Gravity and taste?

[GABrewboy]

I am curious about something and I thought there were some posts about this, but can't seem to find them.

I am curious if I miss my OG, SG & FG by say a couple to a few points, what exactly does this do to my beer? Taste isn't as good, alch level isn't going to be as high.....what does this do to the beer exactly? My last 3 batches I have come within a couple of points to my FG and the beers were very tasty, but I am a perfectionist and would like to be dead on with my gravity readings......

 

[david_42]

A point or three one way or the other won't make any noticable difference. I've only made two batches in six years that hit both the OG & FG exactly.

A low OG means poor efficiency and a low sugar content. A high OG generally means a bad protein extraction (hot/cold break).

A high FG can be protein, starch, unfermentable sugars or a stuck ferment.
A low FG, low body.

Of all of these, a high FG is most likely to contribute to flavor changes.

 

[cweston]

I'd say missing OG by a few points is pretty meaningless.

If you miss OG by more than a few points, you're throwing off the bitterness to gravity ratio, which is really the defining statistic for beer styles IMHO.

If you miss FG, it means your beer will be a little drier with a thinner mouthfeel, or a little sweeter with a heavier mouthfeel. I think a couple points *is* noticable in this case. I brewed an IPA a couple months ago that was almopst a perfect beer, except that the FG was a few points low, and it did in fact seem a little lacking in mouthfeel.

So I guess what I'm sying is that a couple points deviation in FG matters, while a couple points in OG probably doesn't matter much.

 

[Mudd]

IMHO; gravity points are a guide.
For example-

American Barleywine
BJCP 1999

OG.... 1.080 - 1.125
FG..... 1.020 - 1.035

Try buying the same beer 4 months apart. Trying to get different batches.
Pour a hydro sample of each - degas and warm to room temp.

Taste each bottle (recappedd during hydro prep.) Record any differences - there can/should be slight differences.
Compare to FG in hydro!!

You may be in for a surprise, I was!!

 

[GABrewboy]

Thanks everyone!! I think I understand now.