Blackhawkbrew
Well-Known Member
Well, I just finished my first outdoor boil! It was a bit hectic. I did a Brewer's Best American Nut Brown Ale. I was only able to do a half boil because I don't have a chiller, yet. Things were going well, got everything outside and started the grain steep. Got the wort boiling and put in the LME and bittering hops. BUT I forgot to add the DME! I added it about 10 minutes after the bittering hops! I also became a true homebrewer - I had my first boilover!!
As the boil continued I racked my hard cider into my secondary and my hop addition times were a bit messed up! Trying to do too many things at one time I guess. Anyway, I got the wort chilled to about 70 degrees and was ready to pitch the yeast. I was going to rehydrate the yeast but the glass I was going to rehydrate in broke! So I just pitched it in dry (Nottingham). I took a gravity reading before I pitched and it read 1.090!! This is only my third brew, but after reading this thread I know that the reading is way high. The hydrometer stuck to the edge of the thief a bit and I was not able to spin it as well as I would have liked. I tasted the thieved sample and it tasted really sweet. I hope it comes out ok.
Live and learn I guess.
Any other reasons for the high gravity reading, and my other errors?
Thanks
Keith in Cleveland
As the boil continued I racked my hard cider into my secondary and my hop addition times were a bit messed up! Trying to do too many things at one time I guess. Anyway, I got the wort chilled to about 70 degrees and was ready to pitch the yeast. I was going to rehydrate the yeast but the glass I was going to rehydrate in broke! So I just pitched it in dry (Nottingham). I took a gravity reading before I pitched and it read 1.090!! This is only my third brew, but after reading this thread I know that the reading is way high. The hydrometer stuck to the edge of the thief a bit and I was not able to spin it as well as I would have liked. I tasted the thieved sample and it tasted really sweet. I hope it comes out ok.
Live and learn I guess.
Any other reasons for the high gravity reading, and my other errors?
Thanks
Keith in Cleveland