1.002 FG reading on IPA

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Meatymc
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1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by Meatymc » Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:09 pm

Temp at 17C as usual. Checked the hydro with distilled water and 1.000 reading (at 17C) as expected.

This is my usual IPA recipe which, because of adding sugar to try and clone a beer (Baby Faced Assassin), now sees a regular FG of 1.006.

But 1.002 - really?

Bit of a story to this as should have been bottled on a Thursday before going on Jollies on the Friday but ran out of time. Dropped it to 4C where it sat for 2 weeks with the intention of bottling when I got back last Friday. Brewed something else on Saturday so it had to come out of the brewing fridge - sitting at 19C in the utility, intending bottling Sunday. Didn't get around to bottling until tonight when I found it to be at 1.002.

Didn't think a reading that low was possible.

By the way, this is a Chinook IPA instead of my usual Citra - and by comparison its rank. I've read, since buying this chinook from a forum member, that one of the descriptors for Chinook is 'dank' - close! Used it in the previous brew (Arogant Bastard clone) and didn't like that either.

I've had chinook craft brews up here (Yorkshire) and down in Kent last week and liked them - must assume the hops I bought haven't been stored correctly to be so off the scale.

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mozza
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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by mozza » Thu Jul 04, 2019 6:44 am

How much of the recipe was sugar? If it was a high ratio that could account for a low FG, although as you say that is rather low. I was about to say if it tastes nice then don’t worry, but as you dislike chinook...
Cheers and gone,

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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by Cobnut » Thu Jul 04, 2019 8:40 am

Did you dry hop? It can result in further fermentation ("hop creep", I think it's known as).
Fermenting: Sunshine Marmalade
Conditioning: Festbier, Helles Bock
Drinking: Smoky, lager beer, Irish Export Stout, Hazelweiss 2023:2, Cascade APA (homegrown hops), Orval clone, Impy stout, Duvel clone, Conestoga (American Barley wine)
Planning: Kozel dark (ish), Simmonds Bitter, and more!

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PhilB
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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by PhilB » Thu Jul 04, 2019 8:52 am

Hi Meaty
Cobnut wrote:
Thu Jul 04, 2019 8:40 am
Did you dry hop? It can result in further fermentation ("hop creep", I think it's known as).
... +1 to that, hops contain enzymes that can break down otherwise unfermentable sugars and proteins in you beer, creating more sugars, more fermentation, so more alcohol :? ... it's been known about for a long time, but has been becoming more noticed because of the high rates of dry-hoping nowadays (see Ron-Pattinson's blog there (link)) ... it also seems some hops are more prone to it that others :? ... so it may be that those Chinnok had more of the enzymes than the Citra you usually use, or the conditions you left the beer in may had "suited" the enzymes better or this may always have happened to the beers you've been brewing to this recipe and you just thought the bottles were getting a bit fizzier as they got older :?

Or of course it could be an infection :shock: ... hope not, but sometimes these things just have to be mentioned, we all know you're already thinking it :wink:
Cheers, PhilB

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Meatymc
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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by Meatymc » Thu Jul 04, 2019 9:14 am

Hi guys
mozza wrote:
Thu Jul 04, 2019 6:44 am
How much of the recipe was sugar?
8% and only came about originally when I found I was short of grain and needed to get to the Assassin's 6.1% - loved the result so saw no reason to change the recipe.
mozza wrote:
Thu Jul 04, 2019 6:44 am
but as you dislike chinook...
I didn't think I did - thinking more it's the batch I've got. Will probably buy some in from a known source and have another go.
Cobnut wrote:
Thu Jul 04, 2019 8:40 am
Did you dry hop? It can result in further fermentation ("hop creep", I think it's known as).


Yes 100g - same as when I use Citra. Was aware the gravity can drop after bottling given priming and yeast activity but never heard of 'hop creep' before.
PhilB wrote:
Thu Jul 04, 2019 8:52 am
so it may be that those Chinnok had more of the enzymes than the Citra you usually use, or the conditions you left the beer in may had "suited" the enzymes better or this may always have happened to the beers you've been brewing to this recipe and you just thought the bottles were getting a bit fizzier as they got older
Interesting.............haven't noticed the fizzier particularly but my beers don't tend to hang around that long :wink:
PhilB wrote:
Thu Jul 04, 2019 8:52 am
Or of course it could be an infection :shock: ... hope not, but sometimes these things just have to be mentioned, we all know you're already thinking it :wink:
You know youi're not supposed to say that [-X (and yes, it is at the back of my mind)

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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by Cobnut » Thu Jul 04, 2019 9:28 am

One of the first articles google found for me:

http://beersmith.com/blog/2019/03/31/dr ... l-in-beer/

Talks more about effect on kegged and bottled beers, but I guess if you left the beer a couple of weeks after dry hopping, the effect would be similar.
Fermenting: Sunshine Marmalade
Conditioning: Festbier, Helles Bock
Drinking: Smoky, lager beer, Irish Export Stout, Hazelweiss 2023:2, Cascade APA (homegrown hops), Orval clone, Impy stout, Duvel clone, Conestoga (American Barley wine)
Planning: Kozel dark (ish), Simmonds Bitter, and more!

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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by Jim » Thu Jul 04, 2019 9:40 am

You learn something new every day! Never heard of hop creep before.
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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by Robwalkeragain » Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:01 pm

This time of year I’d definitely be looking at wild yeast (starsan won’t kill it) or super attention from hotspots in your FV. Ambient temp doesn’t equal ferment temp

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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by WalesAles » Thu Jul 04, 2019 6:27 pm

Meatymc wrote:
Wed Jul 03, 2019 11:09 pm

By the way, this is a Chinook IPA instead of my usual Citra - and by comparison its rank. I've read, since buying this chinook from a forum member, that one of the descriptors for Chinook is 'dank' - close! Used it in the previous brew (Arogant Bastard clone) and didn't like that either.
Meat,
My Chinook IPA is ready for the 2wks cold today.
Tasted a sample 330ml bottle, and it is worse than yours.
I know it`s only been in the bottle for 2wks, but Bloody Hell Mun! VILE. B:O
My Hops were bought off someone on JBK too, I reckon it`s a dodgy batch and he should
reimburse us before we start naming names! :D

Just looking for his name ...............................

WA

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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by Meatymc » Fri Jul 05, 2019 10:00 pm

WalesAles wrote:
Thu Jul 04, 2019 6:27 pm
Just looking for his name ...............................
WA
I'm all ears!

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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by WalesAles » Sat Jul 06, 2019 9:02 pm


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Meatymc
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Re: 1.002 FG reading on IPA

Post by Meatymc » Sun Jul 07, 2019 7:23 pm

WalesAles wrote:
Sat Jul 06, 2019 9:02 pm
Meaty,
Is this you?

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view ... ajaxhist=0

WA
Damn - thought I'd found and deleted all those old school photo's!

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