First post - first "brew weekend" - missed my OG hydrometer reading

Greetings!

First time poster here - and my first "brew weekend" (my weekend falls on wed/thur/fri) - brewed my first batch (American Hef) on Thursday, and then brewed again today (American IPA). My question relates to my first batch, the Hef, which happened yesterday. I unfortunately broke my hydrometer (bottom of the test tube fell out, and the hydrometer with it cracking on the table) before I could take a reading before pitching the yeast. Needless to say, it has been just over 24 hours, and am wondering what I should do next. Is it pointless to take a hydrometer reading now, considering I really don't have much to compare it to?

Anyways, here is the recipe below:

American Hef (Created from "Brewing Classic Styles" - by JP/JZ)
Name: Humble (or Horrible, if it turns out bad) Homebrewer's Hef

Full boil - Extract

6 lbs DME (Wheat)

No specialty grain

Hops:
1 oz Willamette (4.8%) - Pellet @ 60 mins
0.3 oz Willamette (4.8%) - Pellet @ 0 mins
0.3 oz Centennial (10.9%) - Pellet @ 0 mins

Yeast: Fermentis Safale US-05 (rehydrated)

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I suppose that I could go from the suggested OG generated from BeerSmith (you'd think I'd go from the book, however I was just borrowing the book to get the recipe), and compare that, just not sure what *should* have changed/happened to the gravity after 24 hours. I'm not freaking out, and plan to leave it - just curious. Btw, this is planned to just stay in the primary for 4 weeks before bottling. For priming sugar I picked up some Sugar in the Raw - Cane Sugar.

Thanks,
- J


p.s. Here is the American IPA recipe which seemingly went off without a hitch (picked up a new hydrometer too)

American IPA (taken from "Brewing Classic Styles" - by JP/JZ)
Name: Rainy Day IPA (pouring down rain/hail up here in the PNW)

Full boil - extract

6 lbs DME (Pilsner)

Specialty Grains - steeped @ 150 (brought up to 162 and then off heat) for 30 mins:
1 lbs Crystal 20
1/4 lbs Crystal 40
3/4 lbs Munich

Hops:
1 oz Columbus (14.0%) - Pellet @ 60 mins
1 oz Centennial (10.9%) - Whole @ 15 mins - added 1/2 tsp Irish Moss also @ 15 mins
2 oz Cascade (7.5%) - Pellet @ 0 mins

Yeast: Fermentis Safale US-05 (rehydrated)

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Went a lot smoother than the day before, and I got a corrected OG reading of 1.053 (BeerSmith had suggested 1.055)

Welcome to HBT! As for your question, has your beer started fermenting. If fermentation hasn't kicked in yet, you should be able to get a gravity reading, as there has been no alcohol created yet. If it has, I would say you are not going to get a reliable OG.. Just my .02

GroosBrewz said:

Welcome to HBT! As for your question, has your beer started fermenting. If fermentation hasn't kicked in yet, you should be able to get a gravity reading, as there has been no alcohol created yet. If it has, I would say you are not going to get a reliable OG.. Just my .02

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Primary is a bucket, so a bit hard to tell if the krausen is forming - and I'm not too keen on popping that lid to take a peek. If it helps, the ambient temperature is right around 64-65. I've been monitoring the temperatures, via a Fermometer on the side of the bucket, they are as follows:

(Pitched yeast @ 1600 on 11/10/11)

11/10/11 @ 1725 - 64F
11/11/11 @ 0835 - 67F
11/11/11 @ 1630 - 67F

From my understanding, the fermentor is going to be a bit warmer inside when fermentation is going on, and my temps appear to reflect that.

OG readings aren;t really vital for extract brews. Assuming you used the proper amount of extract and filled to the correct volumes, your OG will be basically set. I don't remember the numbers off the top of my head, but if you followed a recipe, they will be whatever the recipe said.

Quick plug into BeerClaculus says 1.053 OG. I'd go with that.

As of this morning, at 0515 (11/12/11) we're at 68F (ambient is still hovering at right around 64F) - and I can see a visible ring or remains of a ring above the beer. Looks like we're good! No airlock activity in all my checks (but yes I know, airlock activity is not necessarily a sign of fermentation).