Lost my OG reading

[Karin]

I think I accidentally threw out the paper where I wrote the OG reading for the beer I now have fermenting (my first). How big a problem is this? Does it just mean I won't know for sure what the final alcohol content is?

I read somewhere that I should take hydrometer readings three days in a row and bottle if there is no change over that three day period. Does that sound right?

It's been in the fermenter two and a half weeks now.

Thanks in advance,
Karin

 

[Mellow52]

Without OG you are screwed. Go by the recipe target OG or after bottling start with 15 beers, drink down till you fall over. The next day count how many is left and that is your %

The FG readings at the end is just to make sure fermenting is done by getting the same reading over a couple of days. If the beer tastes good and kicks you ass a bit who cares?

 

[tekkydave]

I do what mellow does and its been pretty accurate thus far.

 

[beergolf]

Not a big deal. The recipe should have a target OG that will get you close. If it was extract, then it will probably what the recipe says.

Just relax, let the brew sit for a few weeks, bottle and enjoy.

 

[Quadrupled]

Yep, if your beer was extract, the OG is whatever it says in the the directions. If you need, you can figure it out by multiplying the weight of the DME by 44, LME by 37 and specialty grains by 34 add these together and divide by the volume of your beer.

 

[Calder]

Yep, if your beer was extract, the OG is whatever it says in the the directions. If you need, you can figure it out by multiplying the weight of the DME by 44, LME by 37 and specialty grains by 34 add these together and divide by the volume of your beer.

DME is 45/46, LME is 36, and you will be lucky to get more than 18 from steeping speciality grains, and for the darker roasted grains you will get closer to 10.

Even mashing the grains and converting the remaining starches you need over 80% efficiency to get 30 points from a pound of grain.

 

[RM-MN]

Without OG you are screwed. Go by the recipe target OG or after bottling start with 15 beers, drink down till you fall over. The next day count how many is left and that is your %

I'm having a little trouble with the math of this. I don't think there is any way my beer has 13% alcohol. :cross:

 

[Quadrupled]

DME is 45/46, LME is 36, and you will be lucky to get more than 18 from steeping speciality grains, and for the darker roasted grains you will get closer to 10.

Even mashing the grains and converting the remaining starches you need over 80% efficiency to get 30 points from a pound of grain.

Whoops! Calder is right, the number for the specialty grains was my mistake - sorry for that. As for the DME/LME I believe this can easily be referred to as "splitting hairs".

(ex. 6lbs*46/5 gal = 55 ; 6lbs*44/5gal = 53)

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I'm having a little trouble with the math of this. I don't think there is any way my beer has 13% alcohol. :cross:

right!!!