Unusually High Sg

[SpuddyMcSpud]

G'day resident brewmeisters,

Just a quickie - I did a search but couldn't find anything that looked similar to my problem - I just finished making a brew (using Cooper's Pale can and 1kg of Cooper's Brew Enhancer #2, all done as per Cooper's instructions) and took my SG... 1.069!

Is it just me or is that stupidly high?? I've done 8 brews now and all my Cooper's kits have started out around 1.040.

Any advice appreciated, hope you're all knocking back a few pre-Chrissie coldies and taking it easy... I know I am.

cheers,
Nick

 

[paul]

Try putting the hydrometer into the fermenter and this will give you an accurate reading.

 

[pint of lager]

A higher than expecetd sg at the start is common, it is due to incomplete mixing of your brew, when you have tapped a sample off for a hydrometer reading, you have also captured plenty of the stronger part of your brew.

Don't float your hydrometer in the brew, the risks of infection are high. Much better to tap a sample into a test jar, float your hydrometer, taste the sample and then tip it out. Don't pour the sample back into the fermenter.

 

[hairofthedog]

take your reading @ 20deg for a more accurate reading

 

[SpuddyMcSpud]

A higher than expecetd sg at the start is common, it is due to incomplete mixing of your brew, when you have tapped a sample off for a hydrometer reading, you have also captured plenty of the stronger part of your brew.

Don't float your hydrometer in the brew, the risks of infection are high. Much better to tap a sample into a test jar, float your hydrometer, taste the sample and then tip it out. Don't pour the sample back into the fermenter.

Ahh incomplete mixing would be the culprit, I was in a bloody hurry to get it done (my wife is 8 1/2 months preggers and had 40,000 chores for me to do, all of which were absolutely postively must-be-done-right-now urgent).

Will this cause any issues with the final brew? (The incomplete mixing I mean, not the insane wife*!)

I always take my gravity readings into a jar and then dispose, every homebrewer I've ever met has harped on about the importance of not taking the lid off, and so far no infections so........

cheers & thanks for the tips,
Nick


* To those that may think this is very un-PC for a modern man of the world to say, yes I realise that she's not really insane and it's just the hormones, stress, worry and tiredness. Doesn't make it any less bizarre to be asked to clean the shed out before the baby arrives... I mean honestly, how often is a 2-week-old likely to be hanging out in the shed? Not until they're at least tall enough to mow the lawns anyway.

 

[Adamt]

Shouldn't cause any issues as long as goop isnt stuck to the bottom.

Maybe your wife wants to turn your shed into the nursery!

 

[SpuddyMcSpud]

Shouldn't cause any issues as long as goop isnt stuck to the bottom.

Maybe your wife wants to turn your shed into the nursery!

I'd be more than happy to have the spare bedroom for the TV and couch if she wants the shed!!

The high SG was indeed due to not mixing well enough - it had dropped to 1.032 24 hours later and down to 1.021 yesterday.

So... crisis averted. You can all rest easy again.

Thanks for the help!