A little advice please

[Steve0408]

Hi Guys
I just brewed a Lager and although I'm not disappointed in the results to date I am going wrong a little and need putting back on track.

The reading in to the fermenter was 0.008 too high so I figured I had some extra un-fermentable sugar in there and this was true of the final reading it was also over by 0.008.

Now my question is what causes this is it the length of timer in the mash tun or the temperature of the strike water?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[manticle]

Hydrometer out by .008?

Try putting it in water, around 15- 20 deg and see if it reads 1.000.

Otherwise will need a lot more info about ingredients and process although .008 is quite insignificant if you've written that correctly.

 

[klangers]

0.008? This is well within the margin of error for home brewing measuring instruments.

 

[NewtownClown]

Hydrometer out by .008?

Try putting it in water, around 15- 20 deg and see if it reads 1.000.

Otherwise will need a lot more info about ingredients and process although .008 is quite insignificant if you've written that correctly.

0.008? This is well within the margin of error for home brewing measuring instruments.

So if you were aiming for a brew with OG 1.058 you would accept 1.050 or 1.064 as close enough and within margin? I guess I am too pedantic. I would be looking at process and ingredients in order to work out why...

 

[TheWiggman]

I sure as hell wouldn't accept that much error. Turf the hydrometer and get a new one if you can confirm it is actually out (using water as Manticle said). There's a big difference between a beer that finishes at 1.010 and 1.018.

 

[klangers]

No, I would still investigate. My point was that you may never find out as there are so many variables that cannot be measured accurately enough to really be able to tell what it was retrospectively, unless you have all your instruments calibrated and are confident that what you think is a kg is a kg, a C a C etc. Was it mash efficiency? Was it mash temperature? Could it have benefited from stirring? What about the grain itself? The grain crush. There are so many possible problems that could have occurred.

 

[danestead]

Steve, Im reading that you got good efficiency and your OG was 8 points higher than you planned rather thanyour hydrometer being out of calibration. If I am correct in what I am saying, your FG shouldnt be a whole 8 points higher. It should be about 2 points higher as those extra 8 points are still able to be fermented at the same rate as the rest of your wort.

 

[manticle]

In my head I added an extra 0.
My error.

 

[Steve0408]

Steve, Im reading that you got good efficiency and your OG was 8 points higher than you planned rather thanyour hydrometer being out of calibration. If I am correct in what I am saying, your FG shouldnt be a whole 8 points higher. It should be about 2 points higher as those extra 8 points are still able to be fermented at the same rate as the rest of your wort.

Yes Danestead, sorry if I've confused everyone but that's it in a nut shell.