Specific Gravity too low? Add sugar?

[thays]

I just finished brewing my second or third beer, and this one's OG seems low- at 10.038. I am worried that the FG won't be low enough to give a beer with much ABV. Is there anything I can do to bump the OG up so I can get a higher %? I have seen some stuff on regular table sugar but don't want to ruin this batch by doing the wrong thing.

 

[Nightshade]

If it attenuates at 1.010 you will be just under 4%

You could add sugar, you will end up with a much drier beer, but the alcohol will be increased. Be careful how much you add because I have noticed too much sugar makes a beer "hot" or "boozy" and never really tames out.

 

[duboman]

I just finished brewing my second or third beer, and this one's OG seems low- at 10.038. I am worried that the FG won't be low enough to give a beer with much ABV. Is there anything I can do to bump the OG up so I can get a higher %? I have seen some stuff on regular table sugar but don't want to ruin this batch by doing the wrong thing.

What was the recipe's stated gravity? I'll assume this was an extract batch with top off water? You got a bad mix of wort and water so the OG should and will be what the recipe stated regardless of what you read- this does assume you met the correct volume of wort in the primary

 

[thays]

I had about 5 pounds of grain in an mini-mash, added 1/2 gallon LME, one pound DME, and a bag of candy syrup After the boil I topped off to 5 gallons. The brewing store I go to said the 1/2 gallon LME should yield about 4% and the pound DME about 1% ABV. Should I have added more? Or am I doing something to decrease the OG (straining as I transfer to fermenting bucket)?

 

[Dr. Francois]

With that quantity of ingredients, I'm betting on one of two possibilities:

1. Your temp was off on the mash or you stopped before full conversion.

2. The wort and water were not properly mixed, yielding a lower hydrometer reading.

My bet is #2. I've done that before. Use the hydrometer after aeration, not before.

Plug the recipe into brewtoad and calculate based on 35% efficiency from the grains. That is your minimum gravity.
Calculate again with 70% efficiency for a best-case scenario.

 

[thays]

Thanks! Hopefully it's option #2 and it will come out a little higher ABC than that 1.038 predicts. I'll also keep a better eye on temperature and mixing next time too. Is there anything I can do now for this beer, should I shake up the bucket more often?

Side question- I want to be sure that 1/2 gallon LME and one lb DME is about right for a Belgian ale. Wanna be sure that my home brew store isn't ripping me off. I was told about 4%ABV for each half gallon and about 1% ABV for every pound.

 

[duboman]

Well, the actual ABV is really dependent upon the attenuation of the yeast, not the actual amount of fermentable so if the beer fully ferments then yes, it could be correct but it is based more on added gravity points. For example, 1 pound of DME will yield .009 points per gallon or 45 gravity points total

 

[Dr. Francois]

And no shaking after the first 24 hours of fermentation.

 

[Denny]

Well, the actual ABV is really dependent upon the attenuation of the yeast, not the actual amount of fermentable so if the beer fully ferments then yes, it could be correct but it is based more on added gravity points. For example, 1 pound of DME will yield .009 points per gallon or 45 gravity points total

IMO, the fermentability of the wort is the deciding factor. No matter what the Attenuation rating of the yeast is, it can't attenuate farther than the fermentability of the wort.

 

[duboman]

IMO, the fermentability of the wort is the deciding factor. No matter what the Attenuation rating of the yeast is, it can't attenuate farther than the fermentability of the wort.

Makes perfect sense, kind of what I was trying to say but you did a much better job of it!