Should I be concerned?

**Nugent** · 09-14-2008, 02:29 AM

I'm a complete newbie and a worry-wart to boot.

I brewed an IPA (half grain, half extract) and measured an OG of 1.076, which seems high to me. Should I be concerned that my batch will be overly sweet or be really boozy (actually, this is less of a concern)?

What kind of FG should I expect before bottling?

Sorry if this is a glaringly ignorant question.

Cheers

Fingers · 09-14-2008, 02:32 AM

Not enough information to help you there. We would need the recipe and your process. Were your grains steeped, or mashed? If mashed, at what temp?

**Chris_Dog** · 09-14-2008, 02:37 AM

That is pretty strong but it could be worse. If it ferments down to 1.015-1.02 that will end up 7.5-8%. Pretty strong for beer but not unheard of. How much it ferments has to do with a number of factors starting with the yeast you used.
I would suspect that this being your first batch.... The beer wasn't entirely mixed up when you took the SG reading and maybe the SG was not this high.

**Nugent** · 09-14-2008, 02:42 AM

I steeped the grain at 75 C for about 40 minutes, added them to the boiling extract-only (Pale and Caratsan) part of the wort.

Bittering hops = Centennial (60 mins)

Finishing hops = Willamette/Cascade mix (1/2 and 1/2)

Any other info needed?

Thanks in advance.

Fingers · 09-14-2008, 03:02 AM

75ºC is kind of high so you won't be getting any sugars from the Pale malt you used. I guess that's not a bad thing since you're so high already. In any case, the bulk of your fermentables are coming from the extract so I think Chris Dog has it right. Depending on the attenution of the yeast strain you used and the type of extract, you should hit the numbers he quoted. Nice strong, 'sit by the fire' beer.