Gravity question

[jkeaton1]

Hey folks, just brewed my first batch today. I think it went well, but we're only 5 hours into fermentation so we'll see.

Here's my question. The starting gravity I took of my wort read 1.014. The recipe (Oatmeal Stout) says SG should be 1.042-1.046. Honestly, I didn't even notice this low of a reading until just now reviewing my pictures and notes. What will this low reading do, if anything, to my batch? What should I expect?

Thanks for listening. This place seems pretty cool. I look forward to poking around and learning from all yall.

 

[b-boy]

Well - your gravity seems very low.

Was this an extract kit? If so. I'm guessing you got a bad SG reading. Assuming you followed all the rules for the kit, your OG should be pretty close.

If this was an all-grain kit, you have other issues.

Which was it?

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I'm going to assume this was an extract batch? if so chances are that your top off water wasn't mixed properly with your wort when you took the sample. in the long run, it won't make a bit of difference. it will still ferment out and you will still have beer. either that or you misread your hydrometer. my brother used to take samples before top off water. some specifics on your recipe and volumes would help enormously.

 

[jkeaton1]

It was an extract kit. This exact one. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/oatmeal-stout.html

I took a picture of the hydrometer so I know I read it correctly. It also occured to me that the top off water wasn't mixed well but i transfered the wort between the first fermenting bucket and kettle about 3 times, on top of stirring it A LOT.

Hope this info helps. Thanks for the fast response!

 

[aprichman]

If you used the proper amount of extract and water there is no way you can screw up your OG.

 

[brick_haus]

How hot was the wort when you got your reading?
An accurate reading requires that either the wort be 60*F or a correction factor added to the equation.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Think of mixing oil with water (or beter yet) mixing honey with water. Oil floats to the top, honey sinks to the bottom. Same goes for your wort. Even if you mixes the everloving piss out of it, your wort and top of water probably didn't mix properly.
Nice thing about extract brewing, you're basically adding a definite amount of sugar with your extract. +/- a point or two for extraction of sugar from steeping grains, your gravity should have been what it said it would have been, becuase there's a finite amount of sugar in the extract. and unless you either had more water or less extract that will not change. So, if you added everything you were suppposed to, and had the final volume you were supposed to, just assume that your gravity was what it the repcice/kit said it was supposed to.

 

[jkeaton1]

Thanks everyone. My wort was around 70 degrees, but I should have taken reading before adding water. You've all eased my worries. I'll let u know how it turns out.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Was it a Sharps or O'douls kit? If so that gravity seems about right.

 

[Qhrumphf]

With extract brewing there's honestly no point in taking an OG reading. If uyou add what you're supposed to at the volume your'e supposed to, the gravity will be right (or at least close enough).

If yoiu're brewing all-grain, then gravity expressed as gravity points (1.046 is written at 46) x current volume = gravity expressed as gravity points at final volume x final volume. Works both for pre-boil and top-off readings, whether or not you're boiling from 6.5 gallons down to 5 gallons, or boiling from ~3 gallons down to 2 gallons but topped back up to 5 gallons. It'll either tell you where to boil to to hit your gravity, or tell you where to top off to to hit your gravity.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Thanks everyone. My wort was around 70 degrees, but I should have taken reading before adding water. You've all eased my worries. I'll let u know how it turns out.

don't do that. you'll end up with the same problem only opposite end of the spectrum. switching to full boils will eliminate the top off problem as long as you don't over boil and have to top off drastically. that and you'll get better hop utilization.:rockin:

 

[Qhrumphf]

don't do that. you'll end up with the same problem only opposite end of the spectrum. switching to full boils will eliminate the top off problem as long as you don't over boil and have to top off drastically. that and you'll get better hop utilization.:rockin:

If you have an accurate way to measure volume, you can take a gravity reading before topping off and then convert using the math in my prior post. I used to do that all the time when i did partial boil all grain.

But accurate measure of volume is key. Bad volume measurement equals bad calculation.

And with extract there's not a point. If you add what you're supposed to it'll be right.

 

[jkeaton1]

Hey everyone. Me again. So I popped open my primary fermenter yesterday bc after 24 hours of consistent bubbling it came to dead stop. Took a gravity reading of 1.021. Gonna take another reading today and tomorrow. If consistent I'm transferring to carboy. Any of that sound like a bad idea?