Inconsistent Original Gravities

[lowend]

I'm very confused by some original gravities that I have been getting. Basically, I have 3 batches (different recipes) that I am referring to, but the only fermentable sugars that I have added are wheat LME and honey.

1st: 8 lbs. LME. OG=1.044

2nd: 8 lbs. LME. & 2.5 lbs. honey. OG=1.048

3rd: 8 lbs. LME. & 5 lbs. honey (same one). OG=1.076

Mathematically, this does not make any sense to me. Can anyone help me understand what is going on?

 

[JuanKenobi]

Are you using a partial boil? The culprit in these cases tends to be poor mixing wort and water.

 

[lowend]

Are you using a partial boil? The culprit in these cases tends to be poor mixing wort and water.

I am using partial boils. I typically end up with about 2.5 gallons of boiled wort and add whatever is needed to make the 5 gallons. So are you saying that maybe the wort's gravity was actually higher but that it read low because when I added the water it didn't mix completely (resulting in a more watery wort sitting on top)?

 

[TheTower]

It can go either way with partial boils. Fully mixing wort and water is diffucult, best left to the yeast. Sometime you happen to sample watery wort, sometimes you happen to sample concentrated wort.

 

[Edcculus]

Maybe its too early in the morning, but it looks fine to me.

As your fermentables go up, your gravity gets higher.

According to what I plugged into BeerCalculus quickly, your OG should have been higher on all of them. You probably just didn't mix thoroughly. Especially if you are topping off.

 

[IrregularPulse]

looks normal to see the OG going up with the honey addition and again going up with more honey. Honey is basically sugar. Very fermentable sugar.
As far as the amounts they're going up it most likely do to poor mixing before taking a sample. Very common when using top off water. it'll all mix during fermentation, RDWHAHB