Low Original Gravity (OG) w/ Extract Kits

Hey,

I friend of mine sent me this issue.

"I'm a pure extract brewer at this time. I feel that I have been highly successful (tasty end product) with the Brewers Best and Northern Brewer kits. However, I'm puzzled that I cannot seem to achieve the specified OG values. I just brewed a BB Imperial Pale Ale. Should have seen 1.081 - 1.084. All I could achieve was 1.065. I did everything per the book and no boil over. As I was toping off to reach 5 gal, I was taking readings. I had about 1.070 when about a quart shy of 5 gal. I seem to be consistently low on OG. I checked my hydrometer in tap water and get 1.000. What gives? (all values corrected to 60F)"

Any ideas?

Cheers,
Tim

ChefyTim said:

Hey,

I friend of mine sent me this issue.

"I'm a pure extract brewer at this time. I feel that I have been highly successful (tasty end product) with the Brewers Best and Northern Brewer kits. However, I'm puzzled that I cannot seem to achieve the specified OG values. I just brewed a BB Imperial Pale Ale. Should have seen 1.081 - 1.084. All I could achieve was 1.065. I did everything per the book and no boil over. As I was toping off to reach 5 gal, I was taking readings. I had about 1.070 when about a quart shy of 5 gal. I seem to be consistently low on OG. I checked my hydrometer in tap water and get 1.000. What gives? (all values corrected to 60F)"

Any ideas?

Cheers,
Tim

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Please do not interpret what i say wrongly. Extracts make great beers. many awards have been given to extract beers. But extract is expensive. Perhaps your suppliers have been shaving mighty close on thier kits. When you do an extract beer and they say the OG should be thus and such, you have no control over that. It is the supplier that is responsible for you reaching the stated OG, not you. Your supplier appears to be cutting you short. I personally find it abhorent that suppliers consistantly cut their patrons short on recipes. One should, in my opinion, contact the supplier and clue them in on the shortfall. After all in an extract brew, the OG is the supplier's responsibility, not yours.

When topping off with water be sure to thoroughly mix the water and the wort together. More times than not the fermentables will settle towards the bottom, so when you take a sample with a thief it is pulling the thin wort from the upper area of the fermenter. I've used Northern Brewer kits for years since my closest LHBS is an hour's drive away and I can tell you they are a stand up company with superior products.

I always seem to hit the target gravity, but my first thought was is anything getting stuck in the bag? I have noticed that it clumps up if you are pouring over the pot.

Chefy, I just brewd my 1st and it was the same BB IIPA extract kit and got the same readings as you. I didnt mix after adding water. What were your final results - FG, Beer?

Thanks,

CB.

I've used BB kits exclusively, and have yet to reach their stated O.G.'s

Tiamat, nice name, D&D right? How have yours turned out?

CB.

When topping off with water be sure to thoroughly mix the water and the wort together.

HillbillyBrewer

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I had really low OGs as well with BB kits, and I think this was part of it. Of course, I was also using the hydrometer in the fermenter itself, and I had problems with bubbles/foam clouding the reading, even after spinning it. So I finally bought a turkey baster and testing tube, and my readings are coming out a lot closer now.

FoeKillerCreek said:

Tiamat, nice name, D&D right? How have yours turned out?

CB.

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Thanks, AD&D actually (I'm not quite old enough to have participated in the original D&D).

They've turned out fine, except for the RIS (and probably the Holiday Ale) which was too sweet because it pooped out at 1.020. Although, after the first batch, i started adding in more DME and/or corn sugar to give them a little boost and bring them closer to where they were supposed to be in the first place.

Ah, Dungeons & Dragons. Those were the good ol' days of eating pizza as fast as you could, so you'd get more than one piece; drinking enough cola to keep any normal human up for three days straight; and being afraid to let someone else run you character for fear that they'd try to sled down a mountainside on your shield +2, out of pure spite. . . .

I have had the same issue with the BB Kits. If you calculate the OG given the ingredients it is always lower than they state on the instructions.

Use these values in your calculations:
LME is 1.036 per pound per gallon use 36 points per gallon
DME/Sugar is 1.040 per pound per gallon use 40
Specialty Grain is 1.025 per pound per gallon use 25

To Calculate for the BB Imperial Pal Ale:
6.6 lb LME
1 lb of DME
1 lb of Sugar
Sp. Grains 1.75 lbs

LME 6.6 * 36 = 237.6
DME 1 * 40 = 40
Sugar 1*40 = 40
Grain 1.75 *25 = 43.75
-------------------------
Total = 361.35

Then Just divide by the final # of gallons which would be 5.

361.35 / 5 gallons = 72.27 or 1.072 OG

The Kit says it should be 1.081-1.085. The math says you should get 1.072. You got 1.070. I'd say you did good.

I hit the calculated value every time with the BB kits.

sudbuster said:

Please do not interpret what i say wrongly. Extracts make great beers. many awards have been given to extract beers. But extract is expensive. Perhaps your suppliers have been shaving mighty close on thier kits. When you do an extract beer and they say the OG should be thus and such, you have no control over that. It is the supplier that is responsible for you reaching the stated OG, not you. Your supplier appears to be cutting you short. I personally find it abhorent that suppliers consistantly cut their patrons short on recipes. One should, in my opinion, contact the supplier and clue them in on the shortfall. After all in an extract brew, the OG is the supplier's responsibility, not yours.

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I agree....NB kits always hit the OG...other kits...not so much!

doomXsaloon said:

I agree....NB kits always hit the OG...other kits...not so much!

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ummm...wait...Yesterday we brewed the NB Surly Furious Pro Kit (Extract)...supposed to be 1.064....we got 1.055. Whattup???

I've been having the same problems with BB kits. Gonna try a new brand (either NB or Midwest) and take note of those calculations!