My extract OG reading is off

[Houdini]

Ok, just finished making my 4th batch of beer and I was hoping I would be able to get a proper OG reading, but it was off yet again (1.054 instead of 1.064). So I searched the forums and saw that when topping off with water if you don't mix the wort and fresh water thoroughly (which I didn't think to do) then it could result in an off OG reading. It was mentioned that it's very hard to actually miss an OG reading with extract kits.

But then I got to thinking about how much wort I actually put in my fermentation bucket. I have a funnel with a strainer that came with my beer kit, and I use it for straining out the hops/mush that is left at the bottom of the kettle. In previous batches I ended up leaving what I believe is too much beer in the kettle because pouring into the funnel would instantly clog the strainer when I was down to the last inch or two of wort in the kettle.

This last time I took an extra long time with a spoon scraping at the mush in the funnel to get extra wort funneled into my bucket, and probably had a half inch or so left in the kettle before giving up and tossing the rest.

So my question is, how much wort SHOULD be left over? Should I just add all the wort from the kettle and not bother straining at all? If I should strain, how can I make it easier than it currently is? I currently have to remove the strainer and clean about a dozen times or so when transferring wort to my fermentation bucket and I still get get all of the wort...

- Houdini

 

[krazydave]

I've strained beer in the same manner and found the exact problem you did. Those funnels clog up like mad.

Truth is though, you actually want some of that cold break goo in your fermenter.
I've read that it can affect it adversely to remove all of it, but it is beneficial to remove "some" of it.

So what do I do? I just keep draining my kettle until 90% of what I'm sucking up is goop, then I'll stop. I probably leave a 10th of a gallon in my BK.

I've even experimented with this by making a 10gal batch, whirpooling it and putting all of the cleaner wort into one carboy, and the bottom of the kettle with most of the cold break into another. Used the same yeasts and fermented the exact way.
Guess what? Both beers tasted the same...

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Worst case, your beer will taste slightly watered down, but will still likely be quite tasty. If you don't think you mixed it well enough, that could definitely be the reason for the low OG reading.

 

[frozt]

It may also be worth nothing that a lot of people (myself included) don't bother filtering trub at all and still come out with tasty beer.

 

[TopherM]

You are likely adding too much top-off water. Your goal should be to add just enough water to hit your expected original gravity, NOT to hit a particular target total wort volume.

Remember that gravity is basically a reading of density. It measures the relative density of any given solution compared to the density of water. The sugars in your extract kit's liquid or dry malt extract increase the density of the solution. The amount of sugars in the extract is a set variable IF you get 100% of it out of the container, which almost no one does, which = a loss of a few gravity points.

SO, after you cool down your wort, take an initial gravity reading. Let's say that reading comes up as 1.074, and your target is 1.064. Instead of adding enough water to reach 5.0 gallons or whatever, just add enough water to get the gravity to 1.064, stirring like a madman to make sure the density is consistent throughout the solution (and oxidizing the solution for yeast health). You may end up with 4.8 or 4.6 gallons or something like that, but that's OK, the gravity measurement is more important than the volume. Like you've seen, if you top off to 5.0 gallons, and the gravity reading is 1.054, you've added to much water and "watered down" your wort to where it is not going to be exactly what the recipe intended.

Top off to your target gravity, NOT your target volume!!

 

[rifraf]

Top off to your target gravity, NOT your target volume!!

That makes so much sense, unsure why I haven't been doing that. Thanks!

 

[frazier]

The important thing is to Leave No Sugar Behind when you transfer from the BK to the bucket or carboy. The yeast know just what to do with the sugars - they also know just what to do with the trub and sludge, which is to leave it alone. Later, when you bottle or keg, all that stuff will just be a layer at the bottom, which you can leave behind with careful siphoning.

So, dump it all in! No worries!

 

[emdiar]

You are likely adding too much top-off water. Your goal should be to add just enough water to hit your expected original gravity, NOT to hit a particular target total wort volume.

(snip)

Top off to your target gravity, NOT your target volume!!

This should be in a sticky somewhere!

 

[Houdini]

You are likely adding too much top-off water. Your goal should be to add just enough water to hit your expected original gravity, NOT to hit a particular target total wort volume.

Man, that makes so much sense. I don't know why these extract kits don't say this!

Ok, from the responses I think I'm going to worry less about hops residue making it into the bucket and worry more about getting all the wort in. Then I'll make sure to add enough water to hit the expected OG instead of 5 gallons.

Thanks for the responses everyone!

- Houdini

 

[unionrdr]

I went back to using muslin sacks for raw & pellet hops to keep the gunk down to a minimum. I don't get a lot of floury fine gunk in mine,maybe .5tsp tops. But I have a BB ale pale & a cooper's micro brew FV,so wide openings on them to work with. I use a fine mesh strainer 10-11" from Midwest. I get hardly anything dusty from the malts in the strainer. Some cold break if I get it chilled down fast.