When to take OG reading

[2nd Street Brewery]

Since I am new to AG when do you take the OG reading? Before boil or after, right before pitching the yeast?

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

The most accurate way to do it is after the boil unless you can accurately measure your pre and post-boil volumes (very accurately). I usually take two readings...one after I lauter into the kettle to get my lautering efficiency (I don't get a super accurate volume reading, but good enough). The next reading I take is in my fermentor before aeration and pitching. For this reading you don't need a volume reading...you just want to know the OG of your wort.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

Thanks Baron. Not ready to worry about my efficiency yet so pre pitch it is.

 

[boo boo]

Just before pitching my yeast is how I measure my OG. Anything before that is only for extraction efficiency.

 

[Bobby_M]

My question is, do you guys have your temperature correction all figured out so that you can measure gravity at post-sparge temps or do you cool your sample first? I suppose the best way to get the correction is to heat water to 160 and test the gravity?

 

[zoebisch01]

My question is, do you guys have your temperature correction all figured out so that you can measure gravity at post-sparge temps or do you cool your sample first? I suppose the best way to get the correction is to heat water to 160 and test the gravity?

http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/brew/widgets/hc0.html

It seems fairly accurate, although I wonder at higher temperatures how close it actually is. Most Hydrometers are calibrated at 68 F, but check yours to be certain if you use this widget.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

My question is, do you guys have your temperature correction all figured out so that you can measure gravity at post-sparge temps or do you cool your sample first? I suppose the best way to get the correction is to heat water to 160 and test the gravity?

Cool the sample. Takes about 3-4 minutes with a sample jar stuck in a tumbler of ice water.