Starting Gravity too High.

[Lilrascal]

We I did a AHS Bavarian Hefeweizen extract kit with DME today. The kit had 6lb Wheat DME (I did not confirm the weight, just what package said). The instructions said OG should be 1.050. BeerSmith says 1.055.

Well after cooling and adding water to 5.0 gallons (later read it is supposed to be 5.25 gal) I drew a sample for OG. My mistake was that I let the sample sit rather then measuring right away, while I pitched the yeast. I then went back and read my gravity and it was 1.060!!! Since I already pitched there was no way to recheck the gravity. I just added an additional 1/2 gallon water. I have no idea what OG is now.

Any Ideas on what could have happened?

Thanks for any help.

 

[ChshreCat]

Extract only? Then your OG was what it was expected to be. When you do a partial boil and top up with water, you usually end up with heavier wort sinking to the bottom and lighter wort floating on top. If you take your sample from near the bottom, you get a higher reading. Taken from nearer the top, you get a lower reading. Punch the recipe into Beersmith with the lower batch size and that will be within a few points of what your actual OG is. Unless you change something (leave out some DME, add something else or add too much or too little water (as you did)) there's no way your gravity readings can change, really.

 

[BeerJorge]

Nothing bad happened... if the instructions had you brew a 5.25 gallon batch and you only used enough water for a 5 gallon batch, naturally your OG will be higher... Since you added an extra half a gallon of water, your OG should now be around 1.054...

Sounds like you have a good beer underway...

 

[Lilrascal]

Thanks guys. I did pull sample from bottom, though I had thought I had stirred well, probably was a concentrated sample I took. With added water, I am close to the 5.25 mark. As you guys have said, it should turn out fine. This was my first batch with DME vs LME.