BRIX

[Smiling Frog]

Speaking for myself, I'm new to the hobby, but my kits all have around the same amount of grain and generally result in the same amount of alcohol. The last few 5gal batches I don't bother checking OG or FG. Or just check FG to ensure its done.

People say "This is great beer! What percentage of alcohol is it?" - I tell them to shut up and drink.

You should get in the habit of taking the gravity readings. If you are using extract, you are correct in that so long as you are using the amount of water called for, the OG readings should be what the kit says. Also, provided you are using the yeast the recipe was designed for and you have a good and healthy fermentation, the FG readings should be correct. So, the ABV stated for the kit should be fairly accurate.

However, if you start brewing all-grain, the OG reading is critical, since if you mess-up your mash, you will not have the amount of sugar you think you have, but will be totally unaware that anything is wrong. Likewise, the FG reading is important, not just to know the ABV, but it tells you if you are getting the attenuation you expect from the yeast. This also can be a result of how effective you mash was. This information is very helpful when you are trying to improve your brewing.

 

[VikeMan]

Hydrometers readings are definitely affected by the presense of alcohol, which is less dense than water. But we don't adjust hydrometer FG readings before using them, because the standard beer ABV formulae that use OG and FG take that into account in their constants.

I do not believe this is correct. The standard ABV formula, (OG - FG) X 131.25, is a simplistic approach that assumes the OG - FG factor equates to the percentage of sugar turned into alcohol. It is making an assumption that the FG taken by the hydrometer is an accurate measure of the sugar content, which it cannot be if there is alcohol present since the alcohol affects the reading. Another source of error comes from the fact that the equation is determining the weight percent alcohol (ABW), then converting that to volume percent alcohol (ABV), all with that 131.25 constant. This is assuming a linear relationship between ABW and ABV. It is well known that this relationship is not linear, but over the ranges used in beers, the error is also small.

These small errors are simply ignored with the hydrometer, since they are fairly constant and small errors. For Homebrewing, it really doesn't matter.

The constant in the formula (131.25 or similar) absolutely does account for alcohol being lighter than water. The ABV formula could not give a reasonably accurate answer otherwise. And it does not assume that the FG reading is by itself an accurate measure of sugar content (without accounting for alcohol). Think about an FG of 1.000, i.e. 100% apparent attenuation. Real attenuation in this case is only about 82%. The formula "knows" (through the constant) that there are still sugars/dextrins. If it didn't, our ABV calculation (in this case) would be off by about 18%.

Put another way...if alcohol and water were of the same density, the ABV formula would need a different constant. Therefore, the constant accounts for alcohol density.

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

Guys I added in half a pack of S05 9 o'clock last night temp of wort 95. Its 12 noon now and I got no action in the bubbler. Should I be worried?

 

[VikeMan]

Guys I added in half a pack of S05 9 o'clock last night temp of wort 95. Its 12 noon now and I got no action in the bubbler. Should I be worried?

95F won't kill your yeast. But it will probably make a fusel alcohol mess, if you really did this.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Guys I added in half a pack of S05 9 o'clock last night temp of wort 95. Its 12 noon now and I got no action in the bubbler. Should I be worried?

Yikes. Pitched at 95?! I don't know if it'll be ok.

Next time, get the wort temp down to the lower part of the yeast's range before pitching. Pitching and/or fermenting hot is a #1 cause of bad tasting beer.

If it's really tough for you to get the wort down to normal ale yeast range, you may consider kveik which prefers 80/90s.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

And maybe read "How to Brew."

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

I have always pitch my wine yeast at around 95 and I have made some very nice wine and ciders. I know my way around wine. I just figured on doing beer like I do my wine. I will give it another day to see if she ramps up. I made the mistake of adding in more last batch and had a messy blow-off

 

[VikeMan]

I have always pitch my wine yeast at around 95 and I have made some very nice wine and ciders. I know my way around wine. I just figured on doing beer like I do my wine.

95F is also too high for wine fermentations. But anyway, beer isn't wine. "How to Brew" would be a great way to learn the basics.

www.howtobrew.com

 

[MaxStout]

Can't keep ferm temps down? Two words: kveik yeast.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I just figured on doing beer like I do my wine.

With regard to yeast pitching temperatures for beer, Fermentis has instructions at their web site. For US-05: SafAle US-05 - American ale neutral brewer's yeast - by Fermentis

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

With regard to yeast pitching temperatures for beer, Fermentis has instructions at their web site. For US-05: SafAle US-05 - American ale neutral brewer's yeast - by Fermentis

Thats good to know. If it dont start soon I probably killed it. My next batch i may do aussy style just place the wort in bucket and let it sit overnight and get room temperature.

 

[bracconiere]

the SG is dropped around 0.005

but it's still a measure of SG right?

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

OK so I checked the brix level just now 8 and did a hydro measurement 1030 around 5% Added a fresh pack of S05. Assuming I killed the other yeast pitching too high. Nearly 6pm gonna see how long this packet takes to get kickin.

 

[Saunassa]

So Jamesfromdogriver you put a pound of grain plus a cup of Pilsen lme in a gallon of water and only had an OG of approx. 1.040?
You do crush the grain well and later remove it from the wort before boil right?
Btw, the yeast mfg give you a suggested fermentation range on the packets. As others have said get some kveik, Voss strain would be good and fermenter temps won't be so critical.

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

I am wondering if this stuff is junk aint no sign of any fermentation today 3 days into it. 1st time using a 2 gallon plastic bucket. I have a nice wort and no action, even added some bread yeast to it yesterday.

 

[dirkomatic]

Can you answer Saunassa's questions? Did you grind/crush/mill the grain? Did you remove it from the wort before boil?

You should really read some instructions or have someone help. The recommended book, "How to Brew" is a terrific starting point.

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

I used pre-ground up stuff I bought in a 5 pound bag.

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

This wort is registering sugar content but it aint studying starting to work. Its dead. I never seen anything like it.

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

Thanks guys for all the nice information. I wrote this batch off and poured it down the sink. Lesson learned.

 

[VikeMan]

Thanks guys for all the nice information. I wrote this batch off and poured it down the sink. Lesson learned.

What lesson is that?

 

[Kickass]

I've been following this one from the beginning, what happened that caused you to dump? Whats the lesson?

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

I figured it was a bad batch. It never did act right. Someone suggested the seal on the bucket wasnt tight so I moved it to a glass jug, Still nothing. i am going into the 6th day 4 yeasts later and nothing. Not even a sign, shaking and hoping ...nothing. At somr point you say you done monkeyed with it infected it messed around with it over dosed it. Just had to say bye bye to the demon batch and try again . ordered a wide mouth glass carboy. i was only doing 1 gallon. Sad.

 

[VikeMan]

Just to be clear, none of the following things would have prevented fermentation:
- pitching at 95F
- plastic, glass, or any type of material fermenter
- bacterial or wild yeast infection
- too much yeast

Consider reading "How to Brew," even if it's the somewhat dated online version at
www.howtobrew.com. Or better yet, the latest edition is fairly cheap on Amazon.

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

Can someone give me an easy 1 gal recipe? Is their such a thang? beginning to think not.

 

[hout17]

Can someone give me an easy 1 gal recipe? Is their such a thang? beginning to think not.

I posted one for you on the first page of this thread. It should be pretty straight forward and easy.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/brix.693441/post-9125402
Or order a 1 Gallon recipe kit from Northern Brewer or somewhere like that. It comes with good instructions to help you along with the brewing process.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I have not figured out if ...

By the way, nice article on advanced bottling techniques. It's good to see people continuing to move that idea forward.

 

[cactusgarrett]

What lesson is that?

Read How to Brew.

Until I see some genuine effort to improve this or even listen to anyone providing advice in this thread, I'm sticking with the notion this is a troll job.

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

I am no troll. I can make some excellent wine. My beer skills is lacking tho, I will admit that. I was told you could make a gallon of beer with grain water hops and yeast and this is what I tried to do. I even added a bit of liquid malt extract to it. It looked and smelled nice and it tasted great. But it would not ferment. It wouldn't even try, the beginning OG was 1.040. I wanted it to be a nice 5%ish. I even placed the hops into a metal ball so they could be removed after the boil which was 90 mins. The mash was also 90 mins.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Did you shout at the wort as you pitched the yeast?

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

Nawsir it was saf05 its spose be purty good I got 5 packs of it off ebay for $10 free shipping.