Confused about brix reading - missed SG?

[kenpotf]

I just got through doing a wheat with 7lbs wheat and 2lbs 2-row. BeerSmith says that the estimated post-boil SG should be 1.045. I measured it and got around 8.xx which showed to be around 1.035. I made sure that the refractometer was at 0 with distilled water. The post-boil read around 9.6 - 9.7 brix which seems to convert to 1.038 - 1.039.

The final amount to fermenter was exactly what Brewsmith said that it should have been without topping off. So, I'm thinking about measuring with a hydrometer instead of the refractometer. If I don't get a different reading, what went wrong?

 

[Yooper]

I just got through doing a wheat with 7lbs wheat and 2lbs 2-row. BeerSmith says that the estimated post-boil SG should be 1.045. I measured it and got around 8.xx which showed to be around 1.035. I made sure that the refractometer was at 0 with distilled water. The post-boil read around 9.6 - 9.7 brix which seems to convert to 1.038 - 1.039.

The final amount to fermenter was exactly what Brewsmith said that it should have been without topping off. So, I'm thinking about measuring with a hydrometer instead of the refractometer. If I don't get a different reading, what went wrong?

It sounds like you got poorer efficiency that you planned for in your recipe. With 7 pounds wheat and 2 pounds two-row, in a 5 gallon batch, I'd get around 1.049 with my system. I get 72% efficiency with my system.

I don't make many wheat beers (don't like them) but one thing I've noticed is the kernels are much harder that barley and need to be either crushed finer or run through the mill twice. How did you crush look? Did you get any sticking from that high percentage of wheat? That could impact your efficiency.

 

[helibrewer]

Is your refractometer an ATC model (Automatic Temperature Correction)? 9.7B = 1.037

 

[luhrks]

Did you put any rice hulls in? What was your water to grain ratio? How long of a mash?

 

[helibrewer]

+1 Yooper BeerSmith uses that efficiency number to calculate your OG...so if it's higher than your actual efficiency your OG will be lower.

 

[kenpotf]

This was my first wheat but I noticed that the grain did look a little rough. I had added .5 pound of rice to the mash due to recommendations of avoiding a stuck sparge. The mash was for 60 minutes and my refractometer is supposed to have ATC.

Should I throw it out and do another next week? I'm afraid it's going to taste like bitter water....

 

[Yooper]

This was my first wheat but I noticed that the grain did look a little rough. I had added .5 pound of rice to the mash due to recommendations of avoiding a stuck sparge. The mash was for 60 minutes and my refractometer is supposed to have ATC.

Should I throw it out and do another next week? I'm afraid it's going to taste like bitter water....

Heck, since it's done you might as well let it ferment out and see!

 

[helibrewer]

About a pound to 1.25 lbs of wheat DME would get you there....is it too late? Are you in the fermentor already?

 

[kenpotf]

Yeah, it's already in the fermentor. I'm not under a time crunch, so I'll taste it in a couple of weeks to see how it's going. If it's not going well, then I'll throw it out and just brew another. Maybe I should have used more grain?

 

[helibrewer]

Yeah, it's already in the fermentor. I'm not under a time crunch, so I'll taste it in a couple of weeks to see how it's going. If it's not going well, then I'll throw it out and just brew another. Maybe I should have used more grain?

Based on that recipe it looks like you are about a pound shy...make the adjustment in your next recipe...you can always increase volume to decrease OG...just gives you more in the fermentor.

Maybe you can play with BeerSmith to get your efficiency dialed in...should be on the Mash tab.

 

[dmac80]

Hi,
Auto temp compensation was mentioned before as a possible source of your error. I've found my refractometer readings are higher (and closer to my hydrometer), when i remove a small sample from kettle and allow to cool before adding to my refractometer.
This may or may not be where your error lies, hopefully it works out ok.
Cheers