Specific Gravity 1.075

This is my first batch so I’m trying to soak all the knowledge in I can. My question is about my high SG reading after my boil (FYI the temp at time I read it was 65F). I understand that this means I have a higher level of sugars, nonfermentable, etc in my wort. I tasted the small sample and it was sweet and tasted ok. Does a higher SG original reading mean it may take longer to ferment? Does it necessarily mean a higher ABV?

High SG equates to more fermentable… higher ABV, the need for more yeast a pitching time… Yes you’ll also increase the “body”… as there is a bit more unfermentables… Not as much in lighter colored brews… Darker ones will have lots of “body”… And with a big brew, it MAY take a bit longer… conditions/environment will dictate that… Ultimately, your hydrometer tests will let you know when the yeast has done the bulk of its job… Does that help?Sneezles61

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Yes. Thanks much!

Ok. Made me think of one more thing. Looking for cause/effect. When I was boiling my wort it was cold and rainy. I left the lid on my pot to speed up reaching a boil. Had I left the lid cracked open allowing more to evaporate, would that have lowered the OG?

The more you evaporate the higher the OG as water is removed but not sugar.

What did you brew? Partial boil brewers need to use top off water to reach 5gal. When this is done conditions often lead to wort stratification (the water and wort weren’t mixed thoroughly) resulting in an incorrect gravity reading.

If you’re using extract and you use all of said extract and hit correct volumes of wort, the OG will be as stated in the recipe.

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You know I think I discovered the err in my process. I looked at my notes and appears I measured SG before cooling and diluting my wort into the bucket. According to my notes, I pulled the sample right from the pot. If I’d have pulled the sample after diluting in the fermentation bucket I would assume an SG closer to what the recipe predicts - 1.04.
Lesson learned for this rookie.

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Learning is a fun tool to use whilst one brews… Also, using a lid to help get up to a boil is good… Once you reach your boiling process, do not leave the lid on… You want to allow some of the volatile/bad flavors boil out into the atmosphere … Sneezles61

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So another question. I used a LME. It’s my understanding that DMS is formed both during the boil and after pitching the yeast. Since the production of the extract requires boiling the wort, wouldn’t the majority of the DMS precursors be eliminated during the making of the extract? I had the lid cracked on the pot and a pretty good rolling boil so I would think my risk is low, but time will tell.

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Congrats on your first brew! You have come to the right place to ask questions. I’ve been brewing for a little over 2 years, and over that 2 years I come home from work and read this forum every night. I still don’t feel confident enough to offer advice, but these guys do and they really know their stuff. I hope that someday I can help others as they have helped me! Good luck!!

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You are absolutely correct but boiling with the lid off promotes evaporation which will result in a higher OG as well as coagulating proteins.

Funny thing is I just read an article in BYO ( yeah yeah yeah I’m a lil behind)that talked about not needing to boil for 60 mins. In TOTALLY disagree. I’ve tried it twice for 30 mins and the beer had NO stability or shelf life you just don’t get the anti foam or anti shelf life proteins out of the beer. IN MY OPINION.

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The fact that you even know about DMS shows you are doing your homework and will make an excellent brewer. DMS will be a bigger factor once you go all grain. Leave the lid off or partially off but allow for boil off to get the desired volume. After I reach full boil I remove the lid.

You are also correct that extract has been boiled. A lot of the work has been done for you. Nothing wrong with that. Almost all of us started with extract and made some great beer.

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I still go back to extract when my kettle won’t hold enough grain to reach my OG. It’s refreshing.

Thanks a lot for all of the help. A few years ago I picked up the book The Complete Handbook of Home Brewing by Dave Miller and have read it cover to cover. Miller goes into the weeds a bit, but a good book. You guys have helped to fill in the blanks. I did check by holding a flashlight to the side of the bucket and can see the Krausen forming along the top of the beer. Now if I can muster enough patience to wait and the beer gods work with me, I’ll crack my first home brew in April :joy:

Congratulations! We’ll be curious as to how your brew turned out… Whats up next? Sneezles61

Patience was the hardest part for me. The last beers of the batch were always the best. As my supply of beer built up, it made it easier to let some mature.

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