RobE

Recipes 

Ive brewed a couple kits from brewmasters select and I've been about a gallon low each time although I'm right at my OG. Do you think the recipe's are wrong or am I doing something wrong?

yancydc

Recipes 

I'm not familiar with those kits, but are they partial boils, i.e. you add water after the boil? It's common for the OG to be off due to the top up water not mixing completely.

momobono

Recipes 

I agree, give the carboy a good swirl/mix before sampling it for OG. Also make sure it's at the correct cooled temperature if using a hydrometer.

There are methods of calculating expected gravity from the #s of extract added per gallon of beer (5gal). Reference "how to Brew" by Strong. Too lazy to write it here. :P

ssazreal560

Recipes 

I used to do this when i used kits a lot. Not stirring will throw it off, and if the temp of your wort is too high for whatever calibration your hydrometer is set at then the og will not be correct i think they have calculators online somewhere or you can use the beersmith app they have a calc. for it too

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derbycitybrewer

Recipes 

There's also all the conversions in brew masters bible. If anyone needs these conversion I will b more than happy to post them. There's even a chart for temp changes for the hydrometer reading.