Shock Top clone - low Original specific gravity

[Sidman]

This is my third mini mash recipe and I am not sure what I did wrong. Followed all the directions but recipe says OSG should be 1.052. My reading came out more like 1.042. The only thing I can think of is my temp was a little high when soaking the grains - snuck up on me to about 175 instead of the 155 recommended. It cooled to 155 but probably half of the soaking time was higher than recommended.

Anyone have any ideas what else might have caused that issue? Temp reading was about 75 when I measured OSG.

Thanks,
Sid

 

[kh54s10]

Was this a true mini mash, using a base grain in the mash? The mash temperature would have more effect on the FG than the OG. (unfermentable sugars).

If you used top up water the problem is more likely to be that you had an uneven mix and the sample was taken from a weaker portion of the wort. This is very common when using top up water.

If you want try another reading, if not just let 'er ride. It will be beer in the end.

 

[chawn]

Any chance you didn't stir the water thoroughly into the wort? Having a hot mash shouldn't affect the OG.

 

[Sidman]

Thanks folks...

I thought I mixed it pretty well be realize I might not have done a great job mixing the the top and bottom, just kind of stirred around the wort and reversed a couple of times.

So one question, what could cause a miss like that in specific gravity assuming all ingredients were added?

Thanks again.

 

[Sidman]

So I am officially an idiot. I read online and heard from others that it was probably just a problem with mixing the water. I asked a guy at my LHBS about the issue and he recommended that I make sure my grain bag was very loose. Did two recipes last night and both were over starting gravity due to alcohol boost. it seems that having my bag too tight was the big problem all along not mixing the water better.