First Brew and High OG

[ChuckS1]

Well, tonight I brewed for the first time. I used the Midwest Supplies 5 gallon Amarillo Pale Ale kit and everything seemed to go well.

However, the OG was 1.060 at a 65 degree wort temperature, whereas the recipe called for an OG of 1.050-1.054. My hydrometer instructions tell me to add about 1/2 for the specific gravity correction at that temperature, so I guess my OG is really 1.065, higher than the 1.050-1.054 range in the recipe.

Is this really going to make a difference? If so, what's the impact? Or am I just worrying about nothing?

 

[JimRausch]

If it was an extract kit and you followed the directions on volume and used all the extract provided, then you almost have to have an OG within the range specified. It's frequent when adding topoff water that it doesn't mix well giving you an artificially wrong sg. Don't worry, activity during fermentation will mix it well.
But to answer your Q- An OG 10 points higher than expected would give you a beer that is more alcoholic than expected. And depending on where the FG finished, it might be sweeter than expected.

 

[bobeer]

yea, you're beer might have more abv to it but it's def not ruined or anything. You'll find a way to choke it down!

 

[flars]

Well, tonight I brewed for the first time. I used the Midwest Supplies 5 gallon Amarillo Pale Ale kit and everything seemed to go well.

However, the OG was 1.060 at a 65 degree wort temperature, whereas the recipe called for an OG of 1.050-1.054. My hydrometer instructions tell me to add about 1/2 for the specific gravity correction at that temperature, so I guess my OG is really 1.065, higher than the 1.050-1.054 range in the recipe.

Is this really going to make a difference? If so, what's the impact? Or am I just worrying about nothing?

hydrometer correction at 65° would be +0.0005 if your hydrometer is calibrated for 60°. this would round your og to 1.061.

 

[jrgtr42]

OUt of curiosity, did you top it off to the correct volume? Besides actually stirring, this might explain it - less wort than expected.

 

[ChuckS1]

May have topped it off a little over the 5 gallon mark, but not by much. The only thing I did different was add 5 drops of Fermcap-S to the boil and half a Whirlfloc tablet 15 minutes before the end of the boil. And I took the reading after pitching the yeast.

Been fermenting well at 62 degrees (according to the thermometer stuck on the side of the bucket) in my swamp cooler setup in the basement. Using a blowoff tube just in case.

 

[ronnie13]

Beach babe blonde amber. It's so good. I can't wait to taste it after its carbonated. Drinking some as we speak