OG 1.045 on amber ale too low?

[Trails_n_Ales]

Just finished up brewing an amber ale and the OG reading is 1.045. Just pitched the yeast and I'm using White labs yeast WLP001 California ale. Is the OG too low? Should I do an addition to get a higher abv?

 

[d3track]

What did you think the OG would be?

 

[Trails_n_Ales]

What did you think the OG would be?

I entered the recipe data on brewers friend and estimated OG was 1.059. I'm just worried about getting a low abv beer.

 

[d3track]

All grain? Extract? Hit your volumes?

 

[slym2none]

An amber ale at ~5%? Sounds within acceptable parameters...

I guess only you can tell us if it too low.

 

[Trails_n_Ales]

All grain and i did hit my volumes...may have not converted enough sugars...I did mill my grains and did a 60min mash using a grainfather.

 

[Qhrumphf]

First, nothing wrong with low ABV beers. Most of my beers start below 1.045. Many of them start below 1.035.

Second, assuming this was an extract batch, to be off by 14 points you either needed to forget a significant portion of your fermentables, or be significantly over your volume. We're talking a pound and a half (or more) of missing extract, or an extra gallon and a half. Neither of those are particularly likely without you knowing it. Odds are you just didn't mix your top off water right, and the error isn't the gravity of your wort, but your reading being innacurate. Just assume you hit 1.059 and call it a day.

If this was an all-grain batch, then we'd have to go pretty deep into your process and equipment because there's an efficiency issue somewhere (or maybe you just assumed that your efficiency was way way too high building the recipe).

In any event, 1.045 is low for an Amber but I'd let it ride as is.

 

[Trails_n_Ales]

I brew using a grainfather and had good results. Only thing that changed in the process is that I just got a grain mill and used it for the first time.

 

[estricklin]

All grain and i did hit my volumes...may have not converted enough sugars...I did mill my grains and did a 60min mash using a grainfather.

The hydrometer doesn't differentiate between starches and sugars, it's only "looking" at what you extracted from the grain. You may need to work on your sparging process though it sounds like, or there could be many other contributing factors.

Anyway 1.045 is fine, your beer is going to be great, don't worry.

Like your SN by the way, I picked something easily rememberable and quite stupid, since I thought I was only going to make 1 or 2 posts on this forum.

 

[Trails_n_Ales]

Sounds good. I think I'll let it ride and dig into why I didnt hit expected OG

Thanks

 

[Qhrumphf]

What mill? Did you set the gap or use the factory setting? I can't speak for every mill out there but the Barley Crusher comes with a very wide mill gap. Get some feeler gauges from an auto supply store and tighten your mill up. I get great results at 0.032". Many go even tighter than that.

 

[Trails_n_Ales]

I got the cereal killer mill and milled at factory settings. I'll have to check the gap to make sure it's at the proper setting.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I got the cereal killer mill and milled at factory settings. I'll have to check the gap to make sure it's at the proper setting.

Coarse crush = low efficiency. Best advice, tighten the mill up until you start getting a stuck grainbed, and then back off.