Beer Forum

I'm brewing a Belgian IPA using 2 vials of WLP500. After 4 days of fermenting, it looks as if my beer is just about done fermenting. My O.G. was 1.051 (@ 80F) after 4 days my gravity is 1.013 (@ 80F). According to this Alcohol Calculator, my current ABV is 5.04% - which is great 'cause I was going for a sessionable beer in the first place.

Does 4-5 days sound about right based on the ingredients/process below?

Grain Bill:
10lbs 2 Row
1lb Biscuit
1lb CaraPils
4oz Corn Sugar

Hops:
1oz magnum - 90 min
1oz simcoe - 60 min
1oz amarillo - 15 min

Pitched 2 vials of WLP500 @70F
Fermented in garage. Ambient temps range from 65F to 80F. When the most recent sample was taken for gravity reading, the temp of the sample was 80F

Higher temps (70-80) are certainly going to accelerate your ferment, it's entirely reasonable to expect it to finish out in that amount of time, especially given that gave it a good pitch to start.

hopheadmark wrote:I'm brewing a Belgian IPA using 2 vials of WLP500. After 4 days of fermenting, it looks as if my beer is just about done fermenting. My O.G. was 1.051 (@ 80F) after 4 days my gravity is 1.013 (@ 80F). According to this Alcohol Calculator, my current ABV is 5.04% - which is great 'cause I was going for a sessionable beer in the first place.

Does 4-5 days sound about right based on the ingredients/process below?

Grain Bill:
10lbs 2 Row
1lb Biscuit
1lb CaraPils
4oz Corn Sugar

Hops:
1oz magnum - 90 min
1oz simcoe - 60 min
1oz amarillo - 15 min

Pitched 2 vials of WLP500 @70F
Fermented in garage. Ambient temps range from 65F to 80F. When the most recent sample was taken for gravity reading, the temp of the sample was 80F

If your sample temp was 80F then to correct your hydrometer for temperature difference you would be adding around .002 point to your FG which would put you at around 1.015 instead of 1.013. Providing your hydrometer is accurate at 60F which most are. Still give the beer 2 weeks in primary to clean up after the fermentation has completed. Belgian yeasts tend to rip through wort pretty quickly!

Not to mention the 4oz of dextrose in what I assume to be a 5 gallon batch (judging from grain bill). 2 vials plus that would easily finish that quickly. I'd still allow it a minimum of another week to let the yeast clean up & quite possibly get a couple more gravity points knocked off.

Thanks guys! I'll let her ferment another week to clean things up like you recommend. Cheers!