OG question New guy

[luniz7]

New here

So I made my first batch ever yesterday. Used a Liquid malt extract kit. I misread the OG reading ( though I read 1.04) but its 1.42! Its been in the primary since 6pm Sat the 17th. Can i open the primary and add some more water?

 

[KevinW]

I don't see a need to add any water!
1.04-1.042, there is such a small difference you won't notice.
Adding water now could be a disaster due to shocking the yeast or adding some yucky bugs to the beer!
Gravity is fine and since it aint broke, don't "fix" it!
Did you check the temp of your gravity sample? (easy way to get bad readings from a hydrometer!)

2-3 weeks primary, 2-3 weeks in the bottle/keg!

Good luck!

 

[luniz7]

I don't see a need to add any water!
1.04-1.042, there is such a small difference you won't notice.
Adding water now could be a disaster due to shocking the yeast or adding some yucky bugs to the beer!
Gravity is fine and since it aint broke, don't "fix" it!
Did you check the temp of your gravity sample? (easy way to get bad readings from a hydrometer!)

2-3 weeks primary, 2-3 weeks in the bottle/keg!

Good luck!

Thanks for the quick reply!
Temp was about 65 when I checked Gravity
No its 1.42 almost 1.5 not 1.042, but nevertheless ill leave it as is! Note to self: Learn to read the Hydrometer properly next time lol

 

[KevinW]

1.05 even better, means more potential alcohol! Not that alcohol is the only reason to drink beer but, couldn't hurt!

Hey, you're doing good!
Just keep reading, asking question(here on HBT), and of course keep on brewing!
Welcome to the obsession!

 

[Frank99]

Why do you need to add water? The only reason would be to bring it up to the right volume you're looking for (you're working with extract, so efficiency isn't a concern). But, if you're going to do this, it's essential to calculate the effect of dilution to your gravity, etc (easy w/software such as BeerSmith). Also, if you're interested in getting an accurate reading, it's helpfull to have a hydrometer with a built in thermometer.

 

[Newbeerguy]

Thanks for the quick reply!
Temp was about 65 when I checked Gravity
No its 1.42 almost 1.5 not 1.042, but nevertheless ill leave it as is! Note to self: Learn to read the Hydrometer properly next time lol

Well thats a heck of a difference....chances are the malt extract didn't get mixed very well and the sample you pulled had alot of the extract in it. As long as you hit your target volume in the fermenter and didn't add any extra extract, I am almost 100% positive that you have nothing to worry about. Your "real" O.G. will be exactly what you expect it to be. Thats the beauty of using extract, as long as your measurements are on, your gravity will be what you expect.

What was the recipe by the way?

 

[luniz7]

Well thats a heck of a difference....chances are the malt extract didn't get mixed very well and the sample you pulled had alot of the extract in it. As long as you hit your target volume in the fermenter and didn't add any extra extract, I am almost 100% positive that you have nothing to worry about. Your "real" O.G. will be exactly what you expect it to be. Thats the beauty of using extract, as long as your measurements are on, your gravity will be what you expect.

What was the recipe by the way?

It was a Weizenbier Ingredient kit

 

[Newbeerguy]

1.05 even better, means more potential alcohol! Not that alcohol is the only reason to drink beer but, couldn't hurt!

Hey, you're doing good!
Just keep reading, asking question(here on HBT), and of course keep on brewing!
Welcome to the obsession!

I think your missing it here, he said it was 1.42 not 1.042.

That is a huge difference, and alot more alcohol potential....lol
But it is very unlikely he missed the O.G. by that much, unless his volume measurements were way off.

 

[Newbeerguy]

It was a Weizenbier Ingredient kit

Can you post the specifics? How many lbs of extract? Also did you get 5 gallons into the fermenter?

 

[luniz7]

I think your missing it here, he said it was 1.42 not 1.042.

That is a huge difference, and alot more alcohol potential....lol
But it is very unlikely he missed the O.G. by that much, unless his volume measurements were way off.

Correct, Im about a quarter to a half gallon short of 5 gallons

Total of LME was 6.6lb
IBU's 6-10
OG 1.047-1.051 (i got 1.42)
ABV 4.5%-4.75%

 

[Newbeerguy]

Correct, Im about a quarter to a half gallon short of 5 gallons

Even if your off 1/2 gallon, it still won't increase your gravity that much. If you really want to top it off with some water you can. I would do it before it starts fermenting. I'd boil the water first and cool it to fermentation temps before adding it as well.

EDIT - Just ran the nubmers in Beersmith and with that amount of extract and in 4.5 gallons your O.G. is 1.064...now to really get 1.42 O.G. you'd have to add all that extract to a little under 3/4 gallon of water. I don't think you have to worry about that.

 

[luniz7]

Even if your off 1/2 gallon, it still won't increase your gravity that much. If you really want to top it off with some water you can. I would do it before it starts fermenting. I'd boil the water first and cool it to fermentation temps before adding it as well.

Its already started bubbling in the airlock. Im just gonna leave it be..

 

[Newbeerguy]

Its already started bubbling in the airlock. Im just gonna leave it be..

And I am sure it will turn out great

 

[luniz7]

Even if your off 1/2 gallon, it still won't increase your gravity that much. If you really want to top it off with some water you can. I would do it before it starts fermenting. I'd boil the water first and cool it to fermentation temps before adding it as well.

EDIT - Just ran the nubmers in Beersmith and with that amount of extract and in 4.5 gallons your O.G. is 1.064...now to really get 1.42 O.G. you'd have to add all that extract to a little under 3/4 gallon of water. I don't think you have to worry about that.

Ok good, I appreciate the help!

Oh and btw, 1 week in the primary and 2 in the carboy? How long in the bottles?

 

[KevinW]

Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute. I did some rough crunching in beersmth, to get 1.4** sg in a 5 gallon batch of beer you'd need to add 80+ pounds of grain.

I know now that I missed the initial numbers(sorry) but either there is a serious calculation error or luniz, you must be more than a 1/2-1 gallon short of 5.
A one gallon batch with 15lbs of base malt comes to about a 1.4** gravity!

Well, I was right about one thing, with a gravity that high you'd definitely have a lot more potential alcohol! LOL

Forgive me for my initial confusion!!

 

[luniz7]

Well just wanted to report back. After the first batch of wiezenbier has been in the bottle for 2 weeks I decided to try one. It tasted great! It was fully carbonated too! I'm still gonna give it another week still before I go crazy....

 

[demonrichie]

i think your hydrometers posessed by a beer demon or something