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Old 01-04-2013, 12:36 AM   #1
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Default Original gravity question

When I checked og before fermentation, it was a little lower then the recommended in the instruction kit for the beer (extract kit) is this going to be a problem that will affect taste or just abv?


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Old 01-04-2013, 12:38 AM   #2
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Probably just the ABV. You might end up with a slightly watery mouth feel, but I woudn't worry about it. How far off target were you?


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Old 01-04-2013, 02:41 AM   #3
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.002-3 lower than target it was hard to read bc of the foam
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Old 01-04-2013, 03:57 AM   #4
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Only 2 or 3 points off? You are totally fine. Well within range. I was expecting to see you report 10 or more off.
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Old 01-04-2013, 07:20 AM   #5
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Probably you are right on if it's an extract kit. Hard to miss w/extract. Most likely you just didn't get the top off water mixed totally in w/the extract and water you boiled. Not a problem is should turn out just fine.
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Old 01-04-2013, 11:48 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C-Rider View Post
Probably you are right on if it's an extract kit. Hard to miss w/extract. Most likely you just didn't get the top off water mixed totally in w/the extract and water you boiled. Not a problem is should turn out just fine.
+1. If you used all the extract and your volumes were correct, your OG should be exactly what the recipe says it will be. Even if the OG was a little low (by 2 or 3 points) the beer will not taste much different. That is a very slight delta
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Old 01-04-2013, 03:37 PM   #7
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Awesome thanks for the help guys
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Old 01-04-2013, 07:01 PM   #8
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Your hydrometer could even be off 2-3 points. I had one once that was 4 points low.
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Old 01-04-2013, 07:50 PM   #9
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If you used all of the extract in the kit AND you hit your volume, just use the gravity numbers from your kit directions. All of the sugar is there, you literally cannot mess it up.

What happens is that newbs (I did it, too) don't realize that using top off water makes it pretty much impossible to fully mix everything, so your gravity reading can be really high (more sugar in the sample) or low (more plan water in the sample).

The good news is that the fermenation process totally mixes it for you.


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