Home Brew Forum

I made a stout today and took a sample of the beer post cooling to test the OG. It was 1070 but I could see a fair amount of break material in the sample jar.

After cleaning up etc I realised I'd not disposed of the sample and noticed the break material had compacted into the bottom quarter of the jar. Measuring OG again showed it as 1066, a fairly hefty difference.

I've noticed break material in the sample jar before but never retested it. It makes obvious sense that solids in the sample would be an issue, I've just never done anything about it before. Is this something any of you do?

Did you compensate for temperature? If the sample warmed to 24.4 C then 1.066 = 1.070
https://www.brewersfriend.com/hydrometer-temp/

I don't think solids in the jar would make any difference. It wouldn't change the density of the liquid above it. If you placed the hydrometer in the kettle after cooling (as some people do for readings) there would be loads of trub at the bottom, but it wouldn't impact the reading. Temperature could certainly be a factor as above.

I guess if break material was floating on top of the hydrometer it could weigh it down though. I assumed you meant it had already compacted but just re-read your post.

Take a sample of wort, put this into a container, let the wort cool to the required temp for your hydrometer. Once cooled most of the break / debris should have sunk to the bottom of the container. Carefully decant clear wort into the hydrometer cylinder, take reading with hydrometer.