Way overshot my OG

[403Brewer]

So I just put and ESB into the fermenter at an OG of 1.070...was shooting for 1.059...can anyone suggest why this could happen? I designed my recipe using beer smith with an estimated total eff of 72%...could I just have been more efficient than anticipated or does that not have anything to do with it. Any suggestions on what to do next? Recipe was for 5.5 gal, 10.4 lb Maris Otter, 1 lb crystal 80, 1 lb crystal 30. I was over on my pre-boil gravity also so any suggestions on what to do if that happens again...should I be taking more samples during my mash and sparge likely? Also any things I should be doing while talking gravities, basically I just cool it and put the hydrometer in. Thanks a lot

 

[W0rthog]

How long did you boil for?


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[403Brewer]

60 min, but it was super cold outside so that may have effected my evap rates? Still hit my volume targets post sparge and post boil

 

[Beergnomes]

That grain bill is nearly identical to mine (11# 2 row base, 10.4 crystal) I'm getting 1.059 - 1.063. brewed 3 batches with thus bill and I also use beer smith just to check where my recipes fall, my efficiency is the same as your too I think. What was your mash temp?

 

[403Brewer]

About 67.5 C (153.5 F)

 

[W0rthog]

How cold was your wort when you took a reading? Just curious, because it was cold outside that day. If it was colder than 68 deg F, then you'd need to compensate for that.


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[403Brewer]

Brought it to room temperature inside, even left it over night to see if it would remain the same (and it did).

 

[tootal]

Did you mill the malt or the LHBS? Could be a finer grind than normal? Did you do anything else different than normal?

 

[acidrain]

Any chance you mashed more grain than you think (over measured)?

 

[403Brewer]

I had the LHBS do the measuring and milling for me. I don't know what "mill spacing" or whatever its called was but it didn't look any different than the typical crush I get from them. I never verified the weight but it did not over flow the mashtun or anything as if there was an extra 2lb or something. The batch sparge process was the same as usual. This was only my 4th AG batch, so possibly my efficiency is getting a bit better but still seems like a lot to overshoot by 0.01

 

[Beergnomes]

My highest gravity batch was the one that was mashed at 153. I do know that mash temps nearer to the lower end of the range give you less body more attenuation, higher end of temp range (156 mash in) gives more body lower alcohol. This may have contributed?

 

[403Brewer]

Maybe my sparge temps were too high, I sparged at 165 (beersmith suggested temp). The final mash temp only changed 0.5 deg C, so almost nothing. Anyways I have some aggressive fermentation going now, time to just see how it turns out!

 

[CTownBrewer]

I would start weighing out your grain when you receive it from the LHBS. I've never overshot by that much, but I have overshot before & found out that the LHBS grain weights are rarely exactly what was ordered. In fact, one time my base 2-row was over by 1/2 lb.

Also, is your hydrometer calibrated? I'd get some distilled water & test it to see if it reads 0. I've heard a lot of people have issues with hydrometers being off...or the thermometer you use when taking your mash temp reading for that matter.

 

[Beergnomes]

I have had nooby issues with my hydrometer readings, between calibrating and conversion to alcohol etc., been advised to use hydrometer but I like to keep every last drop until it is completely ready to drink. My stingy side overrides my curiosity. Let us know how she finishes.

 

[peterj]

I think the obvious answer is that you just got better efficiency than what you were expecting. Since you hit your volumes pre and post boil I think that's the only answer. You calculated for 72% but you got about 83%, which is not unheard of. My efficiency used to jump around when I was first starting out as well. Once you get your process down you should be able to keep it relatively stable. Hopefully it will stay up around 83%! Nice job!

Until then, it's really easy to adjust the gravity. Just add water if it's too high. When you took your preboil you should have added enough water to get it where you wanted. Really you could still add the water now if you wanted to.

If it's too low preboil then you can either boil off more or add some extract to bring it where you want it.

I use this calculator for adding water and boiling off: http://www.brewersfriend.com/dilution-and-boiloff-gravity-calculator/

And for adding extract, just adjust your efficiency in your recipe to what you actually got, then add as much extract as it takes to make your gravity right.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and mash temp should have little to no effect on efficiency as long as you're in the accepted mash temp range (~147-158). Same goes for sparge temp.

 

[403Brewer]

I'm guessing now that I'm into the fermenting stage adding water would be a bad idea for infection risk? I think I'll just let it ride here now and see how she goes...appreciate the info on adding water pre-boil next time, and I'll probably adjust my eff% to 75-78% for the next one and see how that goes.

 

[fearwig]

You should really adjust your gravity with water before boil, really--or with scaled up hop adjustments. No real infection risk with clean or boiled-and-cooled water. If you wanted, you might even boil an additional 20% of your hops in said water, to balance it out.

I made a 1.080 ESB due to the same issue and I just call it an imperial (heh). It's not half bad with age but I'd rather have 6.5 gal of real ESB.