Hey guys I just started in this hobby and love it. I have made now three Brewers Best beer kits and one Red Malbac wine kit. The American Red ale turned out great the Octoberfest is being bottled sunday (tasted it before I put it in secondary) and so far it tasted great. I just brewed an Imperial nut brown ale. My question is this, so far the OG has come out lower than the instructions say on to of my kits. For example the Imperial that I did tonight says it should be 1.071-1.075 yet it came out at 1.064. Is this ok or should I be adding more water or less?? I have it right at the 5 gallon mark in my fermenter.
Possible causes for low OG reading with extract... - Measurement Error (eyeballed the hydrometer wrong) - Too Much Water - LME was left behind in the jugs - If partial boil, Wort and Top Off water not thoroughly mixed before measurement - Failure to correct measurement for temperature - Hydrometer not calibrated
