Missed my starting gravity, any suggestions?

[Brewbruh]

This is exactly what I'm working with

 

[bracconiere]

Lol I had to look up Squarespace lol!

to me it seems like everyone and their mother talks about them on youtube....premium account or not.....


now i'm just clutching at straws, i had a batch that my IC was leaking and pot got filled back up with water. what did you use as a test cyclinder for the hydro. and, honestly....i just want to know how adding sugar to water doesn't have a constant gravity. so will be watching this....

 

[bracconiere]

This is exactly what I'm working with

that pic isn't displaying for me? edit: oh wait PDF, doh....

 

[Brewbruh]

to me it seems like everyone and their mother talks about them on youtube....premium account or not.....


now i'm just clutching at straws, i had a batch that my IC was leaking and pot got filled back up with water. what did you use as a test cyclinder for the hydro. and, honestly....i just want to know how adding sugar to water doesn't have a constant gravity. so will be watching this....

A plastic test jar that came with it. I'm not sure how to predict my own gravity. The sugars listed above (or in the pdf I just attached) what do you get? I'm quoting the pdf on what the target was. Weather or not the sugars and water volume I have described comes up to that in the mind of the more brew savvy I don't know.......

 

[Brewbruh]

that pic isn't displaying for me? edit: oh wait PDF, doh....

It's the brew sheet that's in the kit in pdf form from BB website

 

[bracconiere]

now looking at the last addition of late sugar....maybe the boiling wasn't enough to get it mixed in? if you had a cheap refractomoter you can reverse calculate the OG if that was it....

 

[bracconiere]

 

[Brewbruh]

now looking at the last addition of late sugar....maybe the boiling wasn't enough to get it mixed in? if you had a cheap refractomoter you can reverse calculate the OG if that was it....

The late additions boiled 10 minutes I think try to keep from over darkening I suppose. I do have a refractometer of the cheap Amazon variety. How would one do this reverse calculation?

 

[bracconiere]

with a calc, what are the brix of the finished beer, i can punch it into beersmith for you....

 

[Brewbruh]

View attachment 753941

Cool! So if I understand reading your software I was only a couple points shy of hitting OG correct? So I guess my question now would be is it unusual for kit claims to be that far from what you software comes up with?

 

[bracconiere]

Cool! So if I understand reading your software I was only a couple points shy of hitting OG correct? So I guess my question now would be is it unusual for kit claims to be that far from what you software comes up with?

well your kit box said, ~1.071-1.075.....which is a 4 point difference? and 1.062-1.065 is only 3...so nominal?

 

[Brewbruh]

with a calc, what are the brix of the finished beer, i can punch it into beersmith for you....

Thanks for being so helpful man but I'm not with the beer currently. I set it to cold crash before I left so I may not mess with another sample. I'm not planning on making any corrections. Just learning all I can. Looked like beer Smith was closer to what I got than the kit claims anyway

 

[bracconiere]

and if you notice, that prediction is for your 5.5 gallons.....

 

[bracconiere]

here it is the way the kit expected....

 

[bracconiere]

so i think in finality of this thread, you didn't...nor did i...really realize how a half gallon can make that big a difference!

 

[Brewbruh]

and if you notice, that prediction is for your 5.5 gallons.....

I see what your saying. Would a half gallon get you in line with claims of the kit?

 

[bracconiere]

I see what your saying. Would a half gallon get you in line with claims of the kit?

see redone post above.....

 

[bracconiere]

but before you pitch your hops for the 30 minutes, you'd need to wait longer, or start with 5.5 instead of 6 gallons.....most boils are 1 hour normaly...


edit: i've heard people say a longer boil helps reduce diacetyl, or something like that.....the kit directions might have omited that...

edit #2: i see it is a 60 minute boil, but the steps make it sound confusing.....

 

[Brewbruh]

This is why I'm here! Learning! The more you know! Lol. Thanks everyone, especially bracconiere

 

[bracconiere]

especially bracconiere

thanks! soon enough you'll just be coming here to goof off with us other homebrewers! glad we managed to get an explanation! even though @IslandLizard kinda had it nailed with "10%"...just when you think 1/2 vs 5...it doesn't seem that big!)

 

[ike8228]

When I used to do Extract kits I only ever had 5.5 in the boil. I would have the other half off to the side in case I over boiled and went below 5. But I did before chilling. I knew because of the following. Here is a tip if you do not have a sight glass on the kettle. Have a rod or even use your stirring paddle/spoon and mark/make notches on it for the water level per gallon and for half gallon. Stand the spoon on its tip in the kettle and add a gallon and mark, so on and so forth. That way you can use it as a measuring stick as you boil. When you get into All grain you’ll see where this comes in extra helpful. Boiling off 2 or 3 or even 4 gallons of sparge water takes time and measuring often.

 

[RM-MN]

but before you pitch your hops for the 30 minutes, you'd need to wait longer, or start with 5.5 instead of 6 gallons.....most boils are 1 hour normaly...


edit: i've heard people say a longer boil helps reduce diacetyl, or something like that.....the kit directions might have omited that...

edit #2: i see it is a 60 minute boil, but the steps make it sound confusing.....

I had read that the longer boil is to boil off the DMS but further reading said that it would continue to be formed from the SMM in the wort as it cooled. I wondered why I wasn't noticing it in my beer when I only boil for 30 minutes but then I saw that it was scrubbed during fermentation. Hmm...have we been getting only part of the answer all along?

 

[bwible]

When I used to do Extract kits I only ever had 5.5 in the boil. I would have the other half off to the side in case I over boiled and went below 5. But I did before chilling. I knew because of the following. Here is a tip if you do not have a sight glass on the kettle. Have a rod or even use your stirring paddle/spoon and mark/make notches on it for the water level per gallon and for half gallon. Stand the spoon on its tip in the kettle and add a gallon and mark, so on and so forth. That way you can use it as a measuring stick as you boil. When you get into All grain you’ll see where this comes in extra helpful. Boiling off 2 or 3 or even 4 gallons of sparge water takes time and measuring often.

Or get yourself one of the nice brew kettles that has the volume markings etched on the inside.

 

[bracconiere]

When I used to do Extract kits I only ever had 5.5 in the boil. I would have the other half off to the side in case I over boiled and went below 5. But I did before chilling. I knew because of the following. Here is a tip if you do not have a sight glass on the kettle. Have a rod or even use your stirring paddle/spoon and mark/make notches on it for the water level per gallon and for half gallon. Stand the spoon on its tip in the kettle and add a gallon and mark, so on and so forth. That way you can use it as a measuring stick as you boil. When you get into All grain you’ll see where this comes in extra helpful. Boiling off 2 or 3 or even 4 gallons of sparge water takes time and measuring often.

i got a tip from someone here, to use a low voltage A/C power adapter....and a q-tip to etch the kettle....


wait it was YOUR thread!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/volume-marking-kettle.680635/

 

[dwightr8]

View attachment 753941

Don't know what program you are using here but I noticed you have "All Grain" selected and a BH Efficiency of 81%. Not being familiar with extract brewing or your program, I'm not sure how extract would be handled in this program and if it would make a difference.

 

[bracconiere]

Don't know what program you are using here but I noticed you have "All Grain" selected and a BH Efficiency of 81%. Not being familiar with extract brewing or your program, I'm not sure how extract would be handled in this program and if it would make a difference.

BeerSmith 2...and no it wouldn't make a diference. the only thing with sugars would the est preboil gravity. because i didn't check the box that says add after boil....

 

[ike8228]

I asked about and someone else posted that but I never actually did it. I may have quoted someone too, but never got around to it.

 

[Brewbruh]

Just wanted to let everyone know my belgian golden came out awesome! I don't think I would want it any stronger. Good clarity, color, flavor, and the hops came through well. Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[Brewbruh]

I'm hooked on this hobby!

 

[jambop]

I ended up with about 5.5 gallons in the fermenter. I'll boil 5 gallons next time and top off if needed

Well there is your problem? You had a boil over and you have 10% more in the fermenter than you should have!