Hydrometer Reading??

[Nathan0062]

Is my hydrometer reading correct?
2 gallons ESB

7 lbs. light malt extract
1/2 lbs. crystal 40 for :2l
1/2 lbs. biscuit/amber malt for :20
1oz. Cascade for :60
1oz. Centennial for :10
Windsor British style yeast

Hydrometer readings: 15%

 

[iaefebs]

You could possibly be seeing 1.150? Not sure what 15% would be. Maybe someone with a hydrometer will speak up. Now that I think of it you might be reading the wrong scale on your hydrometer. If I remember right there was a scale that measured potential alcohol.

 

[wailingguitar]

I think you are looking at the wrong place on the hydrometer. That is probably the Potential Alcohol Scale. The idea is you subtract the % at the end from the % at the beginning and get a rough idea of alcohol content.

15% lines up with about SG1.058

You sure you meant you have a batch size of 2 gallons? You would be in that neighborhood with a 5 gallon batch I would think

 

[Nathan0062]

Yes it was the potential level. Thanks I'll subtract %_% at the end of fermentation. Yes I meant 2 gallons, my 5 gallon is in use with a stout

 

[iaefebs]

That's a huge beer. Good luck. my best guess is you will end up between 1.060 - 1.050 if all goes well.

 

[kh54s10]

That's a huge beer. Good luck.

????

1.058 a huge beer??

Your brew sounds good to me. Look at the scale to find out what the original gravity was. Now wait 3-4 weeks and take gravity readings over three days. When these are stable you have your final gravity and can bottle the beer. You can then run these numbers through an online ABV calculator to find out what the alcohol content of your beer is.

Then, disregard the alcohol content and focus on the taste of the beer. If it is not what you were looking for make some adjustments in your recipe or brewing procedure to get closer to what you want on the next try.

 

[iaefebs]

????

1.058 a huge beer??

Your brew sounds good to me. Look at the scale to find out what the original gravity was. Now wait 3-4 weeks and take gravity readings over three days. When these are stable you have your final gravity and can bottle the beer. You can then run these numbers through an online ABV calculator to find out what the alcohol content of your beer is.

Then, disregard the alcohol content and focus on the taste of the beer. If it is not what you were looking for make some adjustments in your recipe or brewing procedure to get closer to what you want on the next try.

When I run the numbers I come up with a 1.138 SG Not being sure what scale the OP was using I could see him at 1.150. Look at the recipe 7lb of DME? or LME in a 2 gallon batch