andy6026
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On Saturday I brew "Pliney the Elder" with a target OG of 1.072. My actual pre-pitching OG was 1.062. While everything seemed to go smoothly according to the recipe, I'm curious as to why I missed the OG by that much.
The recipe is posted below, but the basics are as follows. We weighed the grains carefully. We mashed at 151 F for 60 mins and it held that temp consistently. I mashed out at 170 as it says. We then did a 90 minute boil and added the hops according to the recipe. I the aerated the wort for several minutes with a drill and paint stirrer before using a turkey baster to take samples from the middle of the fermener to measure the OG. I assume my aerating also gave it a decent enough mix to take an accurate OG reading?
I know Charlie's book says that those new to AG ought to add extra grains as they won't likely hit their expected OG otherwise... but why? It's not like the grain says, 'haha, this guy's new... I'll fool him". There must be something I (and other newbs) are doing to impede us from hitting the target OG. Any clues?
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Recipe:
for 6.0 gallons (22.7 L) [Net: 5 gallons (18.9 L) after hop loss]
13.25 lb (6.01 kg) Two-Row pale malt
0.6 lb (272 g) Crystal 45 malt
0.6 lb (272 g) Carapils (Dextrin) Malt
0.75 lb (340 g) Dextrose (corn) sugar
3.50 oz (99 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. 90 min.
0.75 oz (21 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. 45 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. 30 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Centennial 8.00% A.A. 0 min.
2.50 oz (71 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. 0 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
1.00 oz (28 g) Centennial 9.10% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
1.00 oz (28 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
0.25 oz (7 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
0.25 oz (7 g) Centennial 9.10% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
0.25 oz (7 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
*Tomahawk/Zeus can be substituted for Columbus
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast or
Wyeast 1056 American Ale Yeast
Original Gravity: 1.072
Final Gravity: 1.011
Extract Efficiency: 75 percent
IBUs: 90-95 (actual/not calculated)
ABV: 8.2%
SRM: 7
Directions
Mash grains at 151-152° F (66-67° C) for an hour or until starch conversion is complete.
Mash out at 170° F (77° C) and sparge. Collect 8 gallons (30 L) of runoff, stir in dextrose,
and bring to a boil. Add hops as indicated in the recipe. After a 90 minute boil, chill wort
to 67° F (19° C) and transfer to fermenter. Pitch two packages of yeast or a yeast starter
and aerate well. Ferment at 67° F (19° C) until fermentation activity subsides, then rack
to secondary. Add first set of dry hops on top of the racked beer and age 7-9 days, then
add the second set. Age five more days then bottle or keg the beer.
The recipe is posted below, but the basics are as follows. We weighed the grains carefully. We mashed at 151 F for 60 mins and it held that temp consistently. I mashed out at 170 as it says. We then did a 90 minute boil and added the hops according to the recipe. I the aerated the wort for several minutes with a drill and paint stirrer before using a turkey baster to take samples from the middle of the fermener to measure the OG. I assume my aerating also gave it a decent enough mix to take an accurate OG reading?
I know Charlie's book says that those new to AG ought to add extra grains as they won't likely hit their expected OG otherwise... but why? It's not like the grain says, 'haha, this guy's new... I'll fool him". There must be something I (and other newbs) are doing to impede us from hitting the target OG. Any clues?
---------
Recipe:
for 6.0 gallons (22.7 L) [Net: 5 gallons (18.9 L) after hop loss]
13.25 lb (6.01 kg) Two-Row pale malt
0.6 lb (272 g) Crystal 45 malt
0.6 lb (272 g) Carapils (Dextrin) Malt
0.75 lb (340 g) Dextrose (corn) sugar
3.50 oz (99 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. 90 min.
0.75 oz (21 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. 45 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. 30 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Centennial 8.00% A.A. 0 min.
2.50 oz (71 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. 0 min.
1.00 oz (28 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
1.00 oz (28 g) Centennial 9.10% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
1.00 oz (28 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. Dry Hop (12 to 14 days total)
0.25 oz (7 g) Columbus* 13.90% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
0.25 oz (7 g) Centennial 9.10% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
0.25 oz (7 g) Simcoe 12.30% A.A. Dry Hop (5 days to go in dry hop)
*Tomahawk/Zeus can be substituted for Columbus
White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast or
Wyeast 1056 American Ale Yeast
Original Gravity: 1.072
Final Gravity: 1.011
Extract Efficiency: 75 percent
IBUs: 90-95 (actual/not calculated)
ABV: 8.2%
SRM: 7
Directions
Mash grains at 151-152° F (66-67° C) for an hour or until starch conversion is complete.
Mash out at 170° F (77° C) and sparge. Collect 8 gallons (30 L) of runoff, stir in dextrose,
and bring to a boil. Add hops as indicated in the recipe. After a 90 minute boil, chill wort
to 67° F (19° C) and transfer to fermenter. Pitch two packages of yeast or a yeast starter
and aerate well. Ferment at 67° F (19° C) until fermentation activity subsides, then rack
to secondary. Add first set of dry hops on top of the racked beer and age 7-9 days, then
add the second set. Age five more days then bottle or keg the beer.