Any tweaks I should make for this kit? So far folks the advice I got was to use more yeast or a yeast starter. I was wonderign if I should add more malt to make sure the OG is up around 1.074 as I typically end up with an OG .008 lower in my other brew from kit. But not sure if I should. Beer smith did not have the extracts listed and I have not wrapped my head around the math. Anyways this is my last hurdel to tackle before I brew.
I haven’t brewed this yet, but if you brew this kit as is…using all the malt extract and adding the right amount of sugar (assuming it is needed), and hit the right final volume in your fermenter, then you should hit your target OG.
Assuming that you are topping up with water, you need to make sure that you mix the wort and water thoroughly before you take a hydrometer sample.
If I were doing this kit, I would make a starter and brew as is.
Well I brewed it today. Managed to get my hands on some more wyeast 3787… I have to look into using a starter in future brews, used three 3 packs like previously suggested to me helped my decision when I found something on Wyeast website saying something similar. My only disappointment yet again is my starting OG is low only 1.066 NB kit says it should have been 1.074. I did have a small boil over not sure if this might have been a factor. Only other thing I can think of is that I may have added a quart or two more water then I needed when bringing it the volume up to 5 gallons, that or my temp was too low. Wort cooled to 64/65 degrees when mixed with the cold water. But I used my wort chiller to cool the wort to below 80.
But I did like the way the wort tasted. Hopefully I like the final product. Was a bit disappointed with the Innkeeper I made earlier this fall.
[quote=“cyberdiver”]Well I brewed it today. Managed to get my hands on some more wyeast 3787… I have to look into using a starter in future brews, used three 3 packs like previously suggested to me helped my decision when I found something on Wyeast website saying something similar. My only disappointment yet again is my starting OG is low only 1.066 NB kit says it should have been 1.074. I did have a small boil over not sure if this might have been a factor. Only other thing I can think of is that I may have added a quart or two more water then I needed when bringing it the volume up to 5 gallons, that or my temp was too low. Wort cooled to 64/65 degrees when mixed with the cold water. But I used my wort chiller to cool the wort to below 80.
quote]
Yes, do look into making starters. It is really unnecessary to spend $20 on yeast for a 5 gallon batch.
What was the temp of the wort when you took your hydrometer reading? Most hydrometers are calibrated to give the correct reading at 60F. The higher the temperature, the lower your reading will be. However, at 5 degrees higher, it will not make up the 8 gravity points.
In order to make up those points, the wort would have needed to be 110F, and I really doubt that your thermometer is that far off.
The only other thing I can think of is that you did not get all of the malt extract and sugar into the kettle. That is assuming that your thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly mixed the wort and water in your fermenter before taking that hydrometer sample.
if memory serves me correctly I had a temp reading of 64. And yes I shook the hell out of it 2 different times over the course of an hour plus right before I took the hydro readings.
Almost forgot as to the malt extract, I used the boiled grain water (pre-wort?) to make sure I got every last drop out of the malt container before starting the 60min boil, thougth perhaps my issue was nto getting all the malt.
Well i think I figured out part of my OG issue. Turns out somewhere along the line the hyrdometer got off 0.002, paper most have slipped. I used 60 degree tap water to double check(read 1.002). I also realized I forgot to take into account the wort temp when takening the OG.
But the Beer turned out great, solid 7+% I think it is 7.5%. So far my favorite to date.
It could also be that you didn’t mix it completely. When you add cold water the sugar-rich wort will sit at the bottom and needs to be thoroughly mixed to become uniform throughout.
