Missed Orig Gravity By A Mile......

[Mike at Bay]

So was expecting an OG of 1.085 but ended up at 1.071. I tried to use a Northern Brewer recipe for BIAB and used my typical water volumes that were higher than NB suggested volumes. Clearly diluted to a huge degree. It was supposed to be a Porter (Choc/PB). Pre Boil was 1.061 vs the expected 1.066. Bummed.....as you guys know this was a lot of time and money to miss it by so much.

 

[Josh Hughes]

If you use a kit still plug it into the software. That way you are adjusting to your system. Kits are great but you have to do what you need for your system

 

[J A]

If you didn't use the same volumes as the kit was designed for, you couldn't hope to have the same results. What you need to know for next time is that you can boil off to the proper volume - and gravity - before adding hops and you're back on track...or just start with the proper volume of water.
There's really no reason to buy kits once you're fairly well set up. Just buy the malts you need and work out the recipe you want according to your system and procedure.

 

[Minbari]

I usually err on the side of less water. You can always add more.

 

[Dave Y]

If you miss low, boil longer BEFORE you start the hop schedule. If you miss high, sparge more or add some water in small amounts, stir, let sit, stir more, measure gravity again.

In case it hasn’t been driven home already:

Use the Brewers Friend Recipe Calculator, Luke!”

 

[Mike at Bay]

If you use a kit still plug it into the software. That way you are adjusting to your system. Kits are great but you have to do what you need for your system

Thanks. I thought I did that but obviously I got something wrong. Try, try again.

 

[Mike at Bay]

If you didn't use the same volumes as the kit was designed for, you couldn't hope to have the same results. What you need to know for next time is that you can boil off to the proper volume - and gravity - before adding hops and you're back on track...or just start with the proper volume of water.
There's really no reason to buy kits once you're fairly well set up. Just buy the malts you need and work out the recipe you want according to your system and procedure.

Thanks. I thought I knew the boil off of my BIAB set up. Has worked a couple of times before with 8ish gals to get to 5.5 gal batch at the end. Clearly my calc was wrong this time (used the "other" software). I ended the brew with more beer than expected so I am sure it was the water measurement converted from the kit to my set up.

 

[Mike at Bay]

If you miss low, boil longer BEFORE you start the hop schedule. If you miss high, sparge more or add some water in small amounts, stir, let sit, stir more, measure gravity again.

In case it hasn’t been driven home already:

Use the Brewers Friend Recipe Calculator, Luke!”

I need to take more measurements of gravity. I was close on but not right on for the pre boil on this one. Didn't know I could simply boil for a bit to bring it up but that makes sense. I will eventually get it in my head.

 

[Mike at Bay]

So after the sample cooled a little more I am around 1.073 (hoped for 1.085). I will keep it fermenting and then use this as an experiment for getting the PB2 and Cacao in it to see how that works.

 

[Josh Hughes]

I usually err on the side of less water. You can always add more.

Me too. I put a gallon jug in the refrigerator for top off. Helps get wort temp down those last few degrees too.

 

[Mike at Bay]

Gang. Thanks so much. I have been using another brew software. I just this morning put the recipe in the the BF software and it is telling me to expect an OG of 1.071. EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE. I will share the recipe once I know it is 100%.

I will be moving over to the BF platform.....only had a few recipes in the other. Maybe it was just luck....dont have water profile over here yet. I somehow feel better about missing my OG now.

 

[J A]

We all have those brewdays were something just doesn't come out the way we expected...even after hundreds or thousands of gallons brewed.

The thing to remember is that OG is measured post-boil (it doesn't change anywhere down the line) and recipe projections are based on a specific post-boil volume but knowing pre-boil gravity and volume will tell you exactly what you need to know to get there. Knowing your boil off rate will allow you to predict exactly where you'll be but boil off can change.

If your gravity is high (better than expected efficiency) but your volume is right, you can top up and adjust you hop additions accordingly.
If it's low but you have the right volume, you have the choice of continuing with a lower gravity beer or adding some extract to get to your numbers.
Get familiar with the "Dilution and Boil Off" calculator in the tools section. It can really help you keep things on track. I use it pretty much every time I brew.

 

[Minbari]

We all have those brewdays were something just doesn't come out the way we expected...even after hundreds or thousands of gallons brewed.

The thing to remember is that OG is measured post-boil (it doesn't change anywhere down the line) and recipe projections are based on a specific post-boil volume but knowing pre-boil gravity and volume will tell you exactly what you need to know to get there. Knowing your boil off rate will allow you to predict exactly where you'll be but boil off can change.

If your gravity is high (better than expected efficiency) but your volume is right, you can top up and adjust you hop additions accordingly.
If it's low but you have the right volume, you have the choice of continuing with a lower gravity beer or adding some extract to get to your numbers.
Get familiar with the "Dilution and Boil Off" calculator in the tools section. It can really help you keep things on track. I use it pretty much every time I brew.

This is exactly why i always put in less water than expected. At the end of the boil, you may be on target or SG may be high. You can always add water to get the gravity where you want, regardless of volume.

BUT if you're efficiency was lower than you expected, you might be close to target, just lower volume.

Always better to have less volume, but correct gravity, the beer will turn out the way you want it.

 

[Mike at Bay]

We all have those brewdays were something just doesn't come out the way we expected...even after hundreds or thousands of gallons brewed.

The thing to remember is that OG is measured post-boil (it doesn't change anywhere down the line) and recipe projections are based on a specific post-boil volume but knowing pre-boil gravity and volume will tell you exactly what you need to know to get there. Knowing your boil off rate will allow you to predict exactly where you'll be but boil off can change.

If your gravity is high (better than expected efficiency) but your volume is right, you can top up and adjust you hop additions accordingly.
If it's low but you have the right volume, you have the choice of continuing with a lower gravity beer or adding some extract to get to your numbers.
Get familiar with the "Dilution and Boil Off" calculator in the tools section. It can really help you keep things on track. I use it pretty much every time I brew.

Thanks. Looking at the calculator it would seem you'd want to use option #1 most of the time. I assume that most of the time we know our actual pre boil gravity, desired gravity and volume. From there we'd know whether to dilute or boil.

 

[Dave Y]

I need to take more measurements of gravity. I was close on but not right on for the pre boil on this one. Didn't know I could simply boil for a bit to bring it up but that makes sense. I will eventually get it in my head.

Remember my brew day motto:
1) Measure twice.
2) Mash once
3) Blame @Bigbre04 when it all goes south