FG way too high - can i water down?

[Sir-Rooty]

Hi guys,
I've been having problems with my latest brew. It's an IPA using WLP051 with an OG 1.057 and finishing up 1.014 targeted at 5.6% ABV (based on 85% mash efficiency which I'm hitting pretty routinely). Primary stuck up at around 1.020 after a couple of days, gave it a good rouse and it kicked back. It was still active a few days later when down to 1.015 so I raised the fridge temp to 22C and left for a couple more days.
I got it out to rack and dry hop last night and it's finished up at 1.011

Brewers Friend is telling me that attenuation has meant we are looking at over 6.5% ABV

Could I risk stirring in a good few litres of boiled and cooled water to bring it down before it get cold crashed and bottles?
If so how much?

[shepp]

Here is the dilution rate calculator.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/dilution-a ... alculator/

I added 1 litre to my last brew before bottling.

[Kev888]

Is the title wrong? If I understand correctly, it looks like the FG is lower than you expected, rather than higher - a higher FG gives less alcohol, which is what you seem to want. 1.011 isn't unusual, but if you were expecting 1.014...

Anyway, you could in theory water the beer a little - having boiled to remove oxygen and treated any chlorine. It may still affect shelf life a little but that depends on many things. However, in your case (I think) the FG is already lower than you wanted, and in diluting the beer you will reduce the FG even further - resulting in reduced flavour, body and mouthfeel etc. It could potentially make things worse by becoming more unbalanced and even bland.

TBH you are only a couple of points out and your estimate of 6.5%ABV is well within the normal range for the style for an IPA. So I'd be tempted to just leave it as is (and drink a little less of it in one sitting). Or you could try watering it a tiny bit as you come to drink it, to see how that changes the character.

[Rookie]

Hi guys,
I've been having problems with my latest brew. It's an IPA using WLP051 with an OG 1.057 and finishing up 1.014 targeted at 5.6% ABV (based on 85% mash efficiency which I'm hitting pretty routinely). Primary stuck up at around 1.020 after a couple of days, gave it a good rouse and it kicked back. It was still active a few days later when down to 1.015 so I raised the fridge temp to 22C and left for a couple more days.
I got it out to rack and dry hop last night and it's finished up at 1.011

Brewers Friend is telling me that attenuation has meant we are looking at over 6.5% ABV

Could I risk stirring in a good few litres of boiled and cooled water to bring it down before it get cold crashed and bottles?
If so how much?

1.057 to 1.011 is still over 6%. I'd leave it as-is. 1.011 is good for an IPA FG.

[Sir-Rooty]

Is the title wrong? If I understand correctly, it looks like the FG is lower than you expected, rather than higher - a higher FG gives less alcohol, which is what you seem to want. 1.011 isn't unusual, but if you were expecting 1.014...

Anyway, you could in theory water the beer a little - having boiled to remove oxygen and treated any chlorine. It may still affect shelf life a little but that depends on many things. However, in your case (I think) the FG is already lower than you wanted, and in diluting the beer you will reduce the FG even further - resulting in reduced flavour, body and mouthfeel etc. It could potentially make things worse by becoming more unbalanced and even bland.

TBH you are only a couple of points out and your estimate of 6.5%ABV is well within the normal range for the style for an IPA. So I'd be tempted to just leave it as is (and drink a little less of it in one sitting). Or you could try watering it a tiny bit as you come to drink it, to see how that changes the character.

Cheers for the reply Kev - yes the title was wrong it should read "ABV way too high..". Posted in a rush earlier doh!
Reason why it bothers me a little is because it is not just for personal consumption and the guys are expecting a 5.6%-er rather than a 6.5! I wanted to gauge opinion on dilution as an option and figured it might threaten the character of the beer so you've re-enforced that, thanks!

Guess I also was wondering what experiences others might have had in the scenario e.g. Is it normal for a yeast to attenuate much higher than the average estimates after a rousing?

[Sir-Rooty]

Hi guys,
I've been having problems with my latest brew. It's an IPA using WLP051 with an OG 1.057 and finishing up 1.014 targeted at 5.6% ABV (based on 85% mash efficiency which I'm hitting pretty routinely). Primary stuck up at around 1.020 after a couple of days, gave it a good rouse and it kicked back. It was still active a few days later when down to 1.015 so I raised the fridge temp to 22C and left for a couple more days.
I got it out to rack and dry hop last night and it's finished up at 1.011

Brewers Friend is telling me that attenuation has meant we are looking at over 6.5% ABV

Could I risk stirring in a good few litres of boiled and cooled water to bring it down before it get cold crashed and bottles?
If so how much?

1.057 to 1.011 is still over 6%. I'd leave it as-is. 1.011 is good for an IPA FG.

Yup think it's going to stay as it is

[Kev888]

Guess I also was wondering what experiences others might have had in the scenario e.g. Is it normal for a yeast to attenuate much higher than the average estimates after a rousing?

Rousing can help things attenuate further, yes - in fact some stubborn strains of yeast may need this in order to complete properly. As the cells begin to flocculate they can sink and become buried under others or float and be lifted out of the wort in the krausen. Rousing can re-suspend the cells in the wort (and some believe also help drive off CO2 which may inhibit them).

It is also possible to affect attenuation by the grain types and mash temperature (and to a smaller extent the mash duration and pH) - tweaking these can adjust the fermentability of the wort. But yeast selection plays a role in this, some strains respond better to it than others (I've not used WLP051 so don't know about this one in particular).

Its not all that unusual for attenuation to be a bit greater than the manufacturer's suggested range, which is more of a relative guide than a firm specification IMO. I make yours about 81% attenuation and whitelabs suggest up to 75% so yes it has gone further (incidentally I would put the alcohol at about 6% ABV rather than 6.5%, there are slightly different ways of estimating it).

[Sir-Rooty]

Ah interesting thanks Kev. Yes you are right Brewers Friend is giving me an 81% attenuation.

This is the second time I have used WLP051 and it's the second time it has had to be roused. First time I thought it could have been temperature related as I had the brew fridge set at 19C but this time it was at 20.5C before I went up to 22C at the end.

I'll see how this one tastes but I'm considering a change the next time I go for this recipe!

[scuppeteer]

It is slow to ferment but it is my favourite yeast for West Coast IPA's. Last time I used it in September I fermented at the top end of its range and it made no difference, still took 10 days! Final product was fantastic though.

[Sir-Rooty]

It is slow to ferment but it is my favourite yeast for West Coast IPA's. Last time I used it in September I fermented at the top end of its range and it made no difference, still took 10 days! Final product was fantastic though.

OK interesting. I'm pretty certain it had stuck rather than just slow - it hadn't moved gravity in a couple of days.
I posted another thread elsewhere regarding the heavy sulphurous smell coming off of it this time too. You ever had that with WLP051?