4traindays
Well-Known Member
Could this be the issue? So I start with 3.5 gallons of water to boil, after 60 minutes I end with about 3, then top off with an additional 2. So that totals 5.5 gallons. Is this my problem?
Constantly getting lower than expected OG and FG, help!
- Thread starter 4traindays
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It depends on the recipe, my recipes usually call for a final liquid volume of 5 gal, sometimes 5.25 gal. I may occasionally add a bit top off water to account for the trub displacing some beer, or you may end up with only 4.75 gallons of beer. But if your recipe calls for a total five gallons, and u top off to 5.5, your essentially watering down your beer, which could account for your OG, and FG readings being off.
JollyIsTheRoger
Well-Known Member
If you are boiling down to 3 then add 2, you have 5, not 5.5. But that should make your gravity higher, not lower.
Extract or all grain? compensating for temperature? mixing well?
I start with 2.5 gallons of water usually, then by the time you have added all your LME, and DME, your boil size is increased by quite a bit, then when I transfer to primary I add one gallon to the bottom of the carboy first, transfer the beer on top of it, then top off to about 5.25 gallons, as I said to account for the trub displacement. If your glass carboy is not marked I strongly suggest doing that with an accurate measuring vessel, if you have a bucket fermenter, and it is pre marked I would suggest double checking the accuracy of those marks, as I found my Ale Pale to not be marked as accurately as it should be. All this is assuming your extract brewing, as boil sizes are bigger with partial mash kits.
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