First recipe OG of 91- Any thoughts?

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mowilly

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I created my first recipe and brewed it last night. I used some ingredients that aren't available in the calculators, so I wasn't even able to get an estimated starting gravity. The OG was 91:eek:

So, here's the recipe:



Steeping Grains
45L German CaraMunich Malt 8 oz. 60 min. @ 155F
80L Crystal Malt 8 oz 60 min. @ 155F
350L Chocolate Malt 8 oz. 60 min. @ 155F
420L German Carafa Special II 4 oz. 60 min. @ 155F
550L Black Patent Malt 2 oz. 60 min. @ 155F

Hops
Willamette 1.5 oz. 60 min.
US Golding .5 oz. 60 min.

Extract
Williams Brewing American Red 6# 60 min

Yeast
Wyeast 1056 American Ale 125ml


Steep grains @ 155F for 60 min. Remove grains and bring to boil.
Remove from heat and add extract, stirring thoroughly.
Return to heat and wait for boil. Add hops & boil for 60 min.

Quick-cool using a waterbath and pitch yeast at 75F

I used a 1056 Yeast washed from the trub of my prior batch, a Red Ale. Made a starter and, WOW!

We finished brewing late last night and when I woke this AM, I ran to look at it and we already had krausen and the bubbler was really going. This is the first time I've had a fermentation start that fast. I put it in a water bath this AM to make sure it doesn't ferment too high. No ice, just yet, because I don't want to stun the yeast and I don't think it's necessary with the cooler temps now.

Basically, I'm shooting for a darker, more carameley, more chocolaty, heavier, darker version of New Belgium's 1554 Enlightened Black Ale.

I don't know what I'm looking for here, thoughts on what the finishing gravity might be & comments on the recipe, I guess.
 
I think you probably didn't get a good mix prior to taking your reading.

6 pounds of extract and 2 pounds of grain is going to put you at about 1.040 no matter what the type.

Your finishing gravity is a simple calcluation of attenuation and OG. ie: OG = 1.040, yeast attenuation =75%, FG=1.010.
 
I'm confused. I'm really new at this. This was my third brew and the first two were kits.

It's possible that we didn't get a good enough mix, I suppose.
 
I'm sorry if I was confusing.

The amount of grains and extract you used could not possibly put you at 1091. Without using a calc, I am guessing 1040-1044.

Most yeasts are around 75% attenuation, so .25xOG=FG. .25(40)=10.

With extracts, even when steeping..its very hard not to hit your OG almost dead on. So I think you have a fine brew going, just think your OG was in the 1040 range.
 
I'm confused because of myself and the situation, not you.:D

So, I've used various brew calcs and gotten an estimated OG of 50-57. So, that's closer, but still waaaaaay off. I can't seem to find any information on the impact of steeping times of those types of grains. Also, would the fact that they were crushed have made a difference?

I'm going to contact the supplier of the Red extract tomorrow and ask for an estimated OG of that in 5 gallons of water.

There's really nooooooooo problem with the brew. It smelled awesome and I can't wait to drink it!:tank: Oh, if only you could have smelled that!

It's more that my curiosity is getting the better of me about these other things. None of the brew calcs that I've used have steeping times in them and there's also no option for 'crushed' grains and I'm wondering if those things make a difference in OG and, if so, how much. So, I guess that's my question, for now...:confused:
 
I think you probably didn't get a good mix prior to taking your reading.

I think what he's saying is that if you added water to dilute your wort, you probably didn't stir/mix it well enough. If you took the gravity on pure undiluted wort with that recipe around a 90 is probably spot on, however the calculator that you used probably assumes 5 gal. Adding water will cause that 90 to drop.
 
I'm sure the first assumption everyone is making is that this is a 5 gallon batch. I don't recall anything in your description that would indicate such, so just to be sure, this is a 5 gallon batch, yeah?
 
What they are trying to say is,

It is really hard to fully incorporate wort and water easily in extract batches without several minutes of vigorous stirring...the wort will tend to sink to the bottom....A lot of new brewers have their OG readings off...I used to set a timer for 5 minutes and whip the sucker constantly for the entire time.

It's one of the most common new brewer issues/questions we get on here. Whatever your brew calculator says your recipe is is what your true Original Gravity is.
 
Yes. It's five gallons.

I'm sure it was about adding the additional water and not stirring well, then.

Thank you.:D
 
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