I made three batches this weekend two stouts and one IPA. I missed og reading by .008

Would like some add vice from the experts on how to hit your og reading?

My first batch was a stout my og cal. at 1.074 reading was 1.066 was all grain single infusion strike at 154 and sparge at 170, I did well on hitting those temps. I don't have my own mill yet so can't control the gap that the grain is milled at any help thanks in advance

That's not too bad of a variance, especially considering all the factors in play. I've found substantial variations even between different batches of the same brand of grain. I'd say you're doing pretty good if you can stay within 0.005.

If you really want to get obsessive about it, you could always take the gravity of the boil, and calculate the amount of water to add to attain your target gravity.

thanks gillbates I am new to this so i worry but not obsessive

just trying get the best out the grain, not sure what would be good og reading thanks again

Those are pretty good readings. You're probably going to get up into the 6 and 7 percent ABV range with those gravities. Assuming you've got the headspace in your fermenter, you might want to add a little more water next time. You might be getting really good efficiencies, or your batches might be coming in a little small.

Unless the style specifically calls for a high gravity, 1.050 is a good starting gravity.

it just so happend this recipe calls for high gravity its called Big honken Stout and the recipe really looked good love stout beer

Not sure how i did on the IPA dropped the hydrometer outch, the next day I picked up a new hydrometer and the oat meal stout was about the same for og reading about .007 off.

my next batche all try somthing avg in gravity so i can get with in .005

gillbates more water? I used 1.25qt/ponds 7gal boil 5.5gal carboy

Robert,

Are you batch or fly sparging?

If all your readings are off the same direction, have you checked your hydrometer with plain water to calibrate? I discovered mine was about 4 points off -

Yeah the last time i broke my hydometer ,I bought three to make sure I didnt get caught empty handed- they were all off by a few points. So I learned to addjust. There are afew ways
to get better effs, finer crush, I mash long time, anyway maybe post more details on one of
your brews, give some of these guys more to work with-what Shawn said for eg

Matt

Ohio Batch sparge

jmo yes both reading lower then they should and yes I cal cold then warm was real close but that got me thinking, I recheck my # for water vs. grain. my batch had one more gallon wurt then I cal for gravity so that gets me with in three gravity points I think.

Mathew yes I will need more clumsy me, big honken stout recipe


13.75 lbs. otter 2 row
0.5 lbs. Roast Barley
0.75 lbs. black patten
0.25 lbs. Weyermann Carafa III
0.25 lbs. Caramel 120

2 oz. Willamette (60 min)
1 oz. Cascade (15 min)
1 oz. Cascade (1 min)

154 F for 60 minutes
168 F for 10 minutes

O.k I got ya.

Your not counting your Mash Tun density.
So you'll have to figure out where your at.

My guess is you have a gallon extra space than your accounting for.

How much did you lose to the kettle if any?
What was your pre boil gav. if you took a reading, I like to take a reading pre boil, before late
hop charges and then what I'm gonna ferment. Pre boil can help so you can adjust if need too,and I base my effs on that too.

Brewed three batches in a week end....... that's some big honken brewin' man!!

Ok I think this where I went wrong, og recipe cal with 7 gal boil and 5.5 gal batch that gives me 1.074 my reading was 1.066

After boil I ended with 5 gallons, so I added one gallon water to make 6 gallons witch is different then my og recipe cal. I like to have the extra gallon because the cake is always big in my stouts.

thanks guys for all your input I hope I haven?t cried wolf I will pay close attain to my #?s I value everybody?s input would hate to loose that

Ohoi i dont understand mashtun density maybe you can explain thanks

mathew lost two gallons add one back

i will have to give pre boil reading a try, if low add dme not sure ?

yes thats lot of brew in, i am dry tell these brews are ready hoping IPA ready in two weeks

Its possible in certain mash tuns to loose more water than in another tun.
Or versus.

The dimensions of your Mash Tun can affect where your water is going.
How your grain and tun are preforming can affect things as well.

Please call me Shawn.
The Ohio is a little confusing..LOL

Smoking Treez

Ohio
I have huge mash tun 60 + one of those coolmen - freeze
was thinking on going to smaller cooler like 40 or 50, it would help to control mash temps with less space ?

If you take a pre boil reading and are sure you've got say 7 gals of wort in your kettle then
your reading says 1.055 Do this 7 * 55= 385/15.5 lbs of grain = 24.8 pppg. I think thats the old way of figuring effs (you / 24.8 by 38 pppg = 65.2 % eff) and I still do it that way 'cos I'm old.
Don't adjust at the begining of the boil- take a reading before you add your finishing hops -flavor and such - and add some DME if need to then, as long as you know purdy close to how many gals you have in your pot and how much you will lose to evaporation in the amout of time you've aloted for your last hop charges
I hope this makes since to you and I'm helping and not hurting
Matt

Shawn, where's Bopper?

Brewboy,

Haven't heard from the Bopper? since I moved.
I need to give him a ring on the telephone tomorrow.

15% roasted barley..LOL

Mathew thanks I will try that most of time the old methods help me to under standing the basics witch gives me good foundation

Please tell him I said, Hi.

Will do Brewboy

Yeah, I miss the text with that English accent.

We all need to let Richard know were taking the piss!!! LOL