brew? Monitor your gravity. If gravity remains the same for 3 or more days then you are most likely done. It’s not uncommon for beers to take 3 weeks to finish up. At one point it was common practice to advise new brewers to never bottle before 4 weeks because people are so impatient when they are… thirsty.
All grain. Mash temp 152. First time with this yeast (WLP051), since HB shop was out of 001. I get concerned because some yeasts like Saison often chew up the sugars down to 1.004 or less in same span of time or shorter.
Use simple wine thief, hydro tube and hydrometer, just as I’ve done for years. Why? Is there a better way?
Hard to tell if it’s yeast, process or recipe. You’re right around 72% AA which is the bottom end of Cali V yeast. What’s the recipe?
We had some confusion about a refractometer for FG earlier in the week.
Without getting into the hops, here’s the grain bill:
12 #s Briess Pale Malt
.25# Briess Caramel 120
.25 Briess White Wheat
.5# Avangard 8L Munich
Mash 152
11 days is on the short end for that beer. If it were me id give i three weeks
Saison yeast are more like wine yeast and they go dry. Ive actually tweaked my process to keep most of my styles .010-.012 FG
051 will not attenuate as strongly as 001……and saison yeasts can be absolute beasts and can attenuate to a gravity below distilled water. Really in a different stratosphere from most ale yeasts.
I agree with the advice to give it a full 21 days.
Yeah Cali V and saison yeasts are two different beasts. The recipe isn’t loaded with a lot of unfermentables so I would give it a little more time. If it doesn’t drop much and you want to dry it out a bit you could add some table sugar.
I’m with you Loopie…
And as Squeegee pointed out, some testing equipment just are plain old peculiar… I think you are on track to have a very good brew!
Sneezles61
Seems normal to me. Give it more time. Only way to know if your brew is done fermenting. Take several. Gravity. Tests. Over a period of time. After say a week gravity still the same. Your brew done. Take a taste sample as well. When ya not sure you could add some yeast later as well. But 1.018. Seems close to fg to me
Little better than 6 percent which seems good to me. My experience with higher than expected FG has been too high of a mash temp and not yeast performance. Higher degree of non convertibles maybe?