Have just started to brew a coopers English bitter kit I mixed 500g of beer sugar and 500g of dry malt extract my hydrometer reading before I added yeast was 1.04 does that sound about right? Also I Havnt got airlock on the Fermentor so I left lid slightly loose is that ok? And how long before I will notice the yeast working? Thanks
Is my hydrometer reading ok?
- Thread starter izuel01
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
BryceL
Well-Known Member
We need to know what size your batch is to know if the 1.040 reading is correct. If you are wondering if your hydrometer is working correctly, just test it on water. It should read 1.000
TorribleBrew
Well-Known Member
Yes, a lot of people brew with an open fermentor. However, it is riskier, in that you have a higher chance to pick up wild yest (which some people want). In your case you should be okay. After the first 5 days you might want to go ahead and lock it down. Also, for future brews I would go ahead and get a lid that has a hole for an airlock or drill your own and line it with a rubber gasket.
As for time for fermentation to start, it is different for every beer with many different variables. Check out the sticky and you will read a lot of great info.
I hope it turns out well!
jump_xiii
Well-Known Member
izuel01 said:
In my limited experience 1.040 sounds right enough for original gravity.
GinSlinger
Well-Known Member
Beercalculus at Hopville puts the OP OG at 1.039. Sounds like your "limited experience" has treated you well.
jump_xiii
Well-Known Member
GinSlinger said:
My limited experience is 3 very similar pre hopped extract canned kits + sugar
Cheers!
Beersmith puts the OG at 1.046
Promash puts the OG at 1.047
One problem with Beer calculus is that people can add ingredients, and define the characteristics of those ingredients. If they do this right, it wouldn't be a problem. If they do it wrong, it can be a big problem.
For the fermentables Beer calculus lists the yield of LME as 34 PPG. Beersmith lists it at 36 PPG, and Promash lists it at 37 PPG
They all list sugar with a yield of 46 ppg, which is correct for sucrose, but I believe the yield for dextrose should be 44 ppg.
With the DME addition I found in Beer calculus, they listed the yield of DME as 34 ppg. This is definitely wrong. Beersmith lists the yield for DME as 44 ppg, and Promash 46 ppg.
With the values I got from Beer calculus, it gave an estimated OG of 1.043 (because of the low yields for the LME and DME).
I suspect that the OP got a low apparent OG either because the wort was not adequately mixed after topping off, or he had more than 5g, or he took the gravity at a very high temperature. If his weights and volumes were correct and he didn't leave a bunch of wort in the kettle, then his true OG would be about 1.046 - 1.047.
-a.
GinSlinger
Well-Known Member
This is all interesting, and quite strange to boot. I'm seeing DME at 45 PPG (Dark Dry Malt Extract) in Beercalculus. I used BC because the Coopers kit was pre-hopped, so the PPG is going to be slightly lower than straight LME (due to hop particles and what not, at least that's been my limited experience with pre-hopped extract).
But, since we're talking about a difference of, at most, .008, and OP only listed two significant figures, I'd say it's all the same ballpark.
But, since we're talking about a difference of, at most, .008, and OP only listed two significant figures, I'd say it's all the same ballpark.
% LB OZ Malt or Fermentable ppg °L
62% 3 11 Coopers Light LME 34 3
19% 1 2 Briess DME Gold 34 5
19% 1 2 Corn Sugar (Dextrose) 46 0
5 15 Batch size: 5.0 gallons edit
Original Gravity 1.043 / 10.7° Plato (1.038 to 1.045)
Final Gravity 1.011 / 2.8° Plato (1.009 to 1.011)
Color 3° SRM / 7° EBC (Yellow) Late Boil Additions Show | Hide
The above is what I got from Beer calculus.I think you will agree that the Briess DME Gold ppg is wrong, and if it is changed to 44 ppg, the gravity would increase to 1.045.
-a.
62% 3 11 Coopers Light LME 34 3
19% 1 2 Briess DME Gold 34 5
19% 1 2 Corn Sugar (Dextrose) 46 0
5 15 Batch size: 5.0 gallons edit
Original Gravity 1.043 / 10.7° Plato (1.038 to 1.045)
Final Gravity 1.011 / 2.8° Plato (1.009 to 1.011)
Color 3° SRM / 7° EBC (Yellow) Late Boil Additions Show | Hide
The above is what I got from Beer calculus.I think you will agree that the Briess DME Gold ppg is wrong, and if it is changed to 44 ppg, the gravity would increase to 1.045.
-a.
GinSlinger
Well-Known Member
Interesting.
Here's what I used:
malt & fermentables
% LB OZ Malt or Fermentable ppg °L
63% 3 11.966 Coopers Dark Ale Kit 34 5
19% 1 1.637 Sugar, Table (Sucrose) 46 1
19% 1 1.637 Dark Dry Malt Extract 45 18
Batch size: 5.0 gallons
Original Gravity
1.039 / 9.8° Plato
(1.034 to 1.040)
Final Gravity
1.010 / 2.6° Plato
(1.008 to 1.010)
Color
6° SRM / 12° EBC
Thanks for pointing out all the variables in the various calculators. It also looks like you're rounding up, whereas I used metric values, then switched back to US to get PPG. And yes, I certainly agree that the Briess number is off.
Here's what I used:
malt & fermentables
% LB OZ Malt or Fermentable ppg °L
63% 3 11.966 Coopers Dark Ale Kit 34 5
19% 1 1.637 Sugar, Table (Sucrose) 46 1
19% 1 1.637 Dark Dry Malt Extract 45 18
Batch size: 5.0 gallons
Original Gravity
1.039 / 9.8° Plato
(1.034 to 1.040)
Final Gravity
1.010 / 2.6° Plato
(1.008 to 1.010)
Color
6° SRM / 12° EBC
Thanks for pointing out all the variables in the various calculators. It also looks like you're rounding up, whereas I used metric values, then switched back to US to get PPG. And yes, I certainly agree that the Briess number is off.
MotorcycleMatt
Well-Known Member
Let it do its thing, sounds like your hydro is fine
petey_c
Senior Member
izuel01, depending on the temp you tested your wort, the reading on your hydro could be a little off. But not to worry. Hydros are calibrated in distilled water at 60°F (about 15.5 °C since most of your weights have been metric). Most come with a correction factor chart to get you closer to the ballpark. Not having an airlock isn't a problem, except for those of us who like to see bubbles. The yeasts are passing gas and keep the fermentation bucket at a positive pressure (CO2 exiting and nothing coming back in), so I think you'll be okay. What are your time tables for primary and bottle conditioning?
izuel01 I have two of those Young's fermentation buckets.
Do not worry, they do not seal tight enough for the lid to blow off* it is difficult to get an airlock to work at all with them they leak that much.
Actually I think, if you leave it "cracked" open the first few days you risk the inital ferment lift off sraying foam out and down the side. My lid is generally covered in yeast scum afterwards, if the lid was open, there is every change the foam and brown yeast scum/slurry will escape.
(* Disclaimer: If it does managed to blow the lid off, it's not my fault!)
EDIT: Oh and my batch 3 was a Coopers (Real ale) kit + 500g of DME + 700g of sugar and I only got 1.045 OG... and a 1.008 FG.
"Your only suppose to blow the bloody doors off!"
Do not worry, they do not seal tight enough for the lid to blow off* it is difficult to get an airlock to work at all with them they leak that much.
Actually I think, if you leave it "cracked" open the first few days you risk the inital ferment lift off sraying foam out and down the side. My lid is generally covered in yeast scum afterwards, if the lid was open, there is every change the foam and brown yeast scum/slurry will escape.
(* Disclaimer: If it does managed to blow the lid off, it's not my fault!)
EDIT: Oh and my batch 3 was a Coopers (Real ale) kit + 500g of DME + 700g of sugar and I only got 1.045 OG... and a 1.008 FG.
"Your only suppose to blow the bloody doors off!"
Ah right so keep it closed? But can the air get out still? And mine is a coopers English bitter+600g of dme and 500g of brewing suger it's been 24 hours now and the lid and side of the bucket doesn't look any different how do I know if fermentation has started or is working? I don't want to lift th lid as it will allow air in
Ah yes I see you have a air lock though I don't plus how long untill I should see this sort of foam/scum because it's been 24 hours and all I see on the lid is like condensation my room I'm keeping it is approx 19-21 degrees celsius and can occasionally drop to 16-19 but not for that long?
It's too early to tell if it's going to work or not.
If you pitch yeast into it at a sensible temperature, it will happen.
I've only brewed 4 batches, but the longer I've had to wait on it "kicking off" was 36 hours. There is a sticky post on this section of the forum saying it can take 72 hours to start to 'happen'.
.... and the airlock is a "token", the bucket never gets enough pressure to use it properly. It has only the U bend filled to get it work, well under filled. My first 2 ferments were without airlock and no leakage, but plenty of foam and crud all over the inside of the lid.
If you pitch yeast into it at a sensible temperature, it will happen.
I've only brewed 4 batches, but the longer I've had to wait on it "kicking off" was 36 hours. There is a sticky post on this section of the forum saying it can take 72 hours to start to 'happen'.
.... and the airlock is a "token", the bucket never gets enough pressure to use it properly. It has only the U bend filled to get it work, well under filled. My first 2 ferments were without airlock and no leakage, but plenty of foam and crud all over the inside of the lid.
Well,
1. Hydrometer reading is also temperature a factor.
2. Based on pictures it looks good to me.
3. If you are not using an Airlock you can drill the lid run an air line tube into a water bubble, but if you seal the lid without an airlock it may blow up.
The white foamy thingy looks somewhat appetizingly sexy, that's what I would expect a 1040 OG to look like.
1. Hydrometer reading is also temperature a factor.
2. Based on pictures it looks good to me.
3. If you are not using an Airlock you can drill the lid run an air line tube into a water bubble, but if you seal the lid without an airlock it may blow up.
The white foamy thingy looks somewhat appetizingly sexy, that's what I would expect a 1040 OG to look like.
Monk
Well-Known Member
Brew looks like it's fermenting well.
As for the gravity, did you top up to 5 US gallons, or 5 UK gallons? 5 US gallons is 19 liters, while 5 UK gallons is 23 liters.
I'm curious cuz I just bought an English Bitter kit and I'm wondering how much to make.
As for the gravity, did you top up to 5 US gallons, or 5 UK gallons? 5 US gallons is 19 liters, while 5 UK gallons is 23 liters.
I'm curious cuz I just bought an English Bitter kit and I'm wondering how much to make.
