Newbie - Dunkelweizen kit question

[dannymars]

So, I just whipped up this bad boy http://www.liquorcraft.com.au/afawcs0133827/CATID=125/SUBID=402/ID=7053/SID=335005153/Recipe-Kit-Limited-Edition-DARK-WHEAT.html

This is my 4th ever brew.

I'm very confused as to how I managed to reach the OG I did. 1.072!!!

I was pretty alarmed at this. So, I diluted with 4 more litres which beersmith told me would get me to 1.060

When I messured it again, it was 1.068.. sitting at 27.5 litres. I had no more room in my fermenter and didn't want to tip any out so I left it at that. fermentation has been pretty fierce with krausen pushing up through the airlock and all over the lid. I've had to re-fil the airlock about 4 times.

How the hell did 1 extract tin and 1KG of DME get to this high gravity? Is it ok? will I attenuate properly?

I did cultivate the yeast using a starter on a stir plate first, so hopefully this will help. Best case scenario is a high alcohol Dunkelweiszen I guess. hopefully this is the outcome and not some sugary rubbish. I also had a serious leak in my fermenter spigot which I needed to use plumbers tape on (yes after I'd pitched the yeast :-/ ), but that's a different issue lol.

Appreciate your expert and even not-so-expert opinions

-Dan

PS: my hydrometer is fine, I tested it in water and had used it the day before when bottling my 3rd brew.

 

[hoppinmad]

Is there a chance you may not have mixed everything thoroughly? Could be that the bottom of your fermenter was 1.070 and the top was 1.020

That's the only explanation I can think of if your hydrometer is reading correctly

 

[dannymars]

hmmm, maybe.

I also shook absolute **** out of the fermenter for about 5mins prior to taking the reading... (hence above spigot problem haha)

mind you, the tin I used wasn't as warm as it could have been. might have been stuck to the bottom or something.

I have a packet of kent goldings in the fridge too, thinking of dry hopping this in a secondary... Any thoughts?

 

[mr_wibble]

Q: Dry hop a dunkelweizen?

A1: Go for it, it's your beer.
A2: Dunkelweizen is not about hop aroma, don't do it.
A3: Dunkelweizen is really not about hop aroma. If you do, all your milk will sour, and your cat will become pregnant.

Here's a style profile: http://byo.com/stories/issue/item/581-dunkelweizen-style-profile
Note: "... with a faint wisp of noble hops in the background"

If you were brewing say, a dark IPA, Robust porter, etc, then yeah fine.
But you did say Dunkelweizen. (This is one of my favourite, favourite styles).

cheers,
-kt

 

[dannymars]

My cat is desexed, but Imma take your advice anyways

Thanks!

 

[Alex.Tas]

Is there a chance you may not have mixed everything thoroughly? Could be that the bottom of your fermenter was 1.070 and the top was 1.020

That's the only explanation I can think of if your hydrometer is reading correctly

I'd agree with this. I've had this issue a fair few times before. However since you shook the fermenter it may not the be issue.

Maybe double check that you entered the ingredients into beer smith correctly? Long shot i know but could be the culprit. Its unlikely that you would be sold a kit that makes the dunkelweizen up to 1.072. thats damn high. So it leads me think that there is either a hydrometer issue or it's not mixed thoroughly.

Sorry i cant give you an answer you want to hear.

 

[dannymars]

Let's say it was a mixing issue....

How would I then figure out my ABV if the OG is not known? Is it even possible?

 

[mr_wibble]

Let's say it was a mixing issue....

How would I then figure out my ABV if the OG is not known? Is it even possible?

You can work out the OG from the ingredients.

Exactly what went into it - 1.7kg of LME, how much of the "Wheat Blend", and water ?
(which looks like Dried Malt Extract)

 

[Vini2ton]

When I take OG reading, I purge the tap so that I'm getting true reading (partial brewing) and not concentrated wort. A good shake wouldn't clear it out of the tap space with one of those sediment thingos in would it? Maybe that's your problem.

 

[dannymars]

I took two readings from the tap... one @ 1.072 then another @ 1.068 after diluting with 4litres of water...

@Beer dog, the kit is 1 can (1.7kg) and 1kg of DME -- so yes, should defo not be that high. It's only my 4th brew, but this has never happened in the previous 3... And I never even shook the previous 3. So strange (maybe :-/ )

 

[gsouth82]

When taking an OG sample I always fill the test tube up half way then throw that bit out.
When you pour the tin and DME into the fermenter and add hot water to dissolve, the concentrated mixture will end up struck in the tap. Once you've topped up with cool water just flush that concentrated bit out and take another sample that's more representative of the entire brew.

 

[dannymars]

I actually boiled the DME (with hops) first... added that, then added the LME... then added cold filtered water and shook the shit out of it (which I accidentally broke my tap doing ).

I actually took two readings... as mentioned in the post above.


I hope it's not a mixing issue, because then I may have diluted my wort way too much and will end up with a mid-strength beer.

live ane learn I guess.

 

[chemfish]

My bet would also be that your tin syrup was hanging around the bottom. Just bang in additional fermentables now, another kg should get it back to full strength.

 

[indica86]

I hope it's not a mixing issue,

It is. And you have diluted too much. It may be that the not-very-well-mixed-wort was what you drew from the tap and this was diluted for the second reading purely by the fact that you drew more wort through the tap.
You will now have a diluted-too-much beer.

 

[dannymars]

Add more fermentables...
I got some dextrose sitting around...

Will that do?

 

[chemfish]

Should be fine, just don't let the dextrose police catch you. I would wait for the krausen to start to die down if you have a good head on it already, if it's still building steam then you could probably just add it now. Boil it up in a little water to disolve it, wait for it to cool down to fermenter temp then add it carefully to avoid splashing.

 

[dannymars]

I reckon I'll wait 'til tomorrow and pick up some DME from the LHBS on my way home from work...

 

[dannymars]

1KG of wheat malt added...

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[mr_wibble]

Assuming the wheat malt is dried, BeerSmith says:

27.5 litre batch
1kg Amber Dry Extract
1kg Wheat Dry Extract
1.7kg Amber Malt Extract

Gives an estimated OG of about 1.040
Which sounds reasonable.

 

[dannymars]

I actually added 1.5lts of water too (coz I boiled the DME first).

so it's actually a 29lt batch.

I siphoned an entire litre of beer off the lid with a bendy drinking straw this-morning.... Dat yeast