So I’m sitting with my friend last night brewing our own recipe (A smokey irish red ale that uses some peated malt). I usually take my OG when transferring wort into my primary. Is it better to take OG at the end of sparging, or when transferring into primary? Last night when I was taking my reading I couldn’t help but think that the suspended particles of hops in the wort must be throwing off my reading.
Primary is the best place. Temperature has an enormous effect, if you are using a hydrometer. The hops shouldn’t matter unless the hydro is sitting on a thick bed of hops that settled out. If using a refractometer, it should work just fine at any temperature for OG (don’t get us started on FG).
I always check gravity after sparging, but all that tells me is my pre-boil gravity, which gives me an idea of how much water I need to boil off to reach a desired O.G. The actual O.G. can only be determined after the boil.
[quote=“Visor, post:3, topic:26073, username:Visor”]
I always check gravity after sparging, but all that tells me is my pre-boil gravity, which gives me an idea of how much water I need to boil off to reach a desired O.G. The actual O.G. can only be determined after the boil.
[/quote]
This^^^^^
and Westley, have you used peated malt before?
[quote=“denny, post:4, topic:26073, username:denny”]
[quote=“Visor, post:3, topic:26073, username:Visor”]
I always check gravity after sparging, but all that tells me is my pre-boil gravity, which gives me an idea of how much water I need to boil off to reach a desired O.G. The actual O.G. can only be determined after the boil.
[/quote]
This^^^^^
and Westley, have you used peated malt before?
[/quote]
Yes, once before in a stout. It’s one of the most delicious things on the planet. Is there something specific I should know about peated malt?
A lot of folks here love peated malt, but only In Scotch
That’s not what my Irish Red Ale is saying. It’s not finished yet, but the wort was fantastic! I’ll keep you all up to date on the flavor as the beer finishes if you’re interested.
[quote=“, post:5, topic:26073”]
[quote=“denny, post:4, topic:26073, username:denny”]
[quote=“Visor, post:3, topic:26073, username:Visor”]
I always check gravity after sparging, but all that tells me is my pre-boil gravity, which gives me an idea of how much water I need to boil off to reach a desired O.G. The actual O.G. can only be determined after the boil.
[/quote]
This^^^^^
and Westley, have you used peated malt before?
[/quote]
Yes, once before in a stout. It’s one of the most delicious things on the planet. Is there something specific I should know about peated malt?
[/quote]
Only that 99% of brewers can’t stand it! But it’s your tastes and your beer…
[quote=“denny, post:8, topic:26073, username:denny”]
[quote=“, post:5, topic:26073”]
[quote=“denny, post:8, topic:26073, username:denny”]
[quote=“Visor, post:3, topic:26073, username:Visor”]
I always check gravity after sparging, but all that tells me is my pre-boil gravity, which gives me an idea of how much water I need to boil off to reach a desired O.G. The actual O.G. can only be determined after the boil.
[/quote]
This^^^^^
and Westley, have you used peated malt before?
[/quote]
Yes, once before in a stout. It’s one of the most delicious things on the planet. Is there something specific I should know about peated malt?
[/quote]
Only that 99% of brewers can’t stand it! But it’s your tastes and your beer…
[/quote]
Yep, I’m a 99%er. Vile stuff IMO. 
Yes, once before in a stout. It’s one of the most delicious things on the planet. Is there something specific I should know enabout peated malt?
[/quote]
Only that 99% of brewers can’t stand it! But it’s your tastes and your beer…
[/quote]
Gordon Strong quoted a guy that used a pound of peated malt saying “it tasted like an open grave”. Lol