First Brew Questions

[OKHopHead]

I finished my first brew today. I brewed the extract version of the AHS Fat Tire Clone. I did a full boil and adjusted the hop amounts accordingly. I started with just over 6 gallons and finished with exactly 5 gallons in my ale pail according to the markings on the side (I forgot to verify the accuracy of these). Questions:

1. The expected OG was 1.051 and my OG measured 1.055 after correcting for temperature. Is this an acceptable difference, or should I add some top off water? (yeast has already been pitched at this point).

2. Do you guys sterilize everything when taking gravity measurements and return the sampled wort to the fermentor, or do you just throw the wort sample out?

 

[Gduck]

The small difference in OG should be no issue. You'll have a slightly higher alcohol content but I doubt there will be much of a perceptible difference.

As for taking gravity readings I do sanitize everything, but I don't return any to the fermenter. I just drink it.

 

[SarahMatt]

2. Do you guys sterilize everything when taking gravity measurements and return the sampled wort to the fermentor, or do you just throw the wort sample out?

+1 Drink it!!

 

[onipar]

I wouldn't worry about the gravity difference, it's fairly small.

I always sanitize everything no matter what. Personally, after I check the gravity of the wort (prior to pitching the yeast), I just pour it back in. My thinking is that I just topped off with tap water anyway, and the yeast are about to be pitched (which, if they are healthy, should take over the wort before anything else has a chance to).

Every other sample after that I *always* drink. If you want to play it safe, don't ever pour a sample back into the fermenter, even the first wort sample.