First brew – O.G. off by 5 comparing to recipe

[thj]

So, I did just completed my first brew, and it’s now in the basement fermenting. It’s an IPA, and the O.G. reading was 1054, while the recipe has an O.G. reading of 1059. Is this a huge difference, or is it within the acceptable margin of “error”?

Is 1054 an acceptable O.G. or should I aim for a higher O.G., and if so, is there anywhere in the process that I should pay more attention to when aiming for a higher O.G.?

How do you evaluate your brews - before tasting the final product?

Any help will be much appreciated!

 

[OpenSights]

So, I did just completed my first brew, and it’s now in the basement fermenting. It’s an IPA, and the O.G. reading was 1054, while the recipe has an O.G. reading of 1059. Is this a huge difference, or is it within the acceptable margin of “error”?

Is 1054 an acceptable O.G. or should I aim for a higher O.G., and if so, is there anywhere in the process that I should pay more attention to when aiming for a higher O.G.?

How do you evaluate your brews - before tasting the final product?

Any help will be much appreciated!

You’re fine! Not bad for your first brew day! In fact awesome!

I recently made a hard lemonade off memory and over shot OG by like 0.100! Everyone likes it! Not how I wanted, so I’m the only one who hates it.

My first two AG didn’t go right, and I mean everything! They’re still on tap.

You’re good! The biggest thing is sanitization!!!

 

[thj]

Good to hear! I'm beginnig to see some yeast activity as well. So far so good.

Hard lemonade...do you have some details about that? Maybe a recipe?

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

So, I did just completed my first brew, and it’s now in the basement fermenting. It’s an IPA, and the O.G. reading was 1054, while the recipe has an O.G. reading of 1059. Is this a huge difference, or is it within the acceptable margin of “error”?

Is 1054 an acceptable O.G. or should I aim for a higher O.G., and if so, is there anywhere in the process that I should pay more attention to when aiming for a higher O.G.?

How do you evaluate your brews - before tasting the final product?

Any help will be much appreciated!

How was the brew done? Extract? All grain?

Please realize the OG is an estimate based on the fermentables. However, the fermentable values change. In other words the fermentables, unless they are all from the same batch all the time, will vary.

Hops are a similar example. One time the AA is 4.4%. Next time I purchase the same hop and it's 5.2% (this is just an example). Either know how to tweak the recipe for the varying values or just use what's available really depends on the brewer.

 

[OpenSights]

Good to hear! I'm beginnig to see some yeast activity as well. So far so good.

Hard lemonade...do you have some details about that? Maybe a recipe?

My first attempt at skeeter pee is based off this recipe: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/hard-lemonade-skeeter-4-summer-2019.664696/#post-8591541

A malted wine. I’ll see if I can re-find the other non malted recipe for you. I screwed up on my sugar, going off memory and ended up with a super high OG. I used s-04 which has a alcohol tolerance of 10%, but I was able to get it up to 14.18% ABV. I’m assuming because of nutrient additions? I kegged it for family reunion after 3 months and the fermentation wasn’t even finished!

Don’t think of your new hobby as an exact science just yet. It is, but have fun and don’t be afraid to experiment, with good judgment of course. I’m still learning and experimenting myself. Have fun! As I said before, the only thing you really need to be concerned with is sanitization. That is really the biggest mistake you can make. I had a minor infection, no big deal. Going to turn it into a sour doppelbock by adding some Lacto. Problem solved.

 

[balrog]

Measuring specific gravity w extract is notoriously rife with stratification issues. If you used extract and had your water volumes correct, then you have all the sugar you are expected to have. If you did an all grain, as your first brew, wow, but realize that everyone *EVERYONE* will get different efficiencies of sugar extraction on their different systems with different water and different process.

Do not even worry about 5 points.

At all.

 

[thj]

How was the brew done? Extract? All grain?

Please realize the OG is an estimate based on the fermentables. However, the fermentable values change. In other words the fermentables, unless they are all from the same batch all the time, will vary.

Hops are a similar example. One time the AA is 4.4%. Next time I purchase the same hop and it's 5.2% (this is just an example). Either know how to tweak the recipe for the varying values or just use what's available really depends on the brewer.

Thank you for your reply.

It was an all-grain brew. I bought a kit containing all the ingredients and a recipe, here's the ingredient list:

• Marris Otter malt
• Amber malt
• Cara gold malt
• Light dried malt extract
• Warrior hops
• Simcoe hops
• Amarillo hops
• Irish moss
• WLP001

Mashing was done as a two step infusion at 67 and 76 degrees C.

Interesting about the fermantables and how they affect the O.G. I still need to read up on the theory here. I'll have to experiment and start tweaking recipes and figure out how it affects the process and end result. Can't wait.

 

[brewbama]

As you hone your skill, dial in your system’s efficiency, and refine your processes you’ll better understand what your system will produce compared to a stock recipe. Every recipe is written for a certain efficiency. Yours may be different and therefore will require adjustments. I know mine does. For now, a 1.054 first AG beer is a damn good start. Cheers to your success!

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Maltster's specs change from batch to batch. This is why the pro brewers blend to obtain a consistent taste the buying public expects.

I'd say don't worry about the OG and enjoy your homebrew.

 

[Rackrunner]

Sounds like you made some beer on your first shot, nice! Totally agree with the other comments, 5 gravity points is pretty darn reasonable and nothing to worry about as you dial in your process.

There are quite a few factors that can influence your OG, so it can help to break things down a bit:
The OG is basically a function of
1) How much potential sugar is in your grain bill
2) How efficient you are at extracting all that sugar
3) How much water all that sugar is mixed in

Each one of those steps can influence the resulting gravity. For example, variations in the age / quality of the grains, how coarse/fine the grain crush is, how long you mash for, how well you hit temperatures etc. You can start getting a better handle on all those things by:
1) Taking lots of notes, and maybe looking at using some brewing software to help predict and track
2) Try to test/measure each step. Take gravity readings pre-boil as well as post, pre/post sparge (if sparging) etc
3) Verify and double check your volume measurements - volume marks on kettles etc may not be right! Were your infusion volumes right on target? Losses from dead space and grain absorbtion? Pre and Post-boil volume as expected?

Once you've got the basics down and you have a baseline estimate of what your equipment profile and normal efficiency are, you can adjust techniques to improve and/or tweak recipes to compensate.

On a positive note, sounds like your first brew day went a lot better than mine did! I just made a big mess and an angry wife on my first run!

 

[balrog]

sounds like your first brew day went a lot better than mine did! I just made a big mess and an angry wife on my first run!

I wish I could tell ya that you will learn to perfect making messes and making the wife angry, but in my experience, you just learn to get better and better and better at both of those...

 

[Rackrunner]

I wish I could tell ya that you will learn to perfect making messes and making the wife angry, but in my experience, you just learn to get better and better and better at both of those...

LOL, yep! Pretty much the same deal, but at least the beer helps take the edge off

 

[Alex4mula]

After 15 brews I would say I would not worry unless it is a >10 points difference. And then it will depend.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

To the OP, please realize we are aiming for the OG. However, this is based upon a lot of variables. Get close and you are probably OK.

 

[ncbrewer]

I would make one suggestion. To me, it's worthwhile to check the starting boil gravity and adjust the amount of bittering hops to maintain the target BU:GU ratio. The need for this depends on how sensitive you are to bitterness. A 10% difference in BU:GU is very obvious to me.

 

[thj]

Thank you so much for all these comments - it's much appreciated!

Opening the door in the basement like it's pandorax box, I'm seeing plenty of yeast activity. Looks like I'm on the right track.

My first attempt at skeeter pee is based off this recipe: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/hard-lemonade-skeeter-4-summer-2019.664696/#post-8591541

A malted wine. I’ll see if I can re-find the other non malted recipe for you. I screwed up on my sugar, going off memory and ended up with a super high OG. I used s-04 which has a alcohol tolerance of 10%, but I was able to get it up to 14.18% ABV. I’m assuming because of nutrient additions? I kegged it for family reunion after 3 months and the fermentation wasn’t even finished!

Don’t think of your new hobby as an exact science just yet. It is, but have fun and don’t be afraid to experiment, with good judgment of course. I’m still learning and experimenting myself. Have fun! As I said before, the only thing you really need to be concerned with is sanitization. That is really the biggest mistake you can make. I had a minor infection, no big deal. Going to turn it into a sour doppelbock by adding some Lacto. Problem solved.

Thank you! Sounds delicious; I'll definitely try that at some point.

Sounds like you made some beer on your first shot, nice! Totally agree with the other comments, 5 gravity points is pretty darn reasonable and nothing to worry about as you dial in your process.

There are quite a few factors that can influence your OG, so it can help to break things down a bit:
The OG is basically a function of
1) How much potential sugar is in your grain bill
2) How efficient you are at extracting all that sugar
3) How much water all that sugar is mixed in

Each one of those steps can influence the resulting gravity. For example, variations in the age / quality of the grains, how coarse/fine the grain crush is, how long you mash for, how well you hit temperatures etc. You can start getting a better handle on all those things by:
1) Taking lots of notes, and maybe looking at using some brewing software to help predict and track
2) Try to test/measure each step. Take gravity readings pre-boil as well as post, pre/post sparge (if sparging) etc
3) Verify and double check your volume measurements - volume marks on kettles etc may not be right! Were your infusion volumes right on target? Losses from dead space and grain absorbtion? Pre and Post-boil volume as expected?

Once you've got the basics down and you have a baseline estimate of what your equipment profile and normal efficiency are, you can adjust techniques to improve and/or tweak recipes to compensate.

On a positive note, sounds like your first brew day went a lot better than mine did! I just made a big mess and an angry wife on my first run!

Great tips here. I'm going to come back to this when planning/brewing the next batches.

 

[OpenSights]

Welcome to the hobby! Your next experiment is rice wine!

 

[VTX1300]

Welcome to the obsession! Two and a half years and 40 all grain brews into it and I have gotten to the point where I never worry about SG compared to someone's recipe. I know my system and efficiency and adjust from there. 5 points from expected gravity is excellent for your first AG brew! RDWHAHB!

 

[thj]

7 days has passed, and I just added some dry hops to the fermenter. I also took a gravity reading - 1014. According to the recipe, the F.G. should be 1011, and has 7 days left in the fermenter before bottling.

All good? The smell is wonderful, and it also tastes like an IPA.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

When the FG reading was taken was the sample flat? If not, will get a higher than expected reading (as the CO2 in the sample will push up the hydrometer). Also, was hydrometer adjusted for temp (most hydrometers are based on 60F. This also applies to the OG reading.).

Also remember don't bottle too soon or risk bottle bombs.

 

[thj]

When the FG reading was taken was the sample flat? If not, will get a higher than expected reading (as the CO2 in the sample will push up the hydrometer). Also, was hydrometer adjusted for temp (most hydrometers are based on 60F. This also applies to the OG reading.).

Also remember don't bottle too soon or risk bottle bombs.

It looked very flat to me. In the fermenter, there were clumps of yeast (i guess?) floating at the top of the wort. Is that normal?
My hydrometer is based on 20C, and I cooled the sample to this before taking the reading.

 

[thedevilandgod]

A) don’t worry it’ll be totally fine! B) take the temperature when you use your hydrometer. There are calculators online that will adjust the hydrometer for you, most are based for 20 degrees Celsius, even .5 degrees off can give you a much different reading.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

It looked very flat to me. In the fermenter, there were clumps of yeast (i guess?) floating at the top of the wort. Is that normal?
My hydrometer is based on 20C, and I cooled the sample to this before taking the reading.

OK, very good. The clumps are just floating yeast. 7 days is, IMO, quick. I normally wait 3 weeks for the primary yeast to finish their job. Too much trouble for me to constantly check the hydrometer reading. Been brewing since 1995 and I've learned to just let it sit for 3 weeks. Of course, I always secondary condition too (some at HBT have very strong feelings against secondary conditioning).

20C (68F) is another temp some hydrometers are calibrated. No need to cool the sample (however, don't have it too hot to crack the hydrometer) to the hydrometer calibration. Brewing software handles converting the current temp/hydrometer reading to the hydrometer calibration temp.

Remember, waiting is the hardest part.

So far everything to me sounds OK.