Very low FG with Nottingham

[#20]

Hi guys,

 

I put down a version/batch of Neill's Centennarillo Ale a couple of weeks ago. Bottled it yesterday.

The fermentables in it are:

2,5 kg Light Dry Malt (Briess)

0,5 kg of Dextrose

23 liter

 

I used 11g Nottingham rehydrated and had a very quick and nice fermentation. But it finished very low. I measured a FG of about 1.004 when bottling.

 

I know the dextrose dries it out and lowers the FG, but this was a bit lower than I figured it would be. I have Ian's spreadsheet and it estimated a FG of about 1.008 here.

 

Is it normal for Nottingham to attenuate this much?

[Otto Von Blotto]

I think one issue with that spreadsheet is that it puts the attenuation rate of the yeast at 75% regardless of the strain being used. At least I think my memory is right there...

 

Anyway, Beersmith seems to think the attenuation rate of Nottingham is 75% as well, but everything you read says its attenuation rate is quite high.

 

That said, the software isn't always bang on, yeast being a product of nature will do whatever it likes really, it won't always follow the "rules" of software predictions. Maybe that Briess dry extract is more fermentable than other brands too.

 

As long as the beer tastes and smells fine, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I have brewed that recipe once myself a few years ago as my first all extract batch, except I used two tins of LME, and US-05 yeast. Can't remember the FG now but I think it was about 1.008-09. It's a very nice beer though!

[ChristinaS1]

It does have a reputation as being very attenuative. I haven't used Nottingham in a long time, but back when I did I used to add a little maltodextrin (about 200-250gm) to the recipe to compensate. Of course if you add dextrose that would thin the body out again.

 

Cheers!

 

-Christina.

[#20]

Thanks Christina and Otto

 

Otto - Just had a look at the spreadsheet and the attenuation is set to 80% (not 75). At least my version. My result is 92%ish.

 

Have brewed this two times before too, a while ago. Both times with US-05, and both times with Coopers LME. According to my log they finished at 1.008 and 1.009. Both were very nice. A bit lower this time, with the Briess DME and the Nottingham.

 

Well, the proof is in the pudding, they say....or rather in the glass. We'll see how it turns out in a couple of weeks.

[PB2]

Yes, as OVB suggested, our Malt Extract may have a different sugar profile to Briess??

[Dirtynidge]

Funnily enough I went through my notes last night and all of my Nottingham fermented brews have attenuated consistently at 70%, I'm always expecting them to drop another 4 or 5 points.

 

Maybe I tend to use Nottingham in beers with more specialty grains.

[#20]

Yes' date=' as OVB suggested, our Malt Extract may have a different sugar profile to Briess??[/quote']

 

Yeah, that's true. Is testing and comparing the only way to find out the differences between maltsters? Between let's say Coopers vs Muntons vs Briess? Or are there any specifications out there on this?

 

And - is there in general a difference between liquid and dry malt here (from the same maltster)? I did dry malt this time, and liquid on the earlier batches.