Final Gravity

[Snow Gun]

Hi All,

Im on to my second brew right now.

One question is how much faith should I have in the FG reading?

My first one was SG 1040 FG about 1011. Believe it or not my second brew SG 1040, FG 1011 (I presume it is almost finished fermenting and this will be the FG).

So, these figures don't show a high alcohol content (?????) to me..... or am I misunderstanding it?

I'm not really keen on mid strength Should I add more (anything) into my next brew to get the alcohol content up?

I drink beer for a purpose

(Do you want more info on the ingredients)?

 

[Kai]

Add more ingredients or less water.

 

[berto]

Cant comment on where the FG should be without knowing more about the ingredients, but thats roughly 4.5 % by my calcs if youre bottling. Keep in mind if youre using kits, that if you push them too high they will lose their desired tastepretty quick due to the fact they are designed for a certain alcohol level and adjuncts to be added.

Edit: Kai suggestion of less water would be the best way to go in my opinion.

 

[Snow Gun]

Thought I might add that it is only taking about a 5-6 days...... but the SG is steady for 2-3 days prior to bottling.

I don't think there is any point leaving it for a few more days as a mate suggested - do you?

 

[AndrewQLD]

Have you looked in here improve your kit plenty of good info for the kit brewer.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Agarn]

Snow gun,
I have found the same problem. I was told by my LHBS guru that the amount of floating solids in your test vial can increase the FG. Try letting it settle overnight and test it again. I found the FG came down a couple of points.

 

[JasonY]

Well that is about 72% attenuation which is in the range of your average ale yeast, can probably get a few more % if you leave it longer. If you want a stronger beer you are going to have to add more fermentables at the start as others have said (go for an OG of 1.045 or 1.050).

I am sure it will be fine anyway.

 

[Snow Gun]

Cant comment on where the FG should be without knowing more about the ingredients, but thats roughly 4.5 % by my calcs if youre bottling. Keep in mind if youre using kits, that if you push them too high they will lose their desired tastepretty quick due to the fact they are designed for a certain alcohol level and adjuncts to be added.

Edit: Kai suggestion of less water would be the best way to go in my opinion.

[post="115928"][/post]​

How do you work out the Alcohol content?

I thought I read here it was SG-FG x 0.13 My calcs work that out to be 3.77% I suppose that doesn't take into consideration the sugar added to the bottles.

Is there a different way to work out the alcohol content?

 

[peas_and_corn]

There should have been a table that came with your hydrometer to make it easy to calculate. I can send it to you if you want.

 

[peas_and_corn]

View attachment Hydrometer_Table.xls

Easy to use

Look up your initial gravity and note down the potential alcohol

Look up final gravity and minus the potential alcohol from the initial gravity's potential alcohol

And Bob's your drunk uncle!

I copied this down from the table I got with the hudrometer that came with my coopers kit.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[berto]

How do you work out the Alcohol content?

I thought I read here it was SG-FG x 0.13 My calcs work that out to be 3.77% I suppose that doesn't take into consideration the sugar added to the bottles.

Is there a different way to work out the alcohol content?

[post="115951"][/post]​

Well, i always thought it was divide by roughly 7.5 or so. Lost the exact number now though.
However using P&K's table
1.040 = 5.3%
1.010 = ~1.4% by interpolation
so that gives 3.9%, than you add 0.5% if you bottle your beer to take account for the priming sugar.
So 4.4%. Youre beer, whilst not rocket fuel, probably isnt as weak as you think it is.

 

[Piste]

Coopers kits quote:
OG minus FG divide by 7.4 plus .2 = %alcohol.

Which in the case of one of my Coopers Dark Ale + 1.5kg LME=

1055 minus 1010 = 45 divide 7.4=6.081 + .2 = 6.28 alcohol.

That explains why I reel around a bit after a couple.

That looks awfully high but no explosions, fermentation has finished, could be some solids in the FG that I haven't noticed.

Another question on FG or any G for that matter, people refer to 1006 1012 etc etc, do I just have poor eyesight as I'm buggered if I can read anything between the .05 line on my Hydrometer.
It jumps from 1020 to 1040 with very fine lines in between, the lines being the 1025-1030-1035 increments and only about 1mm seperates them.
Maybe I need a bigger one if there is one available.

 

[BRAD T]

Snow Gun, Try this link

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


Cheers
Brad T

 

[Piste]

That doesn't account for bottle priming does it?