OG Question

[CaptChet]

I just love this forum! Everyone is very dedicated and loves to help us noobs out. So here is my next question.

I just did my first batch 7 days ago. The partial grain kit was a Lager at Ale temp Oktoberfest. The est OG was 1.055. When I transfered to fermenter I took a SG reading and got 1.030. I am not sure how I missed the mark with an extract but I did. Its been 7 days @ around 61 F. I took a SG reading last night and got 1.020. Its slowing down a bit but still swirling and bubbling some. I know I still have some time in the primary and then a few weeks in a secondary + bottle conditioning. I tasted it last night with the SG sample and taste pretty darned good. Maybe a little estery but that will ease in lagering. I was just hoping for a slightly ^ABV.

So, my questions are:
1- Any ideas on how I missed the est OG with an extract?
2- When/if that happens again, what should I do to get OG where the recipe calls for it to be?

Thanks!
Chris

Merry Christmas

 

[BendBrewer]

Did you use any top off water?

 

[Dogphish]

happens all the time. your DID NOT miss you OG. extract settles to the bottom of your pot when it's cooling, and then when you take a reading from the top, it is VERY diluted.

if the recipe was correct, and you put in all the extract it called for, didn't leave any extract in the container, didn't boil over and lose any extract, and you didn't increase the batch size, then the you can assume the OG is what the recipe said it would be.

 

[northernlad]

If you add the amount of water called for in the recipe you cannot miss the gravity using extract. What happens most of the tmie is that the top off water does not get mixed thoroughly and gives a false reading. Don't sweat it, the yeast will mix it up for you.

 

[Diver165]

I've had a few extract kits miss thier predicted OG by a mile. I don't know if it is a question of not including enough malt extract or the quality of their extract. But I've followed the recipe to the letter and still missed it. But most kits hit in the neighborhood to be honest. And embarrassingly I didn't even take a hydrometer reading on my first two batches lol! I was just shickled titless that I was makin beer!

I always add a little corn sugar or DME extra and have had better success hitting targeted OGs on kits that I know the advertised OG is off. Malt extract may be heavy. But I would think it be mixed well after I boil and stirred for an hour. And it sure shouldn't separate in the 15-20min it takes to cool before going into the fermentor. But also top off in the last few min of the boil. The theory being to have a less chance in introducing any germs in my wort.

 

[CaptChet]

Thanks!

I did use top off water but that was what the recipe called for. So just add corn sugar to raise the SG? I know most that is food for the yeast but will there be any flavor change with the addition of the sugar?

 

[Diver165]

That's where you have to watch your recipe. You're right in thinking some sugars will change flavors. I should have been more clear. I don't ALWAYS add to every kit. But the few that miss by a mile I've added sugar or DME that I have done in the past and know the OG is off.

I'll edit that post to clarify. No just don't add DME or sugars to a kit w/o having previous knowledge of what kind of OG to expect.

 

[BendBrewer]

Thanks!

I did use top off water but that was what the recipe called for. So just add corn sugar to raise the SG? I know most that is food for the yeast but will there be any flavor change with the addition of the sugar?

No. Consensus is that you just got a bad reading and that everything will be just fine. Your top off water didn't mix well enough with the sweet wort and therefore you got a reading that was not accurate.

Assume you hit your number.

 

[Calder]

I agree with BB.

If you still have concerns that you have a weak beer, post your ingredients, and we will then tell you that no way could it have been 1.030 ..... (Or that 1.030 is what you should have expected).

4.2 lbs of LME, or 3.3 lbs of DME will give you a 1.030 wort gravity in 5 gallons. If you used more than this (extract, sugars, grains, etc), you will have had a OG greater than 1.030.

 

[SKMO]

Not to state the obvious, or maybe already mentioned, but did you check/calibrate your hydrometer? Taking readings at 60-70 temps?

They are simple tools but I have had a couple I gave the heave-ho as I never trusted them

 

[sgillespie]

I agree with everyone saying that you prob got a bad reading. Its unlikely that you were that off, especially if you were following a recipe.

Its difficult to fully mix that stuff without boiling. Next time take a reading at several depths to validate your results.

I'm guessing your beer will be just fine. Don't make impulse decisions, wait until the beer is done and make adjustments next time.

 

[Dogphish]

calibrating your hydrometer does not make much of an impact. at 75 degrees it may cause a 1.050 wort to read 1.047, but that's about it.

don't add the corn sugar now. do you know how and when to use bottling sugar?

 

[phatuna]

It's not easy to get your heavy wort mixed in with your top up water. Like the others have said, you're fine. Post your ingredients list if you are worried.

the yeast will find the heavier wort on the bottom and do the mixing for you. All you need to do is wait.

 

[CaptChet]

Thanks for all the input and help. TBH I am not worried a bit. The beer tasted great with the sample for my SG reading last night. I was just curious as to what to do next time it happens or what to do, if anything to prevent it. Again I am brand new and just trying to absorb and learn as much as possible. I figure the more I learn with these simple methods the better off I'll be when I move to all grain.

But since we have sparked a good flow of chat here, I'll post my kit list so you guys can put your knowledge to work.

This is a kit from my LHBS, they make them up in the store and box them up for resale. This was for an Oktoberfest fermed at Ale temps.
Name:Oktoberfest/Marzen
Type: Extract w/ specialty grain
Est OG: 1055
Est FG: 1014
Est ABV: 5.2%
IBU's: 21

1# - Pilsen Light DME
3.3# - Munich LME
3.3# - Pilsen LME

Specialty Grains
1# - Caramel/Crystal Malt 60L

Hops
1oz Pearle
.5oz Hallertauer

Yeast
Saflager-33

My OG - 1030 - adjusted for temp
SG reading at day 5 - 1020 @ 62 deg
My ABV calc at this point - 1.31%

So however you figure that stuff out from that list have at it!

Thanks
Chris

 

[BendBrewer]

If you want to know what to do next time, take a reading of your wort before topping it off. If you know your volume you can do some math to know what your OG is going to be once you do top off.

At that point one can add some DME and top off water to bring the gravity up if needed.

But with extract, measure things properly and you should hit your numbers every time. Once you get into extracting your own sugars from grains is when you really start worrying about hitting numbers. As far as efficiency, someone else has already taken care of most of that for you and all you have to do is be accurate in your measurements.

Assuming you are using reliable products.

 

[CaptChet]

ok so how does one figure out what est OG should be? Computer program I assume or is there a list of grain/extract SG's you can go from?

 

[BendBrewer]

Most people put them into programs but it is just simple math.

As you put fermentables into those recipes, you'll see a number for PPG. That is points per pound per gallon.

 

[JonK331]

ok so how does one figure out what est OG should be? Computer program I assume or is there a list of grain/extract SG's you can go from?

Just go by what the recipe says and then take a reading at the end to calculate your actual abv. BTW, you don't need to use a secondary either, just leave it in the primary for three weeks.

 

[CaptChet]

ok. But I want to start another batch and would rather use my 5 gal carboy for a secondary and the 6.5 gal for a primary on another batch.

 

[BendBrewer]

ok. But I want to start another batch and would rather use my 5 gal carboy for a secondary and the 6.5 gal for a primary on another batch.

Just do what you had planned. There are lots of opinions and most of them are correct. You are on the right track.

 

[mojotele]

ok so how does one figure out what est OG should be? Computer program I assume or is there a list of grain/extract SG's you can go from?

If you are anti-maths Beersmith has a really easy "dilution tool." You just input your gravity and current volume, and it can tell you what your gravity will be at 5 gallons or whatever you want to top off to.

I encourage all partial boil extract brewers to use this method. Otherwise, it is basically impossible to get an accurate OG.

FYI, it does not always equal what the recipe says. I'm not sure why, but it doesn't. Probably errors in measurements, lost extract by the brewer, etc.

 

[CaptChet]

After all of the input I am leaning towards an off SG reading. My thief is short (yeah I know - thats what she said) as the shop did not have the longer ones in stock and I can only get down about 3" in the 6 gal carboy. As you guys stated ^^^^^ the heavier wort was prob on the bottom. I did not think of that until it was mentioned.

Thanks for all the help, you guys are great!

 

[Dogphish]

here's the program. be sure to set your batch size and boil size if you want to calculate your IBU's and SG correctly. http://beercalculus.hopville.com/recipe

 

[starrfish]

I've had ok results when I used to do extracts (and have to top off) by pulling sample after oxygenation shake of primary. That seemed to mix everything pretty well. Pulled sample with starsaned turkey baster.

 

[sgillespie]

The formula is stupid simple:

Volume_1 * SG_1 = Volume_2 * SG_2