I don't know what to do..

[Go Gators]

I have a Belgium Wit in the primary bucket. It has been in there for a week today, and the gravity is 1.020 at 72 F. The target FG is supposed to be 1.012.

Some background: 3 gallon extract brew. I added some orange marmalade. It is a high gravity brew. I was WAY off on the OG. It was supposed to be 1.078 but a measured it at 1.062 (is this bad?).

I planned on racking to the caraboy today, but I don't know if the gravity is too far off. Please any input would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you.

 

[eriktlupus]

gently swirl the bucket to rouse some yeast back into solution, wait 24-48 hrs then transfer to clearing vessel(secondary).


also the marmalade probably changed your og and if you didn't get a good mix when you added your top off water it will foul up your reading

 

[avidhomebrewer]

I agree with what eriktlupus said. If needed, after the rousing of the yeast, pitch some more of the same strain. The difference in OG is pretty significant. Did you make sure to adjust for temperature differences when calculating (I think the hydrometer is calculated for about 65?). Don't aerate/oxegenate when transferring though; it will lead to oxidation.

 

[PseudoChef]

If it's extract and you missed your OG by that much, you probably didn't shake the top of water in well enough.

It's pretty hard to miss your OG when brewing by extract.

 

[Judd]

Also, sometimes warming it up helps a little. Not too much, or you get unwanted esters, but a little for a short time.

 

[Kai]

Yeast details please: strain, format, preparation.

 

[Go Gators]

If it's extract and you missed your OG by that much, you probably didn't shake the top of water in well enough.

It's pretty hard to miss your OG when brewing by extract.

I have read this a lot, so I wasn't overly concerned, however I did think that I mixed thoroughly. I did however let the temp for steaping get to about 170 degrees for a very short period. It was a larger portion of grains then I am used to. And when I was putting the grains into the sock, some got into the pot. I was able to fish out most of the grain particles, however not all of them.

No I did not calculate for the temp. difference.

It was a liquid yeast, Belgium white yeast (not sure the exact type) it was in a vile, I did not use a starter. The yeast was given to me frozen, but I let it sit for about 5 hours and then pitched.

Thank you guys for the help!

 

[TheH2]

If the yeast was frozen that could be a problem. I know there is a way to make a frozen yeast bank, however, straight from the package seems odd to me.

Even if the yeast was fine, someone else could answer that much better than me, I think most here would recommend letting a big beer sit a good 2 weeks in primary, even if it did hit the expected FG.

 

[Bobby_M]

You're not going to ferment out a 1.070 brew with wit yeast in one week. Tuck the fermenter away for another week and check it then. I wouldn't suggest pitching a vial without making a starter from now on.

 

[Go Gators]

Thank you guys! I knew I should have made a starter, I was set to do it when the LHBS said it wasn't necessary. Since I have never done one I just listened to him. He also said not to leave it in there more than ten days?

I am in NO hurry to get this beer through, I want it to taste as good as possible. If you think two weeks in primary, then that is what I am doing. Thanks again.

 

[Go Gators]

After trying the samples pulled for the hydrometer readings I believe that the taste is extremely similar to Sweet Water Bay Hummer. I added some orange marmalade and the recipe also called for Cardamon seed, but I didn't end up buying it so it did not get added.

Since the beer has a noticeable orange flavor, and that is not quite the taste I am looking for is there any way to add some spice to the beer to counter act the orange? I realize that I made a big rookie mistake by not getting the BEST ingredients, but can I do anything since it has already been in the primary for 8 days? Thank you.

 

[rocketman768]

After trying the samples pulled for the hydrometer readings I believe that the taste is extremely similar to Sweet Water Bay Hummer. I added some orange marmalade and the recipe also called for Cardamon seed, but I didn't end up buying it so it did not get added.

Since the beer has a noticeable orange flavor, and that is not quite the taste I am looking for is there any way to add some spice to the beer to counter act the orange? I realize that I made a big rookie mistake by not getting the BEST ingredients, but can I do anything since it has already been in the primary for 8 days? Thank you.

Add the cardamom in the secondary. If you can't buy cardamom, I would find something that tastes similar. If you don't know what it tastes like, it is really pungent and citrus-y...almost like if a lemon got mixed up with vicks vap-o-rub.

 

[Kai]

I've always found cardamom to be cola-ish and spicy, if that makes any sense.

Yes, you can add spices to the secondary fermenter. Use a very conservative amount, and put them in a small fine bag like a hop bag. I think this gives a more complete and complex spice flavour than spicing the boil for aromatic spices like coriander and cardamom. Things like ginger root really need to be boiled, on the other hand.

Note: tremendous inexperience!

You should be able to get cardamom of a high quality at a very reasonable price at any East Indian or Bengali grocer. If you absolutely can't find it, coriander would also be an appropriate spice in the recipe. IT's the one I'd describe as lemony and pungent. You'll need more coriander than you would cardamom, it's a pretty delicate flavour.

EDIT: I'd go for green cardamom unless black is specified. Black cardamom is smokier and sort of camphour-like, if that makes sense; green is fresher and subtler, and pungent. Black cardamom is the more cola-ish one, although both of them are redolent of it.

 

[DeathBrewer]

You're not going to ferment out a 1.070 brew with wit yeast in one week. Tuck the fermenter away for another week and check it then. I wouldn't suggest pitching a vial without making a starter from now on.

yes, and leave it there for 2-3 weeks. especially with a higher gravity, the 1-2-3 method DOES NOT APPLY.