Estimating Original Gravity

[RichSib]

I just brewed up a 5 gal batch of extract Hefe Weizen yesterday. I was expecting an OG of about 1.045 but I actually got 1.056. My recipe is as follows.

6lb Muntons Wheat DME
12oz Muntons Extra Light DME
3AAU Hallertau hops @60 min

1L starter Wyeast 3068

Boil 60 min.

The recipe is based on some I found online, my expected OG was also based on what those recipes said. For future reference how do you estimate your OG based on your list of extract ingredients?
Thanks, Rich.

 

[Pappers_]

I plug them into Beersmith, which is brewing recipe software. You can download a free trial copy at www.beersmith.com There are other versions and brands, also, some of which are open source, etc.

Some people do their calculations by hand, but that sounds like work to me

FYI, with Beersmith, it estimates that your recipe's OG would be 1.058.

 

[dcp27]

IIRC, DME = 44ppg and LME = 36ppg, so you just add up the weight of all the extract and divide by the volume

in your case: 6*44 + 0.75 *44 = 297 / 5gal = 1.0594

 

[Rev2010]

Beersmith here too. It's amazingly accurate and only costs like $22. There's a trial version you can download to test it out. All my recipe's have come out within .001 point away so far. So like it will estimate 1.050 and I'll get 1.051. But most are exactly on point.


Rev.