High FG

[Frebird]

Why can't I get the alcohol content I'm looking for? I used a lager yeast and the wort gravity was around 1050 and the FG was at 1020. Taste great no alcohol....... well not enough...... What went wrong?
-Up-state NY

[Kyle_Draven]

You will have to give us more info for a good answer what was the recipe, did you make a starter for the yeast. It could be that in your recipe that you have a lot of unfermentables that would leave your final gravity high.

[HogieWan]

I've had some problems when taking a reading from a thieved sample. When I put the hydrometer in, I rouse some co2 out of suspension and I can see tiny bubbles clinging to the hydrometer. If I leave it alone for a while, the bubbles disappear and the reading is .05 lower or more.

[toneyc]

You can spin the hydrometer to get the klingons off. You could also degass your sample before putting the hydrometer in it by shaking or stirring the sample.

:)
Toney.

[Frebird]

I don't think the problem is Co2 bubbles. I used two cans of Ex light LME and DME till the gravity was at 1050. But I pitched a yeast starter in the secondary and no bubbling from the airlock!?! Gravity still at 1020.......

[wortchillergoal]

More questions to see if we can help.

What was the temp of the wort when you took your starting/opening gravity? What was the temp when you got this 1020 reading?

Did you pitch yeast before racking beer to secondary fermenter?

What yeast are you using? What style lager is it supposed to be?

Lastly, you can try to rouse the yeast and see if the reading drops some more.

Oh, one last question, what part of upstate NY?

[Bruno_78]

Also, what's your fermentation temp, and how long has it been working?

[HogieWan]

we'll need the recipe, yeast strain, yeast preparation procedures, fermentation temps, etc

[Frebird]

-Wort temp at gravity test 65- 70 degrees.

-Pitched yeast after rackin' to secondary.

-Bohemian Lager yeast

-45 degree Primary for two weeks

There was at least two inches of turb in the primary fermenter after the two weeks.

- upstate - east of albany

Thanx for the help guys

[wortchillergoal]

I am confused, which is me as a hockey goalie not you, when you use primary and secondary in your post. After boiling wort then cooling, you put wort and yeast into primary fermenter. After the primary fermentation you rack to secondary fermenter and usally do not add more yeast.

If you did add yeast to primary, the temp was way to low. Have you taken another reading yet and what tenp is it sitting at now?