Very high OG reading...need help!

I brewed my very first batch of American cream ale today I'm in new turkey cooker, I followed every step correctly and after chilling the wort I added most of it to the primary and kept the nasty looking gunk at the bottom for an OG reading. It wasnt planned the way but I simply forgot to do it before hhsnd. When I tested the reading it came out to 1.300 which is like 17% alchohol which I know can't be right. Is it because I didn't add the water first? Or...? Need some help guys, thanks. Btw it was only suppose to be at 1.049 for the OG

You need to top off with water (if necrssary) first. An OG of 1.300 means you did something wrong.

LOL
You need to test the liquid, not the gunk in the bottom of the kettle

If you used the gunk at the bottom for you gravity reading that's why. All the trub in there is pushing the hydrometer way too high.

you measured an OG of your concentrated and settled out hop gunk and protein from the hot/cold breaks. Not an accurate reading.

So should I just wait a week until I siphon into my secondary to test the gravity again?

bbell21 said:

So should I just wait a week until I siphon into my secondary to test the gravity again?

Click to expand...

Take a sample from primary ASAP. If not, don't bother and you just won't have an OG. Do sample from primary after a couple weeks to make sure you reach FG. Don't transfer to secondary until FG is reached (or at all, depending on who you talk to).