Attenuation/High FG question

[Steve Brown]

Hey All,

I just kegged a couple of partial-mash/partial-boil batches, and my FG's were a bit higher than I'd like. All I can come up with is that perhaps my steep was too warm and I got unfermentables of some sort. I was shooting for 150-152, but must have mis-calculated my thermal masses this time. Another possibility is that the yeast wasn't active when I pitched. Any other ideas?

IPA (Torpedo clone effort! Andy, I decided to see how it is before I float 1.5 ounces of Citra in the keg.): OG = 1062, FG = 1018 (TastyBrew prediction was 1065/1016). After the mini-mash temp stabilized, it was about 160.

Chocolate Porter: OG = 1054, FG = 1020 (TastyBrew prediction was 1056/1014). After the mini-mash temp stabilized, it was about 163.

Each 5+3/4 gallon batch got its own Wyeast 1056 pitch grown from 2-liters of 1044 wort. I've had good luck with that in the past, *but* this time the starter was cold-crashed and in the fridge for about a month before pitch instead of just a day or two. (I usually cold-crash my starter so that I can pour off the hop-free beer/liquid; after all, it's "hop-free" - who needs that?!? The only real difference this time was how long they were in the fridge prior to brewday.) Used Irish moss, Wyeast nutrient and amylase enzyme at 15 minutes. O2'd the wort.

I would have liked about another percent ABV. The IPA doesn't seem too sweet, but at 110 IBUs maybe there was some wiggle room. (Maybe.) The Porter seems OK, too, even though the IBUs were way high for the category. I guess between being chocolate and having a high FG, the 64 IBUs are "balanced" by sweetness. I don't think I'll toss them just yet. Probably in a week or two I'll start tossing them back!

Thanks for any suggestions,
--Steve