Starting Gravity QUESTION OR PROBLEM?

Ok, I did the brew this morning, all went well. SG is 1.055, The instructions state should be 1.070 to 1.078. Is this a problem?

I read about the gravity of beer but I am confuzzled

Can someone explain it to me in stupid PA redneck lingo!!!

Is this a bad starting gravity? Why is it low? Did I do something wrong in the boil? Will things be alright?

I do not want a bad beer.

Please help. PREVIOUS THREAD

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/brewers-best-holiday-ale-kit-questions-79253/#post835851
__________________
PENNSYLVANIA REDNECK HOME BREWER!

Extract kit, right? It's pretty hard to miss the target gravity on an extract kit. A common mistake is to add top-off water to the wort and not mix thoroughly. The water and wort don't readily blend so your SG is lower that what it should be.

What temperature did you measure it at? IThe further you are from 60 degrees, the more off your measurement will be.

Do you mean to much water? I was a little over 5 Gallons. Will it work itself out as is ferment?

Yes it was an extract kit, I think the temp my have been above 60. I really did not check the 5 gallon batch temp when I took the reading. If I were to guess it was above 60, like 70 to 80 range.

The temp would have to be really hot for the measurement to be that far off. As far as water is concerned, his point was if you didn't mix properly, you may have pulled a watery spot of wort for your measurement. Another portion of the wort may have been 1.09.

Unless you forgot to use all your extract, it's hard to see how you could be that far off.

It should be all good.

What probably happened is you took a sample from a layer of wort that was different then the rest.

Did you do a partial boil?? If so I can almost guarantee that was what happened as you need to mix the wort REALLY well to get a perfect SG. Non-mixed will still be a good brew as it will mix by itself over time.

Unless you did something really obviously wrong you probably have the correct SG.

Adding too much top off water can affect the gravity, but you have to add an extra half gallon or more.

What McKbrew is referring to is that once you add that top off water you really have to shake or stir the heck out of things to mix the wort (the part you boiled and that has a higher density due to all the sugars in it) and the top off water. The higher density wort has a tendency to sink to the bottom, so if you took your sample from the top, it will be low, likewise if you took it from the bottom it will read high.

For right now, I wouldn't worry, you are probably fine. Once the yeast start doing their thing the action from fermentation will get everything all mixed up.

I think you are all right, This was my first holiday ale, I could not believe how much sugar is in this. I may only be about an inch to a inch and a half above the 5 gallon mark, I was not paying attention.

Will this work out for me?

Well good signs when I got home last night. Aleady slight bubbling after 8 hours, and this morning it was going crazy. Thanks for the help, Will see ya when its done