Hitting target gravity

Hi folks. I'm fairly new to brewing and currently trying BIAB. I did first batch and missed my starting gravity by quite a bit (1.064- target 1.054) not a bad thing per se, don't mind the extra abv. But want to be accurate. Now for the noob question...if I miss my starting gravity can I just add water to wort preboil and vise versa boil longer to hit my number once I figure out efficiency? Also what would be easiest way to figure efficiency? I've seen a couple ways on here but don't know easiest ( hate math). Thanks in advance

 

Easiest way is to use an online calculator. Brewers friend site has one. You enter the grains, volume of water, and gravity reading. You will need to be able to accurately measure your preboil and post boil volume in the kettle. This could be as simple as marking your mash paddle or spoon in 1/2 gallon increments.

When you get a good idea of your brewhouse efficiency you can adjust your recipes to match. I would start with a lower efficiency number around 70% for recipes until you dial in your process.

 

So once I figure out efficiency, how do I adjust preboil to hit intended target of that particular batch or can I?

 

Try this website, it'll give you how much water to add to lower gravity or how much DME or LME to raise gravity. I'm fairly new to BIAB as well (3 batches so far) and enjoy it very much...simple and turns out a good product...good luck and happy brewing.

http://www.merrycuss.com/calc/index.html

 

Thanks! I will check it out

 

To bring back OP's original question, can you simply add top-off water to the wort to reach the target OG?

Had a similar situation occur this weekend (OG was 1.050, target was 1.039), and I just added water until my hydrometer read 1.039. Is that acceptable practice?

 

That will work but your recipe is made with a particular amount of water to grain ratio in mind and by adding more water you have changed that ratio. It would be a better practice for your next batches to adjust just the base malt portion of your recipe to account for your better efficiency but keep the other grains the same.

 

Will getting better efficiency change your final gravity #? Based on original recipe parameters


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Yes. You'll be getting more sugars for the same amount of grain so the gravity goes up. That increase in OG should also increase the FG since the yeast usually ferment a percentage of the OG.

 

Thank you and hopefully this is my last "painful" noob question... Can I predict the new f.g. With a calculator using new numbers or is it just a "wait and see" thing


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Predictions are one thing but yeast are alive and they do what they want. They normally follow their predicted % of attenuation but you still have to use the hydrometer to be sure that they really are done when the beer has reached the predicted FG.

 

My thoughts.. Wanted confirmation.. Thanks for all the info!


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