What Have I Done Wrong

[macneil29]

ok put my first extract down just then..

boiled all my stuff at the times i was given from my lhbs (its one of their recipies) put it in the fermenter with my unhopped malt goop.. put yeast in but my hydrometer reading it at like 1003!!

whats gone wrong or is my hydrometer reading wrong..

ingredients

3.6kg amber al
100g crystal
50g roasted barley
70g golden hops? somehting like that..

all in the boil to start with

14g goldening at 30mins
14g gold at flame out

then mix to 23l add yeast

but i got 1003 on the hydro test!

the lady said no need for sugar and the recipie did not call for it? could that be it?

 

[Tyred]

See what the hydrometer reads in plain water.

Was the malt mixed in the boil or did you add the malt after the boil ?

The only thing I can think of that it isn't mixed very well. Where was the hydrometer sample taken from - the top or the bottom ?

 

[mwd]

As above + the grains need to be steeped not boiled.

If you don't know what the ingredients are or how to prepare them properly you are probably running before learning how to walk.

I would stick to kits and bits and do further reading and research before going into full extract brewing.

All the information on steeping and hop extract is available on many threads here on AHB.

P.S. not trying to discourage you but you do need to get familiar with basic procedures before venturing into more advanced brewing.

 

[macneil29]

was taken from the tap so the bottom.. the hbs said put it in at those times so i did what they said.. will try another hydro test first tho.. and test in plain water..

 

[glaab]

what is amber al ?, amber Liquid Malt Extract?, that alone would push it up to 1050 or so

 

[captaincleanoff]

all in the boil to start with

if you put all the grains into the boil, you have boiled off all the fermentable sugars. You need to steep/mash your grains at about 66c for 60-90 mins, then boil the wort for 90 mins.

If you did do this, then maybe your hydrometer is gone

 

[macneil29]

yes sorry was the amber liquid malt.. am tired am starting to think my hydrometer maybe reading wrong as it is now reading 1010 was at 1003..

have done another beer enhancer that was pretty much the same as this which worked fine exept this time i bought ingredients seperately..

was unhopped liquid malt i stirred it but its very dark at the bottom.. should i crack the lid and gently stir more with a sanitizes brew spoon?

 

[Cube]

Mate leave it for 12 days. Any more 'cracking' it will be another way to induce infection.

Put this one down to experience and brew, brew, brew until you have no more room to store brew.

Oh - and ask here first. The average LHBS = bollocks sell you whatever.

 

[manticle]

If you put in 3.6 kg of liquid malt, there's no way your OG is 1003. Don't worry about stirring - even at the bottom the yeast will find at least some of the malt and make you beer.

Leave it, get another hydrometer (or at least test that one in water) and see how it is in a few days.

 

[buttersd70]

If you hawk up some phlegm and spit into 23L of water, even that on it's own should be enough to lift the gravity to 1.003.......

+1 for either a dodgy hydrometer, or an id 10 T error....

 

[jonocarroll]

if you put all the grains into the boil, you have boiled off all the fermentable sugars. You need to steep/mash your grains at about 66c for 60-90 mins, then boil the wort for 90 mins.

I'm sorry, is this not clawing at the back of anyone else's brain???

@macneil29: You don't mention straining out the grains. Did you? Or did you put them in the fermenter as well? Out of curiosity, did you boil the amber liquid malt (and grains if that was the case) with water?

 

[manticle]

I'm sorry, is this not clawing at the back of anyone else's brain???

I didn't read that first time around. How do you boil off sugars?

CC - did you mean something else as that sounds all wrong.

 

[macneil29]

amber malt was not boiled.. and i strained the grains and rinsed (with a little boiled water) my hydrometer has given me 3 seperate readings now.. also my last brew gave me a few different ones.. starting to think my hydrometer might be the problem..

 

[jonocarroll]

amber malt was not boiled.. and i strained the grains and rinsed (with a little boiled water) my hydrometer has given me 3 seperate readings now.. also my last brew gave me a few different ones.. starting to think my hydrometer might be the problem..

Or the way you're using it...

What do you do to take a sample? Don't mean to accuse you of doing it wrong, but best to be sure.

Interestingly; Do you fill your sample tube all the way? Do you clear the tap first? Do you make sure there aren't bubbles clinging to the hydrometer? Do you read from the top or bottom of the meniscus?

Someone else may have some better critique of your method.

 

[macneil29]

yes filled it so there werent any bubbles from the tap fermenter had just been cleaned also the tap was clean i filled it to about 3/4 mark.. like usual.. put it flat on the table dropped it in and gave it a little twirl..

 

[macneil29]

yeast cake has built up and is bubbling away..

 

[Renegade]

Is your hydrometer upside down ?

 

[manticle]

Or the way you're using it...

What do you do to take a sample? Don't mean to accuse you of doing it wrong, but best to be sure.

Interestingly; Do you fill your sample tube all the way? Do you clear the tap first? Do you make sure there aren't bubbles clinging to the hydrometer? Do you read from the top or bottom of the meniscus?

Someone else may have some better critique of your method.

Even if you stuffed all those things you'd be hard pressed to get 1003. Maybe renegade is right?

 

[Renegade]

I'm almost always right ! Just kiddnig, but a new member joined recently and his hydro was upside down, so while it might sounds crazy, it's worth throwing the idea out there. 1003 is not a plausible measure.

 

[buttersd70]

I'm almost always right ! Just kiddnig, but a new member joined recently and his hydro was upside down, so while it might sounds crazy, it's worth throwing the idea out there. 1003 is not a plausible measure.

may as well use a rectal thermometer. :lol: