Brewing short and effect on final gravities?

[Hopping_Mad]

So, measuring gravity is an exercise in measuring the density of a liquid right?

When I've brewed cider the expected gravity is 1000, same as water, so, once the yeasties have done their thing in cider and turned the sugar to alcohol it's the same density as water (I assume this is why the cider immediately post fermentation tastes so dry and brewers add sugar/sweetener back in to suit some tastes?)

Beers never end up at 1000, so something in the beer, post fermentation, makes it denser than water (proteins and other stuff I'm not sure on).

My question is, if I've brewed a kit with a quoted target final gravity, but brewed it short to 20ltrs instead of 23ltrs, I reckon I can forget the target FG as those 'fermentation leftovers' are in less liquid, and it's therefor denser?

I have a Milestone Lions Pride which I have brewed short after reading some reviews, but I've had constant readings after 10 days at 1014, and I wouldn't usually be satisfied with that. I'm wondering now If that is down to brewing short? If I knew what yeast it was I could check the expected attenuation.

Is my science legit, or am I talking doo-dah?

Discuss

[Hopping_Mad]

Just on the off chance anyone needed time to think about the maths!?

[harbinger]

Well Since nobody else has stumped up to help i'll do what i can,firstly i mainly brew lager but have done a few cider kits for my mate.I'm not an expert but do like getting pissed,So from my lager perspective i presume(unscientifically that the difference in gravity is because in brewing a lager kit to make it not taste like shoe polish,tangerines etc we add 1-1.5 kg of dried malt extact)is why you have a gravity off 1000 on yer ciderkit (remember on a cider kit there is only the kit ie apple juice concentreate,suger and water unless you've added something.Now on both kit types cider and lager i leave for 14 regardless and then bottle so if you have brewed short in theory(and someone can correct me if im wrong) you now have the same amount of concentrated juice,suger yeast,just less water=stronger cider,however i presume it will take just as long for the wee yeastie beasties to eat all the sugars etc.Anyway I always leave for 14(not 10 days) and have only had one bad batch of lager(second got cockey) and no bad batches of cider.I did make a crusader kit once and it was CACK!!!!!!!,I have an elderly freind in devon and he thought it was the best homebrew BITTER he'd tasted.....So i would say leave it another 4 days and then just bottle it(but next time dont brew short add some dme and it will be stronger and you will get more pints for yer money) hope that helps a bit if not someone else will correct me....dave