Same pre boil gravity every time

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MattGuk
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Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by MattGuk » Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:20 pm

So, I'm just in the middle of brewing a stout and I seem to be having the same problem as with every brew, pre boil gravity always ends up at 1.044.
My last batch was a no sparge so I thought, let's try a sparge this time round.
This batch has just a touch over 6kg of grain.
Basing my recipe on previous batches of 72% BHE even though that is through no sparge, this end up EXACTLY 1.044 again, with a sparge.
I am totally baffled by this as every brew seems to be the same pre boil gravity as long as there is enough grain to take me to at least that point.
Surely my hydro must be up the creek?

guypettigrew
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by guypettigrew » Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:38 pm

Did you ever get round to checking your hydrometer in the sugar solution I suggested when you posted before? 16 grams sugar in 100ml water should give you about 1.060. If your hydrometer shows this then it's fine.

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MattGuk
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by MattGuk » Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:50 pm

Actually no I didn't get around to doing this, think I will later though as I can't believe that sparging a batch with a higher grain amount would be the same as not sparging a batch with a lower grain amount.
All I know is that is reads 1.000 in water @20°c.

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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by MattGuk » Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:57 pm

One thing I have literally just noticed while leaving my hydro in my pre boil sample for 60 mins is that there appears to be moisture getting into it.
The label scale inside it looks like it's wet so maybe there is a crack in it? Would that cause this sort of issue?

guypettigrew
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by guypettigrew » Wed Oct 28, 2020 9:14 pm

MattGuk wrote:
Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:57 pm
One thing I have literally just noticed while leaving my hydro in my pre boil sample for 60 mins is that there appears to be moisture getting into it.
The label scale inside it looks like it's wet so maybe there is a crack in it? Would that cause this sort of issue?
If water's getting in it will alter the weight of the hydrometer and make it useless. But it wouldn't explain why your readings are always 1.044.

Guy

MattGuk
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by MattGuk » Wed Oct 28, 2020 9:31 pm

Well for once my post boil reading is a bit higher, only by 4 points though.
1.048 even after a gallon boil off, I must be doing something wrong but I just can't figure it out lol.

TheSumOfAllBeers
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by TheSumOfAllBeers » Wed Oct 28, 2020 10:16 pm

Is the hydrometer resting on the bottom of the sample jar?

MattGuk
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by MattGuk » Wed Oct 28, 2020 10:52 pm

Nope, it's floating for sure.

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Brewedout
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by Brewedout » Thu Oct 29, 2020 1:36 am

Have you adjusted the reading for temperature? Also are you using precrushed grain or are you crushing yourself?

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McMullan

Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by McMullan » Thu Oct 29, 2020 8:59 am

16 grams sugar in 100ml water should give you about 1.060. If your hydrometer shows this then it's fine.
This is your first step to solving your problem. Very simple to do. 16g sugar in 100g water at the temperature the hydrometer was calibrated (usually printed on the side of the hydrometer). Mine's 20℃. Also check you’re reading it correctly. Some are read below the meniscus and some above. Eyeball it at the level of the meniscus.

If your hydrometer is fine, there’s something wrong with your expectations for mash efficiency; your brewing process, recipe formulation or something like that.

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Jocky
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by Jocky » Thu Oct 29, 2020 10:40 am

Is your sample cooled before testing?
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vacant
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by vacant » Thu Oct 29, 2020 12:44 pm

Life is too short for this

:idea: £3.50
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget

McMullan

Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by McMullan » Thu Oct 29, 2020 2:42 pm

vacant wrote:
Thu Oct 29, 2020 12:44 pm
Life is too short for this

:idea: £3.50
First he needs to be sure how to use the one he’s already got and whether it actually works. Simply replacing the thing might not get him any closer to solving his perceived problem. At that price, the potential hit and miss in terms of variability might even exacerbate his problem :lol:

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Jocky
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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by Jocky » Thu Oct 29, 2020 4:05 pm

vacant wrote:
Thu Oct 29, 2020 12:44 pm
Life is too short for this

:idea: £3.50
Make sure it's a Stevenson Reeve one. I got a couple of Alla hydrometers from Wilko and they were both miles out. The Stevenson Reeve ones have all been within 0.002 of each other.
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.

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Re: Same pre boil gravity every time

Post by vacant » Thu Oct 29, 2020 4:15 pm

Jocky wrote:
Thu Oct 29, 2020 4:05 pm
Make sure it's a Stevenson Reeve one.
Interesting, I have an SR one like the photo but mine was bought well over a decade ago.

Forgot to say that a spare hydrometer is nice to have in case of accidents as well as comparison.
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget

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