SaltyDog03
Member
Hi all. This is my 4th batch that I've brewed up. This is a personally tweaked recipe I received from someone else for 5 ga.
7 lbs DME
1 lb Carmel Malt
.5 lbs Chocolate Malt
6 oz Belgium Candi sugar
8 oz CaraPils
1 oz Northdown for bittering
3-4 oz dark coffee added to 15 min boil
.5 UK kent Goldings last 15 min boil
.5 UK kent dry hop
Anyway, I am having trouble getting a consistent reading on the hydrometer. My first reading was 1.02. My heart sank when I saw this. I swirled the batch up and took another reading. 1.025. Thinking this batch was a failure, I decided to pitch the yeast anyway. I used about 10 g if I recall correctly. After I pitched the yeast, I was still distraught over the readings. I said screw it, I will shake the carboy up vigorously and take another reading even though I added the yeast. When I did this, my reading was 1.058 and adjusting for temperature it is about 1.06. Much better.
I however am still very worried about the recipe. I believe the OG should be somewhere around 1.064 or so.
Taking a reading after pitching the yeast I'm sure sways an accurate reading. Could my readings really have varied this much if my beer wasn't mixed up well enough? Do I dare take another reading?
I guess I'm just looking for some advice at this point. I'm new to brewing so any steps / tips would be great. I know how to use a hydrometer, but something must have gone awry. I've used it before on my last batch and I hit the OG spot on.
Thanks for any input.
Edit: I should also add that I tried the wort which was very sweet. I know it's going to be sweet, but it was very sweet. This was the first time trying the wort. I also think the sweetness is making me worry.
7 lbs DME
1 lb Carmel Malt
.5 lbs Chocolate Malt
6 oz Belgium Candi sugar
8 oz CaraPils
1 oz Northdown for bittering
3-4 oz dark coffee added to 15 min boil
.5 UK kent Goldings last 15 min boil
.5 UK kent dry hop
Anyway, I am having trouble getting a consistent reading on the hydrometer. My first reading was 1.02. My heart sank when I saw this. I swirled the batch up and took another reading. 1.025. Thinking this batch was a failure, I decided to pitch the yeast anyway. I used about 10 g if I recall correctly. After I pitched the yeast, I was still distraught over the readings. I said screw it, I will shake the carboy up vigorously and take another reading even though I added the yeast. When I did this, my reading was 1.058 and adjusting for temperature it is about 1.06. Much better.
I however am still very worried about the recipe. I believe the OG should be somewhere around 1.064 or so.
Taking a reading after pitching the yeast I'm sure sways an accurate reading. Could my readings really have varied this much if my beer wasn't mixed up well enough? Do I dare take another reading?
I guess I'm just looking for some advice at this point. I'm new to brewing so any steps / tips would be great. I know how to use a hydrometer, but something must have gone awry. I've used it before on my last batch and I hit the OG spot on.
Thanks for any input.
Edit: I should also add that I tried the wort which was very sweet. I know it's going to be sweet, but it was very sweet. This was the first time trying the wort. I also think the sweetness is making me worry.