OG reading question - irish moss throwing it off?

[bkr335]

Hiya - just finished brewing a batch of the almost-certainly-infamous cheesefood boom-boom vanilla ale (i.e., the version 2.0 variation of the caramel cream ale from that 8-billion-post-long thread). Quick question: first time using irish moss. The sample pulled for the OG reading had a bunch of stuff settle out and the OG reading was kinda higher than expected (based on what beersmith said). The expected OG was 1.054 and we ended up at 1.060 (plus .001...so 1.061...73 degree reading).

Picture is attached. Is this reading screwed up due to all that settling nonsense or do I really have a 1.061 OG on my hands?

Btw, hydrometer just calibrated today at 1.000 w/tap water. Also, wort was mixed like the dickens. No chance of any variance there. ipe:

 

[BobC]

It just means you got a slightly better efficiency during the mashing processes. what is on the bottom isn't dense enough to support that lead weighted hydrometer.

 

[bkr335]

It just means you got a slightly better efficiency during the mashing processes. what is on the bottom isn't dense enough to support that lead weighted hydrometer.

Thanks very much Bob! After waiting a bit longer everything settled to the very bottom and the hydrometer was clearly not in contact with it at all. I'll take the higher efficiency.

 

[DSorenson]

Spinning the hydrometer can help get bubbles n' bits off it, but the bits seem to not matter much. The dissolved particles are more significant, as that is the only thing that provides buoyancy for the hydrometer. Bubbles are more of a problem...