OG (hopefully) Higher Than Initial Reading?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by jdulb, Jan 12, 2019.

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  1. jdulb

    jdulb Initiate (0) Aug 26, 2017 Indiana

    Hi all,

    I finally got to brew this week with some new tools. I recently purchased a Counterflow Chiller, an SS Brewtech Brew Bucket, and the SS Brewtech FTSs2 System. The kit I used was the Fresh Squished IPA Extract Kit from Northern Brewer. The boil started with 2.5 gallons of water + the ~9lbs of Malt Syrup. Before transferring to the fermenter, I added 2 gallons of cold water. After I finished transferring, my volume was 4 gallons, so I added 1 more gallon of cold water.

    Here is where I think I screwed up - without thinking, right after pouring the last gallon of cold water on top (didn't even stir up the wort), I used a pipette to extract a sample from the top to use for my gravity readings. The reading (w/ a refractometer) came in at about 1.040, where the target OG is 1.064. I was pretty bummed & figured the batch was going to be weak, but it didn't phase me until the next day that maybe my reading was inaccurate?

    I don't want to jinx it now (knock on wood), but the fermentation has been going really strong for what I thought would be a weak beer from my readings. ~8 hours after pitching the yeast, the fermenter was bubbling every 10 seconds. ~14 hours after pitching the yeast, the fermenter was bubbling every 3 seconds. ~ 20 hours after pitching the yeast, it's bubbling once or twice every second. It's been going at this rate now for almost 24 hours.

    I know that the rates/progressions I mentioned above seem pretty standard for any type of fermentation, but for a beer that came through at what I thought was 1.040, this seems stronger than that. Would taking a sample from the top after pouring water on top cause my reading to be lower than normal? Do the rates/progressions seem stronger than a 1.040 beer? I appreciate any help/feedback/suggestions, thank you all! Cheers!

    Updating to add that I used the Safale US-05 Ale Dry Yeast
     
    #1 jdulb, Jan 12, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2019
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Quite possibly.
     
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  3. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I can use less words than @VikeMan.......probably.
     
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  4. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Assuming your batch is 5 gallons (i.e., not too much water) your OG will be in the neighborhood of 1.064.

    In remembrance of Charlie Papazian: RDWHAHB (Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Homebrew).

    Cheers!
     
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  5. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Almost certainly a lack of mixing in the sampled wort. Nothing to worry about..
     
  6. jdulb

    jdulb Initiate (0) Aug 26, 2017 Indiana

    Thanks all! Feeling a bit better now. Looking forward to kegging in a few weeks & giving it a taste!
     
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  7. Jos3h2r

    Jos3h2r Initiate (0) Apr 7, 2015 Panama

    Just my first batch was with extract but yeah, but yeah is like making lemonade, if you dont steer the sugar will get to the bottom and wont disolve, that might be the reason.
     
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  8. Jos3h2r

    Jos3h2r Initiate (0) Apr 7, 2015 Panama

    Damn my grammar, stir. Sorry lol english is not my first language.
     
  9. JrGtr

    JrGtr Pooh-Bah (1,775) Apr 13, 2006 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    With extract brewing things are more cut and dried than with all-grain. X lbs of LME in Y gallons of water will give you Z OG.
    So it's highly likely that your OG was in the area of the original instructions, plus or minus a couple points.
    If you were going all-grain, it would be possible to get that extraction rate, depending on a lot of other factors.
     
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