Big Woops With The Refractometer

[absinthe]

well after swearing and cursing i thought i had not got full attenuation.. at first i thought it was the yeast so i re-pitched, still no good, then i thought "dam i must have been off with my temps (i have a cheap thermometer that reads 2.5C low) i forgot to adjust for the temp, so i have a high FG"

so i just thought instead of drinking (what i thought) a 3% beer i'll add some malt extract and some brown sugar (50ltr brew, didn't have enough malt to get to where i "wanted")

but i just got out the hydrometer and tested it (instead of using my new fangle toy, the refractometer) and now i find my mistake lol

so now i have a smoked porter/almost trappist tripel at about 8% (hard to really say after all the additions lol)

its not bad.. could do with a little more aging but i think it will be nice once the brown sugar harshness wears off

recipe follows (malts are guesstamated as i make my own but i think they would be close)


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 63.00 L
Boil Size: 83.28 L
Estimated OG: 1.065 SG
Estimated Color: 22.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 21.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
1.00 kg Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 5.80 %
10.00 kg Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 57.97 %
1.00 kg Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 5.80 %
1.00 kg Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 5.80 %
0.65 kg Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 3.77 %
0.40 kg Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2.32 %
0.20 kg Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 1.16 %
30.00 gm Williamette [5.50 %] (60 min) Hops 6.0 IBU
20.00 gm Fuggles [4.50 %] (60 min) Hops 3.3 IBU
30.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (60 min) Hops 5.5 IBU
10.00 gm Super Alpha [13.00 %] (60 min) (First WorHops 5.2 IBU
20.00 gm Fuggles [4.50 %] (15 min) (Aroma Hop-SteeHops -
30.00 gm Fuggles [4.50 %] (10 min) Hops 1.8 IBU
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
2.00 kg Brown Sugar, Light (8.0 SRM) Sugar 11.59 %
1.00 kg Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 5.80 %
80.00 L Local Water Water
1 Pkgs Safale S-04 (Fermentis #S-04) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 14.25 kg
----------------------------
My Mash
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
0 min mash in Add 32.77 L of water at 54.6 C 50.0 C
40 min raise temp to mash Heat to 67.0 C over 40 min 67.0 C
60 min mashing Add 0.00 L of water at 67.0 C 67.0 C

 

[fraser_john]

well after swearing and cursing i thought i had not got full attenuation.. at first i thought it was the yeast so i re-pitched, still no good, then i thought "dam i must have been off with my temps (i have a cheap thermometer that reads 2.5C low) i forgot to adjust for the temp, so i have a high FG"

so i just thought instead of drinking (what i thought) a 3% beer i'll add some malt extract and some brown sugar (50ltr brew, didn't have enough malt to get to where i "wanted")

but i just got out the hydrometer and tested it (instead of using my new fangle toy, the refractometer) and now i find my mistake lol

so now i have a smoked porter/almost trappist tripel at about 8% (hard to really say after all the additions lol)

its not bad.. could do with a little more aging but i think it will be nice once the brown sugar harshness wears off

Try Refractometer correction tutorial

Helps to determine correct FG using refractometer

 

[grod5]

I did something similar to my first AG Heff. I emailed Ross and asked if I did something wrong cause the thing read 1.027 after 2 weeks with 3068. Ross was very kind to me and suggested I use a hydrometer as the Refracto is no good with fermenting beer (unless using a tool like Beersmith) due to the alcohol.

Hydro said I had reached FG at 1.008. First AG turned out great, so I will be serving it up today when the party gets started.

 

[absinthe]

Try Refractometer correction tutorial

Helps to determine correct FG using refractometer

yeah i used the one on beersmith i was wondering what had happened as all the AG's i did before i got the refractometer were fine lol

 

[Bretto77]

Just got a refractometer for Christmas thanks for the tip, I do use beersmith though. If in doubt I will also pick Ross's brains on specifics.

Brett

I did something similar to my first AG Heff. I emailed Ross and asked if I did something wrong cause the thing read 1.027 after 2 weeks with 3068. Ross was very kind to me and suggested I use a hydrometer as the Refracto is no good with fermenting beer (unless using a tool like Beersmith) due to the alcohol.

Hydro said I had reached FG at 1.008. First AG turned out great, so I will be serving it up today when the party gets started.