Wort looks...strange

[BrettV]

Brewed this today, and even right after transferring to carboy and shaking the heck out of it, it looks like this. I'm not really that worried, because I've had wort look like this before, and the beer turned out fine, but I'm worried this messes with me hydrometer readings. Doing BIAB, I generally get about 84% efficiency, but today, based on my reading, it seems I got 91%

Secondly, it seems I could get my numbers back down to where I'd like them if I add a half gallon of water. My carboy holds 6.5 gallons, and there are only 5 in there now; could I potentially open it and carefully add another half gallon of water, even though I've already added the yeast?

 

[DarthCitra]

Make sure the water is sanitized and around the same temp as the wort in the carboy so there isnt any shock to the yeast. If you're filling it further which leaves you with a gallon of headspace, just make sure to error on the side of caution and use a blow off tube.


Did you use a whirfloc tablet or irish moss during the boil at all? Im not 100% sure if the matter in the wort would effect your readings to be honest.

 

[mb82]

Looks like great cold break. Mine was not that pretty today.

 

[Yooper]

The wort has lots of hot break (little tiny pieces of protein, like egg drop soup), and cold break (the big goobers). That's a good thing, as it will settle out in a few minutes, and will leave clear wort (which will be clear beer in the future) behind. It won't affect your SG reading. You can add a bit of water to get to your desired OG now without any issues.

 

[BrettV]

I use a blow-off tube, anyway, because I tend to get crazy primary fermentations, even with more than a gallon of headspace. I brewed a sub-5% ABV kolsch a few weeks ago at only 56 degrees that blew out so much gunk that the cup with Star San that the tube was feeding into actually completely filled up and overflowed.

I think I may add some more water, because the batch is an English/American hybrid IPA, and as it stands it has a gravity of 1073, with a potential ABV of 7.3 and I'd like it down closer to 1065 or so. Because ready or not, this beer will be kegged and served at a wedding on August 16th.

 

[BrettV]

I went ahead and added a half gallon of distilled water. May the brewing gods have mercy on this IPA's soul.

 

[zeptrey]

Are you grinding your grains to flour?


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[BrettV]

I have them ground at the homebrew store. Didn't seem too fine. Looked like the consistency of steel cut oats.

 

[rlmiller10]

The wort has lots of hot break (little tiny pieces of protein, like egg drop soup), and cold break (the big goobers). That's a good thing, as it will settle out in a few minutes, and will leave clear wort (which will be clear beer in the future) behind. It won't affect your SG reading. You can add a bit of water to get to your desired OG now without any issues.

I always wondered what the proper name for that was, now I know... big goobers. Thanks.

 

[BrettV]

Active fermentation started within a few hours and is happily bubbling away. Although with only about 1/2 gallon of headspace this one is going to get messy...

 

[Rivenin]

just cold break and hops... it happens

 

[rlmiller10]

What is the grain bill on that? The wort in that picture is very clear.


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