SG goes up 19 points from OG

[Brewer #396392]

I started a Lager yesterday. I am really new BTW. The OG was 1.039 by the recipe it should have been higher. About 2 hours in it started going up and at 1.058 it started to come back down as quick as it went up. This was an extract batch using 34/70. Any thoughts would be appreciated. This morning it is bubbling away and it is at 1.035.
Thank you

 

[Zambi]

How did you measure your gravity?

 

[Sandy Feet]

Did you adjust your reading for the temperature? Hydrometers are set for around 68F and need an adjustment calculation if the temperature is significantly different. Other tools may not be accurate after fermentation starts.
OG should show higher and will decrease as it ferments. It doesn't go up and down unless you do not take into account the difference in temperature.

 

[Brewer #396392]

How did you measure your gravity?

Tilt

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

Since this was an extract batch, I'm sure the variance was from wort/water stratification caused by incomplete mixing of the wort and top-up water. Once the yeast started doing their thing, the convection thoroughly mixed everything together and now you have a reading closer to what you expected.

 

[Brewer #396392]

Since this was an extract batch, I'm sure the variance was from wort/water stratification caused by incomplete mixing of the wort and top-up water. Once the yeast started doing their thing, the convection thoroughly mixed everything together and now you have a reading closer to what you expected.

Thank you that is my hope - cheers

 

[Minbari]

I started a Lager yesterday. I am really new BTW. The OG was 1.039 by the recipe it should have been higher. About 2 hours in it started going up and at 1.058 it started to come back down as quick as it went up. This was an extract batch using 34/70. Any thoughts would be appreciated. This morning it is bubbling away and it is at 1.035.
Thank you

Tilt

those tilts use temperature readings to compensate for SG readings. not uncommon for it to be WAY off when you put it in and then settle in to the correct reading after an hour or so.

 

[Donoroto]

Tilt

Also common for a Tilt to be way off during fermentation. It is accurate when clean, but get some krausen sludge on it and it suffers. But when it stops changing, you can believe the main fermentation has finished. A few days more and you're ready to package it.