What Could Be The Cause?

[rodwha]

I often (4/5) get much higher OG readings than what is targeted by the Hopville.com calculator. I use LME/DME and steep my grains for ~30 mins. I often get about 0.5% ABV over what is figured. But once in a while I hit my numbers right on.

If I use the "mash" setting instead it'll give me slightly higher numbers, but I'd prefer to figure out what the problem is and be able to correct it.

Any ideas?

 

[beaksnbeer]

Are you taking your readings at the correct temp? 1/2 a percent over is really not that big of a deal you could get that with just a small amount difference in % of sugars in the extract.

 

[ktblunden]

Full boil or are you topping off after the boil? If you're topping off you'll never get it mixed well enough to get an accurate OG reading. Also, are you sure your volume exactly matches what you're inputting into the software? If the software is set for a volume of 5 gallons, but you're netting 4.75 gallons your wort will be more concentrated and therefore a higher gravity.

 

[rodwha]

My new hydrometer is 0'd for 68*, and I'm often close, but I do adjust for temp differences.

My volumes are close. The one thing I don't calculate much for is grain absorption. I had measured the water volume and marked my buckets. Not perfect, but it ought to be close.

I am doing partial boils and topping off most of the time.

1/2% isn't typically a big deal, but I've been trying to make a moderate ABV beer (4.7-5%) and often get much higher gravities. For that it is a big enough deal... I've had many comments on my beers being somewhat stout.

Sometimes (often now) I will pour the majority of my top off water in first and pour the wort on top to help mix it in. Then I stir it up fairly well (10-15 mins) with a spoon, and then I aerate it with a whisk. I've read of people getting lower gravity readings with top off water as the extract sits at the bottom. So if it's not well stirred it should be giving me a lower reading. Correct?

 

[ktblunden]

My new hydrometer is 0'd for 68*, and I'm often close, but I do adjust for temp differences.

My volumes are close. The one thing I don't calculate much for is grain absorption. I had measured the water volume and marked my buckets. Not perfect, but it ought to be close.

I am doing partial boils and topping off most of the time.

1/2% isn't typically a big deal, but I've been trying to make a moderate ABV beer (4.7-5%) and often get much higher gravities. For that it is a big enough deal... I've had many comments on my beers being somewhat stout.

Sometimes (often now) I will pour the majority of my top off water in first and pour the wort on top to help mix it in. Then I stir it up fairly well (10-15 mins) with a spoon, and then I aerate it with a whisk. I've read of people getting lower gravity readings with top off water as the extract sits at the bottom. So if it's not well stirred it should be giving me a lower reading. Correct?

Anytime you're trying to mix water with denser wort there will be areas with more water and areas with more wort. Particularly if you're adding the water first you could have more wort on top. If your volumes and extract amounts are correct the OG should be exactly what the recipe says it will be.

 

[rodwha]

I create my own recipes. The extract amounts are on, and the water is close, if not on, except for the boil volume being (often as I'll sometimes add a little more water when steeping a large amount of grains) a little low.

 

[rodwha]

I've wondered if I'm just getting better efficiency than typical.

 

[fortyseven]

My new hydrometer is 0'd for 68*, and I'm often close, but I do adjust for temp differences.

My volumes are close. The one thing I don't calculate much for is grain absorption. I had measured the water volume and marked my buckets. Not perfect, but it ought to be close.

I am doing partial boils and topping off most of the time.

1/2% isn't typically a big deal, but I've been trying to make a moderate ABV beer (4.7-5%) and often get much higher gravities. For that it is a big enough deal... I've had many comments on my beers being somewhat stout.

Sometimes (often now) I will pour the majority of my top off water in first and pour the wort on top to help mix it in. Then I stir it up fairly well (10-15 mins) with a spoon, and then I aerate it with a whisk. I've read of people getting lower gravity readings with top off water as the extract sits at the bottom. So if it's not well stirred it should be giving me a lower reading. Correct?

why not calculate your water amounts more acurately, then you wouldn't have all these issues with varying ABV/lower gravity readings? Plan ahead how much liquid you want after the boil and factor in things like grain absorbtion and evaporation loss.

 

[rodwha]

I calculate the initial water spot on, and I have a good idea as to my boil off amount. And to make it easier I had filled my buckets up with water and marked the volume. So the volumes ought to be fairly close. The one thing I'm unsure of is the grain absorption. The volumes may not be perfect, but they ought to be fairly close.

 

[rodwha]

I wouldn't think I'd be far from maybe a pint or two off in a typical 5.8 gal yield. I doubt that's enough to throw my numbers off by .005 points. And I occasionally hit the numbers correctly. But that seems to be how it is. Either right on the numbers or about .005 points higher.