Original Lager - high final gravity still.

[SunyJim]

1 can of Coopers Lager, 1 kg of brew enhancer 1, 250g (LDM) Light dry malt powder. Steeped 1/2 oz of Cascade hops for 20 minutes with my boiled water. Starting gravity 1040

Had been in the fermenter 8 days the gravity was 1021. Dry hopped with 1 1/2 oz more cascade. Let that sit for 6 days added gelatin finings today (total 2 weeks) but gravity is still 1020. Expecting to bottle at the end of the month.

The problem I was expecting 5% why is my final gravity so high? The maltodextrin from the brew enhancer 1? Unless I'm wrong I think its going to end up as a 2.5% alcohol? can I add a bit of brewers sugar this late, and let it sit a while longer?

[SunyJim]

Just to add another bit of info.

It had a very vigorous start to fermentation. Even at 23 liters the foam was on the inside top of the lid, and almost escaped the air lock.

Don't remember pitching temperature, but it was 25-26C I think, Fermentation has been at 20C the entire time

[Andris]

just outta curiosity, have you tried measuring FG for water at 20C?

 

I have had a problem once with faulty hygrometer - for some reason it just did not want to show beer below 1.020.

 

in any case, 8 days for lager is ~enough, if I remember correctly, by that time my lager was crystal clear and very drinkable from fermenter. if in doubt, leave it there for few more days and check gravity again. nothing bad will happen with the beer on the yeast cake.

 

anyway, if you get steady reading for 3 days in row and your beer looks clear, you can bottle it.

[SunyJim]

Checked plain tap water at 20C

gave me a reading of 1000 on the button.

 

I think my issue is two things I was aiming for a regular stregth 5% and may have a super light 2.5% beer. And with 1020 that's really high, I may get exploding bottles if it takes off again when I have it in the bottle.

[PB2]

1020 is too high for this recipe, assuming it was made to 23 litres. Should be more like 1012 - 1016.

 

If you have bottled into PET, no problem. [biggrin] [cool]

 

If you have used glass, [pinched] [pinched] monitor the amount of pressure by checking a bottle each week. If they start to gush out of a chilled bottle it's a good idea to dump the rest of the batch.