3kg Esb Pils + 500gm Malt.....= 1.085 Og?

[Stoodoo]

I've just put down en ESB 3kg can kit of Czech Pilsener with some malt and starter. Procedure was: 1.5 lt of 75c water poured over combined malts and kept at between 55c - 68c for 1 1/4 hours. this was poured into another saucepan, with anothe 2 litres of hot water poured through the grain. Boiled for one hour, with around 50% loss of liquid, which I then added another 2 litres of water to create a totla of 4 litre volume of wort. One saaz plug added 5min before end of boil and 2 saaz plugs added at end of boil. the whole shebang strained and thrown into the fermentor along with some purified water, and a 1.5 litre starter wort with liquid budvar yeast added as well. Total volume was 22.5 litres. I think I overdid it with the dme in my starter, as I used around 1.5cups of dme in 2 litres of water (.5lt of starter used for a different batch).

The og reading is 1.085, which doesn't seem to be right in my view, though this is my first partial brew. On previous occasions of using the 3kg czech kit, I've always got an og of around 1.050, though without either the extra malt or the 1.5 lt starter added. I just made a fresh wort oktoberfest with 1/2 litre starter wort and a final volume of 18lt, and the reading on the hydrometer was 1.042. With that in mind, I wouldn't think the hyrdometer was foobered. Does 1.085 gravity reading sound right?? I'm puzzled....

 

[PostModern]

Sounds like stratafication. Thick wort sinking to the bottom and thinner on top. Short of mixing for many minutes or running a paint stirer, it's hard to get an even blend from concentrates.

 

[Stoodoo]

Didn't even think of that. Mind you I stirred it as much as I normally do, but your opinion would seem to be the most logical.

Cheers

 

[sluggerdog]

Yep just what PM said, easily happens. you should get around the 1050 ish from memory from those cans.

I used to put in half water, then the can then the rest of the water, made it easier to mix up

 

[GMK]

if u stir vertically in a circle - like an elevator - u will mix the layers together and get a more accurate reading.

Hope this helps

 

[Stoodoo]

Thanks for your imput guys, followed what GMK said and voila, og of 1.048.

Cheers

 

[pint of lager]

Good to read your sg is now correct.

Stratification of the denser layers to the bottom is why ag brewers usually allow half the runoff into the kettle before starting the boil, and giving it a stir, so that the heavier layers are not getting caramelized or scorched at the start of the boil.