S.G. = 1.110??

[htims05]

So I just did my first brew - used the northern brewer 5gal kit and had the specific gravity tester as well. Block Party Amber Ale.

My measured gravity right before putting it into the fermenter was 1.110, which is way high for an ale. What did I do wrong...

My steps:
1) Steeped grains for 20 min as 2.5 US Gallons water heated
2) Boiled after steeped grains were removed
3) turned off heat, stirred in Malt Extract
4) Slow boil for 60 min with hops in a muslin bag
5) cooled using a wort chiller coil to about 64 deg F (40min or so)
6) Measured gravity using the Northern Brewer Gravity testing kit - extracted using a sanitized wine thief and test tube...gravity measure thing floated wort lined up with 1.110 on the measure device.
7) wort to fermenter with water up to 5 US Gal. Added Yeast, covered, done.

 

[501irishred]

How much water was needed to top it off? Your OG (original specific gravity) is actually taken then (at full volume), although with extract, I usually don’t even bother with the OG. In fact I usually find extremely low readings with extract. The final gravity (FG) should be believable however and should be used to determine that fermentation is done.

 

[RM-MN]

The only thing you did wrong is to take a hydrometer sample where the extract was concentrated and not well mixed. Your OG is really what the kit says it is. It is really difficult to get the extract wort and the top off water well mixed and incorrect reading follow.

 

[htims05]

Oh I did the reading before adding water. I had to add about 2.5 to 3 gallons.

I didn’t realize it should be taken after adding water!!

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Oh I did the reading before adding water. I had to add about 2.5 to 3 gallons.

I didn’t realize it should be taken after adding water!!

So it sounds like you are on track with the recipe (which calls for a 1.043 gravity). If you had 2 gals of 1.110 wort, then added 3 gals of water, you would have a 1.044 original gravity: 110 * (2/5) = 44