Newb Question - Original Gravity

General Homebrew Discussion
1

Alright, I just brewed my first batch.  It’s a Red Ale.  The original gravity on the kit called for between 1.048-1.052.  I measured it at 1.046.  Is this going to kill the batch? :-\

2

PLENTY close enough!

3

That is close enough.  As long as your sanitation was good and you keep an eye on your fermentation temps, your beer should be good.  There are a lot of variables that can contribute to missing your OG, so take good notes.

4

My guess is that you have an extra pint or two in there. 2 points of gravity is nothing.

5

What temperature was your sample?  A higher temp than 60 will give you a lower reading.

6

even at 1036 it wouldn’t be “ruined” just different

7

My kit beers always ended up less than it was supposed to.  I think the pre-printed markings on my fermentation bucket were off.  I also never got the attenuation the kit said either, but that was probably due to lack of oxygen.

The beer will probably have a bit less alcohol, but you should still get beer.

Welcome to brewing.

8

Search the web for “hydrometer correction” and you’ll find free calculators that will adjust your gravity reading based on the wort temperature.

9

I did one of those correction calculators and it came up to about 1.048.

Followup - at which point do I need to pop open the fermenter and take another reading if I don’t see any activity in the air lock?

10

This is the truth. Lower gravity would just mean lighter beer, not necessarily bad beer.

11

I know this might be hard since this is your first batch, but leave it alone for two weeks.  It’ll probably be done at that point.  Opening the fermenter a bunch of times can just introduce more opportunites for oxygen and contamination.

12

+1
I remember the anticipation for my first batch… And I did so many things wrong! Turned out to be decent beer in the end though

13

+2
And make sure you take readings two days in a row to make sure it’s done. Don’t go by what the kit tells you it should be.  You’ll know it’s done if you get the same reading two days in a row.  Your final gravity could be higher than what the kit tells you or it could be lower.  Go by the two days in a row reading though.  I never had a kit get to the final gravity the kit said it should, but all my beers turned out pretty good (well on that side of things … tinkering with adding additional things later sort of wonked one up  ::slight_smile: To this day one friend tells me to never attempt a coffee stout again.  ;D )