HELP? I think the SG is waay too high.

Hi Everyone, great forum. Thanks for all the usefull posts. So this is my first post here. I've brewed about 10 batches so far and today I brewed a hybrid batch of IPA today with just under 3 lbs of grain and what was supposed to be 5.5 lbs. DME. Upon checking the OG I found that it is 1.098 instead of around 1.055 like it should be; really high, right? The recepie called for 5.5 lbs of malt extract but as I was pouring in the DME the bag sliped and dumped a total of 6 lbs. in - total rookie move. I have it in a 6.5 gallon fermenter with 5 total gallons in it. Should I add water to adjust or just leave it and see how it finishes out? If so, how much? Should I wait until it finishes fermenting and add water then or not at all? It has not started fermentation as of yet since I just dumped the yeast in but if I do need to add water I would think I need to do it pretty quick. Any advice would be appreciated. If I just have to live with it, maybe I can call this a "kick your booty Christmas Ale"

Thanks alot fellas!

Mikey

Make sure the wort is mixed VERY well and take another gravity reading. My vote is you grabbed a sample of concentrated wort that hadn't completely mixed with the water

I agree with Germelli, chances are that the wort wasn't mixed well enough. No way another 1/2 lb of DME would increase your gravity that much.

Adding 0.5lb of DME should have raised the OG by only 0.005 not 0.043 as you are reporting.

Something else is WRONG. Rechech the hydro reading.

Edit: +1 on the mixing problem.

Make sure and spin your hydro, air bubbles can give false readings. What temperature was the wort when took a reading? Check your hydro with distilled water make sure it's good. Something is a miss for sure.

Wow, thanks for the quick replies, guys. I think you're right and that is exactly what happened. Should have realized that. We ended up with about a 2.5 gallon boil and added water to the carboy but I just checked with my buddy who I brew with - he said that while I was cleaning up, he racked from the 2.5-3 gallons in the brewpot into the beaker. I think that did it. I'll check the gravity and post up in a bit.

Thanks again, guys.. really appreciate it!

Mikey

Any time you do a partial boil and top up with water you end up with more concentrated wort at the bottom of the fermenter and more dilute wort at the top. I have my kid stir the living crap out of it, then I take my sample while she's still stirring it. Helps to aerate it as well.

Crisis averted, situation normal! You guys were right - I just took a reading and it's right at 1.056.. perfect!

Thanks again, I'll let you know how it turns out.

Mikey