Original gravity loss due to whole hop absorbtion??

[GusWatab]

Brewed an IIPA last night and we originally set out to have a big beer with an OG of 1.084. We used 11 ounces of mostly whole hops. After cooling and aerating we used about a gallon of top off water to land at 5 gallons and took an OG reading and it was about a 1.071. I can't figure out why we ended so much lower than what the software estimated. All i could come up with is that there was that much wort absorbed by the big hop bill. The only other difference was that Maris otter light extract was used instead of regular Maris otter extract. I still don't think it would make that big of a difference. I've pasted the recipe below. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!



Style: Imperial IPA OG: 1.084
Type: Extract FG: 1.019
Rating: 0.0 ABV: 8.51 %
Calories: 273 IBU's: 112.81
Efficiency: 70 % Boil Size: 6.00 Gal
Color: 12.0 SRM Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Preboil OG: 1.077 Boil Time: 60 minutes

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp
(none)

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
0.50 lbs 3.76 % Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (Steep@156-159) 20 mins 1.034
0.50 lbs 3.76 % Simpsons Golden Promise 20 mins 1.034
4.00 lbs 30.08 % Pale Liquid Extract 60 mins 1.036
1.00 lbs 7.52 % Oats, Flaked 60 mins 1.037
4.00 lbs 30.08 % Pale Liquid Extract (late addition) 20 mins 1.036
3.30 lbs 24.81 % Simpsons Maris Otter 20 mins 1.038

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.00 ozs 44.39 Magnum 60 mins 16.40
1.00 ozs 14.76 Cascade/Nugget (Studer/Doman) 20 mins 9.00
1.00 ozs 12.09 Cascade/Nugget (Studer/Doman) 15 mins 9.00
0.50 ozs 6.65 Falconer's Flight 7C's 15 mins 9.90
2.00 ozs 17.67 Cascade/Nugget (Studer/Doman) 10 mins 9.00
0.50 ozs 4.86 Falconer's Flight 7C's 10 mins 9.90
2.00 ozs 9.72 Cascade/Nugget (Studer/Doman) 5 mins 9.00
0.50 ozs 2.67 Falconer's Flight 7C's 5 mins 9.90
2.00 ozs 0.00 Cascade/Nugget (Studer/Doman) 0 mins 9.00
0.50 ozs 0.00 Falconer's Flight 7C's 0 mins 9.90
2.00 ozs Amarillo Gold 14 days 9.50

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg California Ale White Labs 0001

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 oz Irish Moss 15 mins Boil

Mash Profile
(none)

Carbonation
Amount Type Beer Temp CO2 Vols
5.31 oz DME - Bottle Carbonation 72.0°F 1.90

Notes
*Steep grains for 20 min.

*Keep oats in the boil for entire 60 min.

*Boil 1 and 1/2 gallons of top off water (hop absorption)

*Add 4 lbs pale malt and 3.3 lbs of Maris otter as a late addition at 20 min.

 

[GusWatab]

Any thoughts as to how we ended up at a 1.071 OG as opposed to a 1.084?

 

[TahoeRy]

Two reasons. One, you diluted your solution. You probably had around a 1.084, like you wanted but when you added that gallon it dropped you back down. Second, you used the light extract instead of the regular extract. That could account for the difference as well. A 1.071 is not a small beer, its certainly not a 1.083 so I can see why you are a bit frustrated.

Your a bit high on your IBU's. Just for a future reference, try not to go over 90-100 IBU's. According to studies, people cannot taste a difference in IBU's once they are over 80 - 100 (some say over 80 - some say over 100). I made an imperial bitter (started out as in IPA) that came in at 155 IBU's and it was awesome, so just take what I am saying and do what you want. I am going to try to remake that beer to keep my IBU's around 90 - 100 to save some hop money, so maybe you should try the same. If people cannot taste the differnce, why spend the money on hops.

One last thing, don't dry hop for that long. You stated 14 days, your might get off flavors from doing that (grassy, woody, etc). Try to keep your dry hop at 3-4 days, never more then 5. Others will disagree but I used to go for long dry hops and have switched after I read the new research on dry hopping. All the flavors will be extracted within 3 days and anything is not needed.

 

[Glynn]

sounds like you had the same issue i had on monday. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/where-did-i-go-wrong-how-do-i-fix-400502/ i thought it was the same problem. but what it really was was not getting all the wort out of the muck. being lazy (after brewing 3 batches in 4 days) i left my boil kettle uncleaned and full of the hopes and trub. today i went down and strained the mixture only to get a little more then 1/2 a gallon of wort out of it. when i added that back into my batch amount it was more in line

 

[duboman]

Agreed, this was calculated as a full boil with no top off and you lost more wort than the recipe called for so it was then diluted with the top off water. In addition the mix of top off and actual wort was probably inadequate so the reading is probably off as well.

Now that you have experience using that many whole hops you can adjust the recipe and the actual losses so the next time you brew this those factors have been accounted for and you can either have less beeer or adjust the recipe to account for the huge volume loss due to hops absorption.

 

[TahoeRy]

Glynn, you didn't really add that to your fermenter did you? That sounds like an infection waiting to happen! Let me get this straight, you brewed your beer and drained into a fermenter. Then the next day, you squeezed your hop bags and found you had another 1/2 gallon and just added that directly to your fermenter? If so, you might have an infection. Unfermented wort is a sugar heaven just waiting for something to come and eat it. If you don't control that, you get nasty beer. Next time, sterilize your gloves or hands and squeeze the hop bags while draining. Don't just let it sit overnight then add.

 

[Glynn]

Glynn, you didn't really add that to your fermenter did you? That sounds like an infection waiting to happen! Let me get this straight, you brewed your beer and drained into a fermenter. Then the next day, you squeezed your hop bags and found you had another 1/2 gallon and just added that directly to your fermenter? If so, you might have an infection. Unfermented wort is a sugar heaven just waiting for something to come and eat it. If you don't control that, you get nasty beer. Next time, sterilize your gloves or hands and squeeze the hop bags while draining. Don't just let it sit overnight then add.

LOL No i didn't add it to my fermenter. my problem was i my pre boil was to big and i had 6 gals left over instead of the 5.5 i was expecting and had set up in beersmith.

 

[GusWatab]

That sounds about right. I appreciate the input guys. I have also heard about the human tongue not being able to taste over 100 IBU's. part of the reason I used so much is I have an over abundance cause we grow them. These particular cascade/nuggets were mixed do to untrained help picking the hops and tossing them into the same bucket. Just wanted to use a lot if these as it will be tough to duplicate as I have no way if knowing how much of each actually went into the kettle. And don't get me wrong, I'm happy with a 1.071 it's more the frustrations of efficiencies. We had a pretty good hunch but always like bouncing it off of fellow HBT'rs. Thanks again fellas!!

 

[TahoeRy]

You had me a bit worried there Glynn. When I read that I was like, NOOOOO! Ha ha. Its funny how we all want everybody to have a great product. Thats one reason I love these forums. We are all here to learn and to help and its great to have an environment like that.