Question

[Bewbzout]

I had this question in another thread and would like to get it answered.

I would recomend measuring OG before topping off and calculating instead
as top of water will give you a faulty reading 9 out of 10 times

Mabe i have some learning to do but dont you want to take a gravity reading after you have reached your total volume? Isnt your target gravity based on a certain volume?

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Yes, but, when you use top off water it's hard to get it mixed evenly to take an accurate gravity reading. Try this instead. Take a reading before topping off, for examples sake lets say it's 1.060 and you have 4 gal. Multiply 60 x 4 to get 240 points. Then divide 240 by 5 to get 48 (1.048). So, if you have a 1.060 gravity reading and you add 1 gallon of top off water you will end up with a gravity of 1.048.

 

[Bewbzout]

Perfect thank you for the help. I do full boils so no problem with mixing i was just curious.

 

[squirrelly]

typically brewers will take an OG reading at flame out if a full wort boil has been done. All grain brewers will usually do a pre-boil gravity reading to ensure the OG is correct, and no adjustments need to be made such as adding DME to bring up the gravity or an extended boil. Extract brewers don't usually have to worry too much about doing the pre-boil for they usually get the proper gravity from the extract.

With that being said, since a gravity reading pertains to the density of sugars in a volume of liquid I would imagine that a reading should be taken after the full volume has been reached. This is where a refractometer comes in handy, but the same thing can be done with a hydrometer using a wine thief.

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