All Grain Batch @ 1.020 after 1 month?

Martyn1989

I know this kind of topic has been covered but Im having difficulty digging out the info.

I have an all grain pale ale in primary for just shy of a month, this evening I went to bottle and it was reading 1.020.

I used
4kg Maris Otter
1kg Wheat Malt
150g Carared
100g Crystal 60 EBC
These where mashed for 1hr 15mins a little warm @ 68C
Boiled for an hour with 25g of Cascade @ 60,30,15,0.

OG was 1.051.
Wort was cooled in the fermenter in an ice bath (takes quite a while) then I shook the fermenter for about 3 mins and added rehydrated US-05.

Tasting the sample (really nice) I was having difficulty deciphering if the slight sweetness was unfermented sugars or malt sweetness.

My question: Is there any reason (ingredients, methods or otherwise) that this beer may not come down any further?

Thanks

mayto

Mashing in the 68C-70C range should leave the beer a bit sweeter, meaning a higher finishing gravity. A high Ph can also lead to a sweeter beer. You probably want to check the accuracy of your thermometer, alot of the cheap digital thermometers can be out by a few degrees. I use a Fluke thermometer and trust it as it reads the same as my two atc-800+ temp controllers and a Hanna thermometer. Of course maybe they are all off:D Did you transfer the beer to secondary or stir the yeast in case the yeast dropped out too early ?

Martyn1989

mayto wrote: »

Mashing in the 68C-70C range should leave the beer a bit sweeter, meaning a higher finishing gravity. A high Ph can also lead to a sweeter beer. You probably want to check the accuracy of your thermometer, alot of the cheap digital thermometers can be out by a few degrees. I use a Fluke thermometer and trust it as it reads the same as my two atc-800+ temp controllers and a Hanna thermometer. Of course maybe they are all off:D Did you transfer the beer to secondary or stir the yeast in case the yeast dropped out too early ?

I was just using a thermometer in a protective case like this one http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_23&products_id=53
Ill check it against the other two soon.

This is the first batch since my very first one or two that I didn't move to a secondary, mainly because I didn't get a chance and you hear many people say its unnecessary, I wanted to see for myself. I moved it to bottle it, realised I wasn't bottling and had to move it back so Id say the yeast will be well roused. Im going to take a few readings over the next few days and see if anything changes.
Cheers!

mayto

I would trust that thermometer as I used one before and the beers turned out fine. Ye see if it changes in a few days and go from there.

Martyn1989

mayto wrote: »

I would trust that thermometer as I used one before and the beers turned out fine. Ye see if it changes in a few days and go from there.

Yeh my brown porter is great, all grain is the way forward I reckon. My one complaint is that its a little boozey but I reckon some more maturation and it'll be better.

oblivious

Martyn1989 wrote: »

My question: Is there any reason (ingredients, methods or otherwise) that this beer may not come down any further?

Thanks

Two thing will really affect you f.g. 1) Make sure you have an even mash temp, one temp point may not reflect the over all mash temp as there could be hot spots

2) temp control and constant 18-19c will get the gravity down and the ability to ramp up temp (1-2c) towards the end of ferment will really help.

Martyn1989

Ok exactly one week on and its only down to 1.019, wort is still tasting great. An identical read tomorrow and its going into bottles.

Thanks for the help everyone!