Low OG

[sully20331]

So last friday(4days ago) I brewed a summer pils. Hoped to get an OG around 1.048 but got it at 1.032. Super low for that kind of beer. I initially considered it human error in that I did not mix it well enough before taking a sample. Well, took another one today(just started fermenting) and STILL at the same gravity. I must have done something wrong but I don't know what. It was an extract kit 7 lbs LME, 19 oz total grains steeped at a perfect temperature, and hops additions on the nose. Even if the beer does finish off at the standard 1.010 it will only be like 3% ABV. Is it even worth making this 'watered down' brew or should I cut and run????

 

[AmandaK]

1) What temperature did you take your original reading at? Higher temperatures lower the gravity reading.

2) 7lb DME should be 1.052 in 5 gallons. To get to 1.032, you would need 4.3 lb of 37ppg LME in 5 gallons. Something is fishy here.

3) Have you calibrated your hydrometer?

4) Regarding your attenuation concerns, are you lagering? What did you pitch? How much? Have you calibrated your hydrometer yet?

In the end, I suspect that your initial reading was taken at a high (read: >60*) temperature and is causing the reading to be low.

 

[homebrewdad]

One other thing to take into consideration - just because you took a reading today after fermenting and got the same reading does NOT mean the OG was low.

1. How long has fermentation actually being going on? Some fermentations can be VERY fast, even if they don't look vigorous - OG may have already moved down due to alcohol production. After 4 days, this seems very likely.

2. Heavy sugars and such will settle in the fermenter. So you mixed them super well? Big deal. They have been sitting for 4 days now; solution probably does not evenly contain all of the sugars still.


Relax. If you hit your voume and used the correct amount of extract, you hit your OG (or close enough). There's no way that you missed it by a whopping .016. Just use the recipe value and go on your happy little way. You are going to have beer, and it's going to be fine... maybe even quite good.