wheery low og reading

[triggertrevor]

All all just done a wherry kit to 23ltrs as per instructions.

I took a og reading before pitching the yeast and it came out at 1032....!

Is this normal and does this kit have a fg of around 1000...? as if not i'm looking at a weak beer.

If its fg is around 1010 can i add some suger to beef the abv up a little or will i spoil the end product.

thanks all

Kev

[vacant]

When you empty the cans, the contents stick to the bottom. Adding water and stirring isn't enough to dissolve it all so when you take a reading of your 23 litres you have a weaker mixture.

If doesn't matter, the yeast will find the goo on the bottom over the next few days.

If you really want an accurate OG reading you have to add around five litres of water so that you can tilt the FV and visually check that you've scraped the entire base and stirred all the extract with your spoon. Then add the rest of the water.

[triggertrevor]

i made sure there was nothing left stuck to the bottom of the cans i also checked the bottom of the fv and nothings stuck.

could i add some fermentables to increase the abv either in primary or secondary.?

cheers kev

[Jack Hackett]

What was the temp of the brew when you took the Gravity reading?
Was it well stirred up?

[triggertrevor]

really well stirred and the temp was 23c

dont know whats gone wrong.?

if it doesn't improve og wise after another stir then might ad some treacle see if that does the job.


cheers Kev

[Jerry Cornelius]

How did you take the reading? I find it makes a difference if you put the hydrometer into the FV or draw some off the bottom with a tap. The heavy syrup can sink to the bottom and give a high reading if you use a tap, and so conversely, a lower reading if you put the hydrometer into the FV. A more accurate way is to recirculate the entire contents with a 5 litre jug and then take the reading (I got some really high readings drawing it off the bottom with a tap).

I suspect the OG is fine - especially if you took a reading directly into the FV.

[triggertrevor]

No pulled the sample from the tap into a trail jar and took the reading from that i have also took a reading from the fv and there both the same.

I think i've over done it with the water.

Someone from another forum asked me if i made the kit upto 23ltrs inc the contents of the 2 cans and i think i added 23ltrs + the contents.

Would like to know now what i can add to either primary or secondary to increase the abv a bit.


cheers Kev

[EoinMag]

Wherry is a pretty low gravity session beer anyway it comes out at about 3.7-3.8% when made up as per instructions. If you've made that weaker then I'd take some of the wort from primary and boil it up with some spraymalt to up the gravity a bit, add maybe 250g of malt, although someone who does that maths would possibly tell you exactly how much to add for a specific gravity.

[OldSpeckledBadger]

If you haven't pitched the yeast yet you could add spraymalt but my advice is leave it alone and chalk it up to experience.

[JT.]

FYI - Did the Wherry in June this year and made as per instructions upto the 23 litres. My OG was 1038 and 3 days later was FG 1012. Dropped no further so bottled on day 5.

[triggertrevor]

cheers all for your info on this.

tonight i added 500g of clear honey to 3ltrs of boiled wort, mixed this in with the rest and gave it a good stir.

og now 1038 so we'll wait and see what happens.

cheers kev