1.040 O.G. help
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CadillacAndy
Well-Known Member
We're going to need some more information to help you. Can you give us a recipe and a description of your process?
Agreed, we need more information. As to the low gravity. With extract and top up you probably got an uneven mix and a low gravity sample. If you used all the ingredients and achieved the proper volumes the gravity will be within a point or two of target.
As to the bad flavor?? Could be anything from just tasting green beer to an infection.
As to the bad flavor?? Could be anything from just tasting green beer to an infection.
USAFSooner
Well-Known Member
What sized batch are you brewing? If you are doing all grain you should be mashing for an hour at least.
Is this a 1 gallon batch?
I think you have two things going on here....
1. Is 1.040 about right for what you're using?
2. Misunderstanding between OG and FG.
Regarding #1, what is your batch size?
With regard #2, to OG, neither higher or lower is necessarily good/better. It is what it is for what you're making, basically depending on the concentration of sugars you get in the wort. Higher OG generally facilitates higher ABV, lower OG typifies lower ABV.
With an OG of 1.040 you'd probably looking at ABV of 3.5 - 4% in the finished product. If the OG was 1.080 the ABV of the finished product likely would be in the range of 8 - 9%
With regard to FG, I suppose at a high level lower is usually, but not always, considered better because lower FG generally reflects more complete fermentation...but that's not a hard rule. It has to be considered somewhat with respect to OG.
If you do something to make FG too low for the type of beer you're targeting it will tend to be dryer and thinner mouth feel.
USAFSooner
Well-Known Member
OK - Now it's starting to make sense. If I run your recipe in BeerSmith, using a 1 Gallon batch size and 75% efficiency you should get 1.069 FG and somewhere near 7% ABV and 20.6 SRM in color (just about right for an Irish Red). Assuming a BIAB Method, you would steep the grains in 2.4 gallons of water @ 152F for 75 Minutes followed by a 60 minute boil.
USAFSooner
Well-Known Member
Steeping at 162F is too high. You want to be in the low 150's. My AG mashes are usually around 152-152F. Also, 25 minutes is not long enough time for conversion for an all grain batch.
That'd be 1.069 OG, yes?
Using Brewer's Friend and 75%, I came up with
1.030 preboil OG (2.4 gal)
1.073 postboil OG (1 gal)
ABV 6.88% assuming 72% attenuation.
I guess the other thing to know is, is the 1.040 pre boil or post boil and how much volume do you have of 1.040?
If it's only 1 gallon of 1.040 you can still make a somewhat high gravity brew, but you're not going to end up with much by the time you boil it down to say 1.060 - 1.070, just a bit over half a gallon.
Using Brewer's Friend and 75%, I came up with
1.030 preboil OG (2.4 gal)
1.073 postboil OG (1 gal)
ABV 6.88% assuming 72% attenuation.
I guess the other thing to know is, is the 1.040 pre boil or post boil and how much volume do you have of 1.040?
If it's only 1 gallon of 1.040 you can still make a somewhat high gravity brew, but you're not going to end up with much by the time you boil it down to say 1.060 - 1.070, just a bit over half a gallon.
chickypad
lupulin shift victim
May I suggest How to Brew as a good source for the basics of brewing like what OG and FG mean and how to target those, how to mash, etc. The online version while outdated is still solid and at least easily accessible. Do you have a source for your recipes? I notice you've got over 25% crystal malt there which is quite a lot. There is a database of recipes on this board if you are interested.
CadillacAndy
Well-Known Member
USAFSooner said:
I've mashed at 160F and have had complete conversion within 25 mins. I've mashed at 152F and have had complete conversion in less than 30 mins too. Usually around 20 mins and the mash is converted according to iodine.
I lowered my strike temps and mashed longer my measurements came out a bit better. Been awhile since brewed. Need to read Palmers book again. & the joys of homebrewing. Both batches are fermenting now. My stout kraused up quit well. And the red ale is still kind of we will see I guess. Thank you everyone.
