Forgot to measure OG!

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PBBREW95

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Hi guys,

I have a lovely batch of Irish Red Ale fermenting away here beside me since last night. However, I forgot to take a gravity reading with my hydrometer after being caught up in the excitement of the brew!

Any tips on how to go about figuring this out? Would it be too late to take a reading now, brew started about 20 hours ago, or should I go for it?

Any other alternatives for calculating it would be great too.

Cheers guy
 
Extract brew! I assumed that would be the case, any suggestions for which software to use? Thanks btw mate
 
Would it be too late to take a reading now, brew started about 20 hours ago, or should I go for it?

It's probably too late.

Any other alternatives for calculating it would be great too.

What did the recipe say the OG should be? Since is an extract batch, your OG should gave been pretty close to it, if you followed directions (assuming it was a kit).
 
It doesn't say unfortunately, used a pre-hopped malt extract, and added another 1.2kg of liquid malt extract to it.
 
Extract batches can be calculated to find the OG with reasonable accuracy. All extract has the same sugar content.

If you really want to find out, get a refractometer, and when you reach the final gravity, take both a refractometer reading and an hydrometer reading, and from those two readings you can calculate the OG. This is useful if you make additions or split batches and add fruit,=.
 
There funny thing about yeast is they don't really give a damn about your original gravity. They're going to do their job and leave you with some tasty beer. I wouldn't stress over it. Just make a note on your recipe sheet next batch so you don't forget again. I like to get the reading but still forget every now and then.

A good tip that took me a while to figure out is to take the original gravity reading right in the fermenter. Sanitize your hydrometer and drop it right into the cooled wort. Then record the number and pitch your yeast. (This only works with open top fermenters. Don't try it in a glass jug or carboy). 😋
 
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