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Didn't hit expected OG.

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brewbama

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I just brewed an Irish Red Ale kit from NB in anticipation of St Patrick's Day and I was well below expected OG. What could be the cause?


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Incorrect water volume, extract volume, boil time... What was the recipe and what did you do?


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I'm guessing you did a partial boil? If so, the concentrated wort doesn't always mix well with the top off water initially. You almost assuredly hit your target gravity but the wort stratified and the top wort was less dense than the wort on the bottom.
 
I just brewed an Irish Red Ale kit from NB in anticipation of St Patrick's Day and I was well below expected OG. What could be the cause?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Lots of things, but assuming an all-extract kit, it would likely be a problem with water volume, boiling time, or even sampling for the gravity measurement.

What was did you expect to hit?

What did you hit?

What is the recipe/process, and did you deviate from it?
 
It was an extract kit with specialty grains. I hope stratification or my sample technique is the issue. I did have to add 2 gal of water to top off to 5 gal.

I expected to hit 44 but hit 32. It was a NB recipe. I did not deviate from the recipe.

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It was an extract kit with specialty grains. I hope stratification or my sample technique is the issue. I did have to add 2 gal of water to top off to 5 gal.

I expected to hit 44 but hit 32. It was a NB recipe. I did not deviate from the recipe.

Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

A second reading after mixing/aerating will help. The hotter the sample, the lower the apparent gravity. Hydrometers are typically calibrated for 60º samples. Over 80º can noticeably impact your reading.
 
A second reading after mixing/aerating will help. The hotter the sample, the lower the apparent gravity. Hydrometers are typically calibrated for 60º samples. Over 80º can noticeably impact your reading.

We'll see. LOL




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