OG and FG

[Stubnut]

can somebody point me in the right direction?
i am brewing from jon finchs book and have tried to brew 2 different lager types a Pills and a Hefe Wiess but both times i am about 20 out on my FG?
starting OG is fine 1.044 on pils but stopped at 1.024 and the hefe wiess started at 10.56 and FG 1.026. i left both for about 4 days after stopped fermenting.
all my other IPA brews are fine. i am using a Klarstien.
regards

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

If your OG is fine, you are mashing correctly

Don't know how long you left it fermenting for - but how do you know that it had finished fermenting? The FGs you are quoting would suggest to me that it hadn't

Which yeast are you using and what temperature are you fermenting at?

 

[Stubnut]

i used saflager yeast for the pils at 10C for 5 weeks
and bavarian wheat yeast for the Hefe Weiss 23c for 4 weeks

 

[Rodcx500z]

10c seems a little low for this yeast try upping it to 12c, is it 34/70

 

[Pennine]

What are you using to measure FG?

 

[hoppyscotty]

I would check your mash temp control....you might be achieving target OG, but if your temp is too high then you're producing too much non-fermentable sugar and the yeast will stop as soon as they've gobbled up all the fermentable.

If this is OK then check fermentation temperature...how tightly are you controlling it and are you in the right range?

Finally maybe check PH of your wort...if its way out then your yeast might not like it.

Other good practices are to use yeast nutrient (some will come along and say its not necessary and they'd be right but there is no harm and its cheap) and make sure when you're pitching your wort you're splashing it around trying to oxygenate it as much as you can.

Ultimately if you create the environment and conditions for your yeast to thrive then you cant go wrong - so food, nutrients, temperature, PH, oxygen are all absolutely essential for a good fermentation.

Oh and if you're using a cheap ebay hydrometer like I am then its almost certainly reading 4 gravity points too high.

 

[starseeker]

I use a Klarstein ,and use a temperature probe in the mash as well as the built in read out ,this has given me more control on my mash . It is a BBQ probe by inkbird i am using which cost about £20

 

[Stubnut]

What are you using to measure FG?

a refractometer

 

[The Baron]

Are you adjusting the refractometer reading for alcohol content as they measure different when the beer has alcohol in it most brewers use a refractometer for Og readings and a Hydrometer reading for Fg.
I would say you are getting a false reading and use a hydrometer now to see where you really are