Original Gravity?

Could my hydrometer be wrong????? I read all these recipes in books and online which call for, IE 5.5# of LME and a pound of grains with OG's of 1.050.

My standard brew is a brown ale, "working man's brown" I call it. It's 8.5# of Light LME, 1/2# carapils, 3/4 pound of crystal (40L to 60L) and sometimes 1/4 of 120L Crystal. Hops are usually pretty liberal......5-6 ounces of varying types. My OG's almost always come in around 1.054 +/- . Does that sound low? I am taking my readings with wort, pre pitch, cooled to 60F. FG ends up around 1.010 - 1.020. Yeast is 1056 American Ale.

Are other peoples OG's overstated???? What do you think?

Gilbey

Can we assume you've used the hydrometer in water to test it?

Gilbey, are you sure that recipe wasn't calling for DME? 5.5# of DME + a pound of grain will come out around 1.050.

Yes the hydrometer is accurate in water at 60F.

But, Duh, I forgot about the differences between DME and LME.....too many homebrews I think.....

Even so, don't you think 8.5# of LME with a pound of specialty grains should register higher than what I am measuring????

Gilbey

Gilbey said:

Even so, don't you think 8.5# of LME with a pound of specialty grains should register higher than what I am measuring????

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According to ProMash 8.5# of light LME should give you 1.063, for 5 gallons. 5.5 gals would give you 1.057, and 6 gals would give you 1.052. Are you topping of to 5 gals?

I top off to 5.5 gallons, plus/minus a bit so I can get a full 5 gallons of brew when I keg. So I guess I could actually be closer to 6 G than I thought if I go a little over the 5.5G mark on my primary. So 1.056 or so is about right then.

Thanks for your help!!!

Gilbey