High O.G.

Just did my 3rd AG batch NB sweet stout, but my og was way off . I got 1.070 when it was suppose to be 1.054. Ended up mashing low @ 149 was suppose to be 152. Could that have been my problem. Grain bill was 9lbs- 8# Morris otter, .5# carafa 2, .5# chocolate malt. 1# lactose @ 60 min. Any help please?

We have the same problem tonight. I brewed a hefe at 5 lbs white wheat, 7 lbs 2 row base malt, 1 lb honey... ended with a 1.088. I can't seem to find anything to tell me why that happened?

Glad I am not alone on this one I could not find much either. With a much higher og reading does that mean there was more sugar extracted from the grain?

Higher efficiency. Ive noticed this over my last two batches and I'm not one to complain about a stronger beer.

You need over a number of batches to figure your efficiency, then adjust future recipes accordingly (software helps with this). Most kits assume low efficiency, say 70%, so if you are at 80% it makes a big difference. Higher OG will affect the balance of the recipe, probably not noticeable, but nonetheless once you figure out how to adjust the recipe it will be closer to the intent.

So what do you do if you end up with an OG that is too high? Just add water and bring it down to where it needs to be?

olz431 said:

higher efficiency. Ive noticed this over my last two batches and i'm not one to complain about a stronger beer.

Click to expand...

+1

Keqwow said:

So what do you do if you end up with an OG that is too high? Just add water and bring it down to where it needs to be?

Click to expand...

Yeah, you can add water if its pre-boil. That way the boil will purify the added water. If the post boil gravity is high, the you should only add distilled water to avoid infection.

Or, of course, you can also simply enjoy a bigger beer

Junedaddy75 said:

Glad I am not alone on this one I could not find much either. With a much higher og reading does that mean there was more sugar extracted from the grain?

Click to expand...

Exactly. Your original post mentioned a lower mash temp, which will increase the fermentable sugars. A good yeast will have more sugars to eat and that means a higher abv, but should also mean a drier finish. Higher mash temps will get you less fermentable sugars, and with less food for your yeast, you'll end up with a fuller body and sweeter tasting beer.

Excellent thread! I am a BIAB partial mash brewer and I am experiencing higher OG values than predicted. I have been striking at neatly 160 with 14 to 16 degree temp drops in my kettle, outside, and my FG has not been a concern particularly. I mash for about 60 minutes with a lot of temp loss. Sometimes I add a little heat around 30 minutes. My OG values have been higher than anticipated though. That said, the beer has been very good on my palate. I plan to lower strike temp to experiment with the impact of efficiency as well as FG. Damn I love brewing; it's wicked fun. Also, had a few pints of Abner a couple of weeks ago to inspire me further....