VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Discussion on brewing beer from malt extract, hops, and yeast.
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Cam
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VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Post by Cam » Thu Sep 28, 2017 8:04 am

So I brewed an extract IPA with some steeping of grains. The calculated OG should have been 1.069 however when I measured it last night it was sitting way up basically off the scale at 1.15 so something crazy like 20% beer which I know is rubbish!

Two things I'm wondering that could be causing this;

1. there was a lot of cold break proteins etc still suspended in the beer. Would this effect the hydrometer? (I've fridged a sample overnight to settle this and I'll take another reading after work with the clear beer once warmed up to room temp)

2. I added 500g of Body Bru (maltodextrin) to give the extract a bit more body, would this change the readings?

Thanks in advance.
Cameron

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Jocky
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Re: VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Post by Jocky » Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:36 am

Please don't be offended at this dumb question, but I've seen people caught out by it before:
When you took the sample did you check that the hydrometer was floating freely and not touching the bottom of your sample jar?

You'd need a massive amount of protein in the jar to cause it to add 45 points to your gravity.
Was the maltodextrin in addition to your expected OG of 1.069? Would help if you posted the amount of extract and water volumes you used, just to check your numbers.
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.

Cam
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Re: VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Post by Cam » Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:53 am

Hey Jocky, thanks for the reply. No offence taken as Ive done that once before and then realised haha.

See recipe below.

Steeping Grains
1 kg Maris Otter Pale
1 kg Golden Promise
0.5 kg Maltodextrin - (this stuff https://www.brewuk.co.uk/body-bru.html) however brewers friend only list (United Kingdom - Dextrine Malt) This wasnt steeped though it was added at start of boil. Im starting to wonder if its that giving the huge gravity?
0.5 kg Carapils

3.5 kg Dry Malt Extract - Light

Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 15 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.106 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 40% (steeping grains only)

Original Gravity: 1.069
Final Gravity: 1.019
ABV (standard): 6.54%

Also I took the reading after I topped up the fermenter and before I added the yeast.

Cam
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Re: VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Post by Cam » Thu Sep 28, 2017 10:05 am

Looking online ive seen "Maltodextrin is 95% unfermentable"

Cam
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Re: VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Post by Cam » Thu Sep 28, 2017 10:11 am

Im wondering if the sample taken from the fermetor maybe wasnt mixed with the topping up water, so it was MEGA sugary.?

Cam
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Re: VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Post by Cam » Thu Sep 28, 2017 11:23 am

If the yeast hasnt got going properly by the time I get home (was hardly bubbling this morning at all) I'll maybe try mix the batch gently and take another sample just to check again if it was a mixing problem.

Cam
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Re: VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Post by Cam » Thu Sep 28, 2017 5:01 pm

Ok. I gave it a very gentle mix and took another sample as the yeast was still very sluggish. Gravity 1.09 which is more sensible I think.

rootsbrew

Re: VERY VERY high OG, cold break proteins?

Post by rootsbrew » Wed Oct 04, 2017 12:00 am

...so, did this start bubbling nicely

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