FG going up?

[pdickerson76]

SO i did a reading several days ago and it came out to be 1.022. OG was 1.088 on a black IPA. Did a reading 3 days ago and it was 1.035. How is this possible? The only thing I did was bump temps from 65 to 68. OG was done with both a hydrometer and a refractometer. I added dry hops on this last Sunday, same day I did the reading. I plan to kegg early Friday morning and I will do another reading at that point.

 

[pdickerson76]

Guess I should add I used 1.5 packs of us05 that was rehydrated. Had active fermentation within 12 hours and it was visible through blow off tube and air lock for well over a week

 

[myndflyte]

How did you take these readings? With a hydrometer or refractometer? Refractometers will give incorrect readings with alcohol present.

 

[pdickerson76]

I used a refractometer both times on my FG readings. I was unaware of false readings with alcohol present. Maybe theres hope after all. I like the refractometer because it uses no beer to test vs the tube and hydrometer. I use carboys not buckets for fermenting.

 

[myndflyte]

I used a refractometer both times on my FG readings. I was unaware of false readings with alcohol present. Maybe theres hope after all. I like the refractometer because it uses no beer to test vs the tube and hydrometer. I use carboys not buckets for fermenting.

Try this: Refractometer Calculator - Brewer's Friend Be sure to use the one titled "With alcohol present."

 

[VikeMan]

I used a refractometer both times on my FG readings. I was unaware of false readings with alcohol present. Maybe theres hope after all. I like the refractometer because it uses no beer to test vs the tube and hydrometer. I use carboys not buckets for fermenting.

Refractometer readings do have to be corrected using a refractometer calculator. But that does not explain a reading of 1.022 and a later reading of 1.035 from the same device, which is not possible (corrected or not), unless the refractometer went severely out of calibration between readings.

 

[pdickerson76]

I am really confused. I will be doing a reading with a hydrometer in the next few days. I looked at the conversion calculator and have no clue how to use that.

 

[VikeMan]

I am really confused. I will be doing a reading with a hydrometer in the next few days. I looked at the conversion calculator and have no clue how to use that.

Try this one.
http://seanterrill.com/2012/01/06/refractometer-calculator/Just put in your original brix reading and your final brix reading. If you didn't note those, take a look in your refractometer, and pick the brix numbers that physically align with the SG readings you did note.

 

[pdickerson76]

well that sounds easy enough. I assume there is a conversion chart online for SG to Brix?

 

[VikeMan]

well that sounds easy enough. I assume there is a conversion chart online for SG to Brix?

Possibly. But depending on context, it could be different than the scales in your refractometer, which is what you want for this. If you noted 1.088 for OG, look into your actual refractometer and see what Brix number aligns with it. Usually the Brix scale is on the left and the SG scale is on the right. Enter that brix number in the calculator. Same with your FG.

 

[pdickerson76]

OK. I guess that will have to wait until I am off work, but thanks so much for the help!

 

[Calder]

Using my calculator, if you had a 1.088 OG, and a refractometer reading of 9.0 Brix as the FG, the conversion will give you an FG of 1.004. Seems pretty low. Take a Hydrometer reading.

I like to take hydrometer readings of fermented beer because the feedback is immediate (and not confusing), and you have a sample to taste - I think you learn a lot more about the beer from drinking the sample than just the gravity reading.

When I take a sample from a carboy, I use a sanitized turkey baster (dedicated to brewing) to get the sample.

I just use the refractometer for mashing to calculate efficiency, and occasionally for the OG (though I usually don't bother with an OG since I can calculate the OG from the mash).

 

[pdickerson76]

Using my calculator, if you had a 1.088 OG, and a refractometer reading of 9.0 Brix as the FG, the conversion will give you an FG of 1.004. Seems pretty low. Take a Hydrometer reading.

I like to take hydrometer readings of fermented beer because the feedback is immediate (and not confusing), and you have a sample to taste - I think you learn a lot more about the beer from drinking the sample than just the gravity reading.

When I take a sample from a carboy, I use a sanitized turkey baster (dedicated to brewing) to get the sample.

I just use the refractometer for mashing to calculate efficiency, and occasionally for the OG (though I usually don't bother with an OG since I can calculate the OG from the mash).

I punched in those same numbers on a calculator and got the same results. Way too low. I need to find me a Turkey baster like you speak of. I currently use a wine thief in my car boy. I think I should start using buckets for the ease of testing but I enjoy watching the action.

 

[pdickerson76]

I took a sample last night with a hydrometer and got 1.020 which is pretty close to what I was expecting. I now know to never use a refractometer for FG testing. What a relief.

 

[VikeMan]

I took a sample last night with a hydrometer and got 1.020 which is pretty close to what I was expecting. I now know to never use a refractometer for FG testing. What a relief.

You now know not to use that refractometer. A good (calibrated, non-broken) refractometer works fine along with the proper corrections, i.e. it doesn't give meaningless, random readings.

If you are now "off" refractometers, I can kind of understand that. I just didn't want future googlers to read this and think refractometers "don't work."

Anyway, how does the beer taste?

 

[pdickerson76]

It is brand new as of mid May. I do not think it is broken. I calibrated it prior to first use but I will be doing that before each use from now on. Still not exactly sure on how to get an accurate FG reading on it, or I don't understand the conversion process. Yeah, I am in no way against using them lol!

Beer tasted great. had a nice mild roasted flavor to it and decent hop aroma. Kegging up tomorrow morning. Going to pull off a gallon and ad some oak chips soaking in Knob Creek for two days then bottle that.