O.G/LME weights - clarification, please...

[leigh1919]

Hi -

My first Extract is all bottled, looking good and smelling great. I'm sure it'll taste very good.
However, the FG means it's going to be waaay less alcoholic than I thought - just 3.0% at best. i was hoping 4.5-5.0.

now, i've been racking my brains to figure out why. now i know - my SG was 1031 when the target was 1055. I couldnt figure out why, or knew what i could to change it, so i forged ahead.

MY recipe called for 7lbs (Yank recipe) of LME. I bought two tins of Brupaks pale malt - and i think that, combined, these were just a shade shy of 7lb's worth - not a lot, but im wondering wether this could have been the tipping point, why my OG was way off?

If this is the case, and I ever find my SG lacking again, is there anything i can do at this stage (when reading SG) to bolster it?

If you want to see the recipe, its on the brewdays page....

Thanks!
Thanks

[Alton_Bee]

Without having looked at the recipe currently a couple of things come to mind:

1) have you allowed for the yanks short measure on a pint - 5 yank gallons = 19 litres and 5 PROPER Imperial gallons = 22.5 Litres !!

2) what size where the tins of extract as I think you might only have had just over 6 lbs of extract.

The 2 of these combined could be factors in your low OG

[leigh1919]

thanks Vic - I think you're right, i must pay more attention to weights and measures when following the recipes.

If this comes up again, is there anything i can do at the initial stage to boost the OG if it is off (not that i can think of any reasons why if I follow the instructions/bill properly!)

[J_P]

Hi Leigh

What temperature did you measure the SG at? The warmer the wort the lower the SG appears to be.

There is a useful calculator here to help you work it out.

John

[leigh1919]

cheers John mate! Am having a second go at this beer because it actually has turned out quite well so want to try it a second time, and really nail the recipe.