do these hydrometer readings seem right?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by ghostinthemachine, Sep 22, 2015.

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  1. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    10 days ago i put a 1.057 og pale ale into the fermentor with safale us 05 yeast and kept the chamber at 68 degrees. The malt bill was 94% pale two row, 3% cara 40l and 3% carapils. I mashed at ~150 degrees. When racked the beer into the secondary the hydrometer reading was 1.004 FG giving it a ABV of ~6.9. it doesnt really taste like that much alchohol is in it and it is really really dry.

    Am i calculating something wrong or was that awesome attenuation? i used a half teaspoon of yeast nutrient in the boil.

    thanks
     
    #1 ghostinthemachine, Sep 22, 2015
  2. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Given the modest OG and fermentable maltbill...1.004 sounds a little low, but not outlandish...for US-05 : )
     
    #2 GreenKrusty101, Sep 22, 2015
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  3. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Does sound too outrageous, that yeast can be a beast at times.
     
    #3 jbakajust1, Sep 22, 2015
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  4. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    awesome thanks. i can't complain about a higher abv than planned
     
    #4 ghostinthemachine, Sep 23, 2015
  5. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Well, not necessarily, 1.004 is not what I'd be shooting for with an IPA usually...alcohol is fine, but a little mouthfeel even in an IPA is something I'd want.
     
    #5 GreenKrusty101, Sep 23, 2015
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  6. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    True. the beer won't be exactly what i planned but i'd rather it be 7% than it be 3%
     
    #6 ghostinthemachine, Sep 23, 2015
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  7. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Only if it tastes good : )
     
    #7 GreenKrusty101, Sep 23, 2015
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  8. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    it tasted pretty damn good out of primary. wasnt great but i wouldn't have had trouble finishing the batch off if i had bottled it now lol
     
    #8 ghostinthemachine, Sep 23, 2015
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  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I hate to sound like Debbie Downer but I exclusively use US-05 for my APAs and IPAs. I have never achieved a final gravity anywhere close to 1.004 for the many dozens of beer I have brewed with this yeast.

    I saw that Justin stated: “…that yeast can be a beast at times.”

    Hopefully he is right here. I have never experience a “beast” when using US-05.

    Now, Wyeast 3711 is a horse of a different color…

    Cheers
     
    #9 JackHorzempa, Sep 23, 2015
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  10. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Maybe yes.
    Maybe no.

    What was the temperature of the 2ndary hydrometer sample?
    Is the hydrometer calibrated?
     
    #10 HerbMeowing, Sep 23, 2015
  11. machalel

    machalel Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2012 Australia

    I haven't used US-05 a massive amount, but I've never had it go down below 1.008 myself.

    P.S. Why are you racking to secondary?
     
    #11 machalel, Sep 23, 2015
  12. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    you may have some slight differences in your readings if you are not taking temperature of the beer into consideration.
     
    #12 CADETS3, Sep 23, 2015
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  13. invertalon

    invertalon Pooh-Bah (2,249) Jan 27, 2009 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I had a DIPA that I pitched 2 packs of that yeast and my FG was 1.008. Turned out AWESOME!
     
    #13 invertalon, Sep 23, 2015
  14. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    temp was 68 degrees
     
    #14 ghostinthemachine, Sep 23, 2015
  15. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    to free up my primary fermentor so i can brew again this weekend :slight_smile:
     
    #15 ghostinthemachine, Sep 23, 2015
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  16. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    OP: This question is important.
     
    #16 VikeMan, Sep 23, 2015
  17. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    I checked it with 60 degree water and it read 1.000
     
    #17 ghostinthemachine, Sep 23, 2015
  18. jono0101

    jono0101 Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2011 Missouri

    I always use US-05 for my IPAs and pales and almost always get down to that range. The Smash beer (100% 2 row, mashed at 150) I'm doing now checked in a 1.002 after 8 days when I went to dry hop. Not sure what the original gravity was on it though, because I forgot the other one had broken while I was taking a reading of a different beer a couple days before I brewed the Smash, but I don't think it would be too far off from the OPs.
     
    #18 jono0101, Sep 23, 2015
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  19. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    The OP’s grain bill is 6% specialty malts (3% cara 40l and 3% carapils). Have you gotten very low final gravity readings with this sort of grain bill?

    Cheers!
     
    #19 JackHorzempa, Sep 23, 2015
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  20. jono0101

    jono0101 Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2011 Missouri

    Yeah, definitely. I use US 05 for all of my pales and IPAs as well, which include beers with very similar grain bills. I always put a bit of carapils in, and sometimes have a bit of light cara malts (20 or 40) as well. I actually can't think of a time where one of those beers didn't finish at around 1.002-1.004.
     
    #20 jono0101, Sep 24, 2015
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