Taking original gravity/topping off

[RunnerDude]

I have a total newbie question:

I just brewed my second batch yesterday (extract), a black IPA i found on here. I had to modify the recipe a bit since my local shop didn't have exactly what the recipe called for. Everything went well in cooking, I poured the wort (2.5 G) in the fermenter and THEN topped off to 5G (recipe said final volume is 5.67, but I only have a 5 gallon carboy, so I did 5). The original gravity of the recipe was est. to be 1.084. The first measurement I did before pitching was only 1.050. The wort was very frothy and so it was hard to read, but I think that was pretty darn close. I pitched and stirred a lot to aerate, then decided to check gravity again since I was now able to move the froth aside and get a good reading. This time it was 1.060. At first I thought that I must have been way off the first time because of the froth, but then I started thinking. When I topped off with water AFTER pouring in the wort, was that a mistake? I vaguely remember seeing something about adding water first, then pouring in the wort, then topping off the last little remaining bit. Also, I was shocked the gravity was low since my final volume was low.

Perhaps stirring actually brought some stuff up and increased the gravity I was reading at the top? Does topping off the way I did cause the gravity to be off? What is the proper way of topping off (next time I should just try to do a full boil, I know)? Do you think this is the reason my gravity was off or is that unlikely? Subs I made: Chocolate for Black Patent, dialed back the hops from 6.5 oz to 5 and did 1.25 of 50-60L crystal plus .25 of 120L instead of 1 of 60L and .5 of 90L. I wouldn't' think that could account for such a large difference and why else would my gravity have gone up that much upon pitching? And why else could my gravity have been that low.

I can post the recipe if that would help. Thanks for any thoughts you have.

 

[david_42]

Mixing in a carboy is very difficult, unless you are one of those who can lift a full carboy overhead and shake it (I've seen it done). Since it's an extract beer all of the sugars are in the fermenter. As you topped off to 5 gallons vs 5.67, it has a higher OG than designed.

Alternating wort and water, or mixing at the four gallon point would have made your reading more accurate. I'd be much more concerned with the beer frothing all over the place while fermenting, since you have no headroom in the carboy.

 

[RunnerDude]

Argh. Sorry. I was unintentionally misleading there. I am fermenting in a 6 gallon bucket, but secondary will be a 5 gallon carboy. That was the reason I only topped off to 5G.

So...there is plenty of headroom and I used a spoon the stir the heck out of it in the bucket. I would think that's a decent way to mix it, but maybe that doesn't get everything up off of the bottom?

So, I should alternate water and wort...makes sense. Or mix at 4G? You meant if this was a carboy?

Do you think my original gravity was actually higher, but the lower reading indicated bad mixing? If it was poorly mixed how would that affect the brew?

 

[Calder]

Trust the recipe gravity if it is an extract brew. Find a wort calculator and plug in the numbers. Pretty difficult to miss with extract brews.

If it was supposed to be 1.084 in 5.5 gallons, the 2.5 gallons you brewed would have been around 1.170. That is pretty heavy/dense, and water will float on top if it. It takes a lot of work to mix thoroughly.

Don't worry, the yeast will find the sugars and mix it for you.

 

[RunnerDude]

Thanks Calder. That makes sense. Yes, it was very thick wort. Next time I'll either do a full boil or know better how to mix the wort.