Low gravity need advice

[Nick667]

I am new to all grain but have been have some great succes with biab.
I dont have a wort chiller so have been cooling overnight with plastic wrap to seal. Yesterday I soaked a new batch of grain in around 20lts of water at 67C for 60 mins then boiled for 90 mins with late hops going in. When I put the brew down this morning I forgot to take a gravity reading so opened the fermenter after the yeast had gone in and took a sample, the yeast went in dry (us-05 ).
I got a reading of 1005!! Was expecting 1040-45.
Does antone have a reason for this happening and any way to fix it?

 

[verysupple]

It could be a bunch of things. Did you top up the batch with water at the end? If so, it's likely that it just isn't mixed properly and your sample is mostly top-up water.

 

[Nick667]

It could be a bunch of things. Did you top up the batch with water at the end? If so, it's likely that it just isn't mixed properly and your sample is mostly top-up water.

Yes I did top with water but used a bit of height in the pour to get the oxagen in.
Will the fresh water float to the top?

 

[manticle]

Sorry for the question but the grain was cracked?

You're happy with your thermometer? Your hydrometer? You're confident you're using and reading the hydrometer correctly?

Stir with a sanitised spoon and test again. If it really is 1005, there's not a lot you can do besides add a heap of malt extract (boiled in some water first and god knows what the hopping schedule would be like).

 

[verysupple]

Yes I did top with water but used a bit of height in the pour to get the oxagen in.
Will the fresh water float to the top?

It won't float, per se. But it does take quite a bit of mixing with a spoon to get it even. I'm banking on this being the problem. I'd do what manticle said and give it a stir and see if it's any different.

 

[Nick667]

Sorry for the question but the grain was cracked?

You're happy with your thermometer? Your hydrometer? You're confident you're using and reading the hydrometer correctly?

Stir with a sanitised spoon and test again. If it really is 1005, there's not a lot you can do besides add a heap of malt extract (boiled in some water first and god knows what the hopping schedule would be like).

Yep grain cracked, themo ok and the water had the right bubbles starting to rise look about it and happy with hydrometer I have been brewing for a long time ( kits ) just trying to up the game you know. Brew looks like it is getting up a head of steam do you think if the gravity really is that low I will get a good fermentation or will it give a short blast and die out? If it goes for 3-4 days do you think my reading must be wrong?

 

[Stimsoni]

I had the same problem.

After topping up with water I shook the hell out of it in the fermenter and it still came out with a low reading (not that low, but lower than expected). Ended up being ok by the end though.

 

[Nick667]

It won't float, per se. But it does take quite a bit of mixing with a spoon to get it even. I'm banking on this being the problem. I'd do what manticle said and give it a stir and see if it's any different.

I really hope you are right and you have given me a glimmer of hope.
If it really is 1005 there wont be any or much fermentation right?

 

[Pogierob]

Have you tried tasting it?
If the reading really is 1.005 then you have barely extracted any sugars, if the wort tastes sweet then you should be fine.

Stir and recheck anyway but try some.

 

[verysupple]

I really hope you are right and you have given me a glimmer of hope.
If it really is 1005 there wont be any or much fermentation right?

With a good pitch of healthy yeast it'd probably rip through 1.005 in less than a day. So you can probably tell by now.

 

[pat86]

What happened with this? Was it just an uneven sample of wort?