High OG

[Chap]

Hi all,

I've been brewing extract for around 12 months now and normally get a starting gravity of anywhere from 1.045 to 1.050 max. I put a brew down today and ended up with a starting gravity of 1.062. Recipe as follows:

250g Carapils
250g Medium Crystal
2kg Light LME
1.5kg Wheat LME

Steeped/mashed grains in 1.5L water @ approx 60oC for 60 min. added 3L hot (~60oC), dunked grain bag in wort and squeezed, boiled for 60min. 30g Magnum @60min, 30g Amarillo @ 10min, 30g Amarillo @ flameout. Added 1kg Light LME and 1.5kg Wheat LME at flameout and stirred while cooling for approx 15min down to approx 25oC before pitching rehydrated Mangrove Jacks M44 yeast and into 18oC temp controlled fridge.

Brewers Friend software gives me a starting gravity of 1.047 and final of 1.010.

Have I entered details into Brewers Friend correctly? does 1.062 sound possible with the above? Just a strange one for me as I normally hit 1045 - 1050 no problems, but I also normally only use 250g rather than 500g specialty grains.

Any and all feedback, comments, criticism etc welcome.

Cheers
Chap

 

[Grott]

I make it 1.063 og and 1.020 fg

 

[Chap]

I make it 1.063 og and 1.020 fg

Hey Grott, how did you get these numbers? I've played with everything I can think of on Brewers Friend and cant get anything close to the above. :blush:

 

[Grott]

http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/wawcs0113236/ln-brewing-calculators.html

put in your details in SG estimator

 

[btrots87]

What was your final batch size in the fermenter? Assuming a 23l brew I get about 1.047 as well.

Are you sure it was stirred and mixed well? If it's not well mixed then the higher density wort will sit on the bottom near the tap so when you take a sample you'll get a high result.

Happened to me once or twice when I was doing extract.

 

[indica86]

I would not trust a calculator for guessing FG, no indication of yeast having any influence over anything there.
And it does, a good saison yeast will get that down to low 1s regardless.

 

[Grott]

Agree, the calculator is meant to be a guide for general purpose brews I'd say. It is interesting however the reading taken agrees with the calculator on ingredients given.

 

[manticle]

Calculator should do og accurately if everything is entered correctly. FG is guesswork.

OP - what's your total volume? If not an error in your input or measuring, extract can sometimes give misleading readings when not mixed properly.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Yep. Even with All Grain too. Sometimes put down a brew late and forgot to take a reading when its all mixed and pitched. Then take reading after its sat 8 hours and get a misreading. Strangely I had the reading go the other way and misread under the true OG making me think I bombed out on efficiency.
Re- mix and take another reading and its true.

 

[Chap]

Final volume to fermenter is 23L. I've been caught out once before with misreadings, so I always make sure I properly dissolve the liquid malt and get a good mix before taking a reading. Sounds like I could have a misreading again, but I can't think of any further ways to prevent it in the future

 

[PaulG79]

Do you use a hydrometer to take your readings? Sorry if that's a dumb question. I've given up taking OG & FG readings on my kit brews because I can't get an accurate reading from the hydrometer. I don't know what's causing it but it's so erratic it's hardly worth bothering with. In any case I don't have many variables to play with I'm really only interested in the final approx alc/vol, since I always leave the brews to ferment for 2 weeks. Anyone know if there's something more high tech, or low tech like paper strips you can use to measure alcohol content?

 

[Hermies]

Do you use a hydrometer to take your readings? Sorry if that's a dumb question. I've given up taking OG & FG readings on my kit brews because I can't get an accurate reading from the hydrometer. I don't know what's causing it but it's so erratic it's hardly worth bothering with. In any case I don't have many variables to play with I'm really only interested in the final approx alc/vol, since I always leave the brews to ferment for 2 weeks. Anyone know if there's something more high tech, or low tech like paper strips you can use to measure alcohol content?

I get silly readings from time to time , until someone told me that it was undissolved malt coming out of the tap . So now I stir the crap out of the wort and most times I get a proper reading .

 

[GalBrew]

Do you use a hydrometer to take your readings? Sorry if that's a dumb question. I've given up taking OG & FG readings on my kit brews because I can't get an accurate reading from the hydrometer. I don't know what's causing it but it's so erratic it's hardly worth bothering with. In any case I don't have many variables to play with I'm really only interested in the final approx alc/vol, since I always leave the brews to ferment for 2 weeks. Anyone know if there's something more high tech, or low tech like paper strips you can use to measure alcohol content?

The hydrometer is about as low tech as it comes. You need to work out how to use one if you want to brew beer, it's as simple as that. You can't get anymore fundamentally important bits of testing equipment than a hydrometer and thermometer. Maybe look at getting a new one (they aren't that expensive), there are also plenty of guides that instruct you on how to use one properly.

 

[PaulG79]

The hydrometer is about as low tech as it comes. You need to work out how to use one if you want to brew beer, it's as simple as that. You can't get anymore fundamentally important bits of testing equipment than a hydrometer and thermometer. Maybe look at getting a new one (they aren't that expensive), there are also plenty of guides that instruct you on how to use one properly.

I think I've narrowed down the problem, it's the Cooper's kit hydrometer. Not the hydro itself, but the plastic flask it comes in, it's too narrow and not enough clearance. I dug up my dad's old wine gear and the glass flask that come with that is much better. Probably wastes a bit of beer but I've put down two brews since this problem and it's taking readings fine now.

 

[Lionman]

Get a refractometer. They use less than 1ml to take a reading. So much less beer wasted.