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Doug565 · 03-22-2007, 09:19 PM

The kit was supposed to be 1.045 but after the boil it was only 1.030. Does this mean the beer will be weak? What is usually the cause of missing the OG by so much? I used an extract beer kit with specialty grains from northern brewer.

Thanks

Ó Flannagáin · 03-22-2007, 09:21 PM

DId you measure after the wort was cooled down? If its still high then the gravity is gonna read low... immediately after boil its gonna read WAY low. Temperature matters.

Brewsmith · 03-22-2007, 09:22 PM

How did you take the reading? What was your total volume in the primary?

A common mistake when reading the OG with extract brews is that the reading was taken in the primary fermenter after top up water has been added, but not mixed well. The water is lighter than the rest of the wort and will stay on top, giving a lower reading than if you mixed the water in completely.

**BierMuncher** · 03-22-2007, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seefresh

DId you measure after the wort was cooled down? If its still high then the gravity is gonna read low... immediately after boil its gonna read WAY low. Temperature matters.

Agreed. Take another reading when it gets to normal "room-temp". Even that will need to be adjusted a bit because hydrometers are calibrated for 60 degrees F.

Not really a concern though if your ambient temperature remains constant between your first reading and your last...

Set you hydrometer aside for a few hours (covered to prevent evaporation and in the same spot you'll be fermenting the beer) and look at the hydromter again.

If it's still low RDWHAHB. You're beer will be fine.

I had an early brew that only hit 1.036. Finished at 1.008 and was a nice drinkable 3.6%.

Brewsmith · 03-22-2007, 09:28 PM

Extract brews are usually pretty close to the estimated OG assuming you used the right amount of extract and water. It's more likely that the gravity is fine and the way you took the sample is affecting the reading.

Doug565 · 03-22-2007, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brewsmith

How did you take the reading? What was your total volume in the primary?

A common mistake when reading the OG with extract brews is that the reading was taken in the primary fermenter after top up water has been added, but not mixed well. The water is lighter than the rest of the wort and will stay on top, giving a lower reading than if you mixed the water in completely.

Thanks,

I'm pretty sure this is the cause of my low reading because i added the top up water but i guess it wasn't mixed well enough.

Brewsmith · 03-22-2007, 09:35 PM

I've done it.

david_42 · 03-22-2007, 09:46 PM

Too many new brewers hear about oxidation problems so they don't stir the wort enough. That's the one time you WANT to wail on it.

Silverbrain · 03-22-2007, 11:42 PM

My last brew (3rd total, first time ive taken an OG) had only a 1.032. The wort was a nice 70 degrees at the time taken, and I had "wailed" on the wort to mix and aerate it before setting it aside. It was a about a 2.5gal wort, added 2.5 gallon preboiled water to cap it at 5gal. The direction sheet that came with it mentioned OG should be 1.048ish. It really only bubbled for the next 36 hours, the most vigorous bubbling ive ever had, and since then...i have not seen it bubble at all. Think those two issues are related?

**BierMuncher** · 03-23-2007, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverbrain

My last brew...had only a 1.032. ...The direction sheet that came with it mentioned OG should be 1.048ish. It really only bubbled for the next 36 hours, the most vigorous bubbling ive ever had, and since then...i have not seen it bubble at all. Think those two issues are related?

My first extract (English Ale) was at 1.038 and did the same thing. Fermented like crazy for almost exactly 36 hours and then....DONE.

Turned out great. Came in around 3.9% and made a great session ale.