Original Gravity Issue

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Fastforwardx2

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I brewed up a recipe kit yesterday and my OG was way off. The kit is Adventures In Home brewing (AIH) Reindeer Dribble with an expected OG of 1.052 but I had an OG of 1.080. The only tweaks to the recipe were the addition of Irish Moss and FermaidK. Used the 7lbs of Pale LME that came with it and before that steeped the 2lbs of specialty grains for 20 minutes. The only thing I can think of is that I didn't use bags for the hops (which were pellets) so there was a lot of hop debris in the worth. Could the hop debris be the issue why I was getting such a high reading from my hydrometer. I checked it multiple times.
 
If you had the right volume of liquid, then you can't really miss your OG with extract since the efficiency is guaranteed to be 100%.

Normally if an extract batch gravity appears to be off it's because the wort isn't fully mixed, often when the reading is taken after topping off a partial boil to achieve the full final volume.
 
Yep, it wasn't mixed properly, which is why you didn't get the right reading. You can't create sugars that are not there. 7 lbs of LME in 5 gallons will give you 1.049 +/- .001 every time. And you get a small increase from the specialty grains.

Even if the grains were mashed and you got good efficiency, they wouldn't get you more than .012.

Just assume you got what the kit said at 1.052.

I've given up measuring extract or sugar additions, you can calculate it accurately, and with the possibility of not properly mixing it, calculating is probably more accurate.
 
You both are right ..... I forgot to mix it ...... DOH! That is what happens when right after I topped off my worth I knocked my beer glass off the table and it smashed into the ground. After I finished cleaning up the glass and beer I took the sample without mixing the wort. I knew that the reading had to be wrong but I could think of why, Thanks guys for the answer. Now should I mix my beer? I would think I shouldn't because of introducing oxygen but would that really be that bad this early into the fermentation .... the yeast just started a few hours ago.
 
as long as you topped up the water correctly to recipe levels, just say the OG is about 1.050 and don't bother risking infection this early in by messing with it now.
 
Thanks, I am going to leave it alone .... I figured it would be best not to mess with it but since I have never not mixed up the wort I figured I would ask.
 
look up videos of fermentation in carboys. the yeast will do plenty of mixing for you!

if you're using a brewing software and extracts, there's no need really to take an OG reading, as everything you're adding in will add what it's supposed to in terms of fermentables. it's not like mashing where your numbers can go all over the place.

with that said, if you're using beersmith it has this nice feature called a dilution tool. you take your SG reading before topping up with water, type in the amount of liquid you have and it's SG, then tell it that you're diluting with so many liters or gallons of water, and it will tell you what your OG will be for that amount. then no need to bother trying to mix it well enough to get an accurate reading (an almost completely futile task).
 
Thanks for the advice and there are some pretty cool videos of the yeast during fermentation. I understand that there is no real need to take a hydrometer reading when doing a full extract since I am adding x amount of sugar but I want to eventually do all-grain batches and want to get in the habit of taking a reading from a sample instead of doing for the first time when it really matters or just forgetting to take a reading. Thanks for the advice about the yeast ..... I feel a lot better not that I haven't messed up my batch. :)
 
Yo, I heard homebrewing in Japan is illegal? Hope the homebrew Kempetai don't read HBT, they'll be hunting for you!
 
Home brewing isn't illegal but you can only home brew to 1%ABV. I live on a US base so I can home brew on base :). They even sell Mr. Beer kits at the exchange on base.
 
Hey fast first off thanks for serving this great country. I myself am stationed at ft irwin CA. I am just like you with the extract kits I have made three so far and love it. I never knew about mixing the wort until my second batch but we all make mistakes and learn. I think I might take the plunge in all grain my next go around.
 
Hey fast first off thanks for serving this great country. I myself am stationed at ft irwin CA. I am just like you with the extract kits I have made three so far and love it. I never knew about mixing the wort until my second batch but we all make mistakes and learn. I think I might take the plunge in all grain my next go around.

with all due respect, considering that you learned about mixing wort and all on your second batch, and you've only done one more after that, i would be very cautious about moving on to all grain without making sure you've done a ton of research. and i mean hours of research. if not it's likely it'll turn out a disaster.
 
when i got my more beer kits it would say mix the wort, but after seeing all the videos and not knowing the simplcity of all of it seems like something that probably won’t happen again. All I want is Basic beer ( all grain until I can do the recipe in my sleep) Ale's, Pale Ales, Stout and eventually IPAs. I know I’m going to have to spend a ton of money to get there and drink a lot but once again live in a military community and Soldiers get thirsty. haha I might start with brew in a bag and go from there. Ive only been in this hobby for 8 months and find myself having tons of fun with it.
 
with all due respect, considering that you learned about mixing wort and all on your second batch, and you've only done one more after that, i would be very cautious about moving on to all grain without making sure you've done a ton of research. and i mean hours of research. if not it's likely it'll turn out a disaster.


Really? Hours? Not at all. The BIAB section here taught me all I needed to know in about 15 minutes. I only brewed one disaster of an extract batch prior.
 
Hey Edbeenbreto and thanks for your service. I haven't done all grain yet but I say go for it and take the leap into it if you can. I myself would have already gone all grain but it very difficult with getting grain here and the amount of space I have, I have brewed many extract batches ( this is going on my 3rd year) and can't wait to go the all gain route and will most likely start off with BIAB because of the expense to transition into. Well good luck to you and brew on.
 
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