OG reading 1.035? Low Alcohol Content :(

[froidy]

Hi guys,
Introduced myself in the other section, I am a noob brewer from Tasmania (Australia) just starting out on beer kits but will hopefully advance onto something harder as I get more comfortable with it

I brewed a Black Rock Nut Brown Ale the other day with 500g Dextrose, 500g LME and Safale S-04 yeast. For the first time in three batches I remembered to take a gravity reading with the hydrometer (which I did before pitching the yeast) I have a OG reading of 1.035. Now I don't know what the FG is supposed to be for this beer but if it is what my last two Coopers Real Ale brews were (around 1.010) then by my calculations 1.035 (4.6%) - 1.010 (1.3%) my beer will come out mid-strength (3.3%)

I am probably completely wrong but was hoping my beer was going to be normal strength (4.7-5%) any pointers for a first timer?

My first two brews are currently in secondary fermentation (cupboard) but I used normal white sugar for my first batch and 1kg Dextrose for my second batch....didn't get OG readings so am unable to tell what the % alcohol will be for those?

Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks to all the knowledgeable folks on this forum for getting me this far!!

 

[skw]

Did you stir before taking the sample? I'm in the exact same situation as you, third batch, Cooper's kit, first time measuring gravity. My first measure before stirring was very low, after stirring it was exactly where it should be.

 

[froidy]

Did you stir before taking the sample? I'm in the exact same situation as you, third batch, Cooper's kit, first time measuring gravity. My first measure before stirring was very low, after stirring it was exactly where it should be.

It was after stirring thoroughly and just before pitching yeast.....i should actually do the hydrometer calibration test and make sure it reads 1.00 in a glass of room temperature water.....just thought of that

 

[cluckk]

What temperature was your sample? Most hydrometers are calibrated for 60 Deg F. Higher temperatures read lower. At 98 deg F your sample would actually be 1.041.

In that case, if it finishes at 1.010 then you would get 4.06% alcohol.

 

[froidy]

What temperature was your sample? Most hydrometers are calibrated for 60 Deg F. Higher temperatures read lower. At 98 deg F your sample would actually be 1.041.

In that case, if it finishes at 1.010 then you would get 4.06% alcohol.

Good point, yeah I think it was around 25 deg C (around 78 deg F) I didn't even take that into account thanks! Guess ill find out when I put a few away! LOL

 

[cluckk]

78 deg F only bumps it up a couple points to 1.037. That's not bad though. Several styles shoot for that gravity (Sottish 70 Shilling, for example). I know you said your kit was for a Brown Ale, but you didn't specify the style any further than that. According to the BJCP style guide a Southern English Brown Ale shoots for a gravity of 1.033-1.042. If that is the right style then you hit your gravity perfectly. Other brown ales are stronger.

 

[logan3825]

No matter how well you stir there is a good chance it will still not mix. I honestly don't even bother with OG reading on extract brews. You know what you put in and you know how much you got out. It isn't like all grain where you don't know your efficiency.

 

[RM-MN]

No matter how well you stir there is a good chance it will still not mix. I honestly don't even bother with OG reading on extract brews. You know what you put in and you know how much you got out. It isn't like all grain where you don't know your efficiency.

This is correct, the concentrated wort doesn't mix well with the top off water and the hydrometer reading is usually wrong which confuses a new brewer. When you use extract, the extract is done by professionals and you can depend on the OG being correct if you use the right amount of water.

If you go to all grain, you are in control (or maybe not) of the amount of sugars extracted from the grain and then you want to be using the hydrometer to verify that you really did get a good extraction.:rockin:

 

[cluckk]

For extract brewers, a hydrometer is best for checking to see if fermentation is done before bottling. I think it is good practice for them to use it this way if for no other reason than to familiarize themselves with the instrument. In the middle of your first batch of AG is no time to learn how to use a glass hydrometer.

 

[cluckk]

I am a noob brewer from Tasmania (Australia)

BTW, if you would like some personal brew tutoring I would be happy to do it and all it will cost you is a plane ticket to Tasmania

No need for a return ticket. I'd probably just stay.

 

[unionrdr]

No,this is not correct. Not completely. Yes,it doesn't mix readilly like water with water,but it isn't THAT hard to mix. I pour my chilled wort through a fine mesh strainer on top of the FV. Pouring in a circular motion that causes it to come through the bottom of the strainer like rain rather than a stream. Dito with top off water. Nice aerates it all to a couple inches of foam.
I then use a 24" plastic paddle to stir roughly for 5 minutes straight. That gets it well mixed to where an accurate OG can be taken. It's always good to take an OG To see if you got it right. From brew kettle to fermenter. Good habit to get into.