Over Fermentation?

[Craigerrr]

At the end of the day the absolute accuracy is inconsequential in homebrewing.
If your device is off by a point on OG, it should also be off by roughly a point on FG...

 

[cosmo65]

@Slim Joe
Have you thought if a wet T-shirt competition for your fermenters
Seriously, you could make use of evaporative cooling by wrapping them into something wet/moist. I like a T-shirt because it fits nicely over the airlock and neck of carboy.
You can then leave as is and wetting occasionally, ir placing the carboys in a tub with some water, or under a leaking tap/shower or something likewise.
Or use Kveik

I recently made a cream ale that I had brewed before and really liked the outcome. I use a craft a brew catalyst fermentor and so far have had fairly good beers, some better than others, but all have been enjoyable and drinkable. The second attempt at the cream ale didn't come out as good as the first, drinkable, but not as good.
The catalyst calls for approximately 17 days of fermentation. the recipe called for 14, I went with the 17. The FG was 1.004, the projected FG was 1.010. I like the initial taste, but it was lacking mouth feel and overall taste. It was thin and not much lasting flavor. I was thinking this is because I fermented it too long. I don't know for sure, but that was my first guess. Used Safale 05. I really like the yeast, but next time I'm going to take a reading when the yeast seems to have stopped working.

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

@cosmo65, you can't over-ferment in the way you are thinking. When the yeast are done they are done. What yeast did you use and what temperature did you ferment at? Some yeast take their time (think lager yeast). Also, fermenting below optimum temps for that yeast may have slowed them down. Also #2, how old was the yeast? If you have old liquid yeast, they can take a long time to propagate enough yeast cells before shifting into the fermentation phase.

 

[Josh Hughes]

Yep done is done

 

[Sandy Feet]

I recently made a cream ale that I had brewed before and really liked the outcome. I use a craft a brew catalyst fermentor and so far have had fairly good beers, some better than others, but all have been enjoyable and drinkable. The second attempt at the cream ale didn't come out as good as the first, drinkable, but not as good.
The catalyst calls for approximately 17 days of fermentation. the recipe called for 14, I went with the 17. The FG was 1.004, the projected FG was 1.010. I like the initial taste, but it was lacking mouth feel and overall taste. It was thin and not much lasting flavor. I was thinking this is because I fermented it too long. I don't know for sure, but that was my first guess. Used Safale 05. I really like the yeast, but next time I'm going to take a reading when the yeast seems to have stopped working.

Sounds like mash temp, fermentation temp or too much simple sugar.

 

[Donoroto]

As they ^^ said.

It may have over-fermented because the yeast had perfect conditions, or that catalyst did its job too well. That would account for the relative thinness on the mouthfeel. It probably has very little sweetness too.