Last week I brewed an English IPA and went with Wyeast 1335. The OG was 1.063 from 11 lbs MO and 1 lb of caramel 60. Expected OG according to Beersmith was 1.065. I brewed about a week ago and the krausen just fell over the weekend. Fermentation temp probably flucuated a few degrees because I left the carboy in my basement, but was probably between 63-67 the whole time. The reading I got today was 1.000! This hydrometer is properly calibrated. I’ve never got an OG below 1.008. The sample didn’t seem to have any off flavors that I could detect. Any thoughts?
Doesn’t sound right. That’s 100% attenuation, which may be possible, but not to my knowledge. And you have 1lb of C60 in there which will leave some unfermentable sugars. Something is off.
1.000 is like distilled water. sometimes tap water wont even read that low. its possible that an infection can bring it that low. are you SURE you read it right?
I was thinking an infection… but after only a week would it drop the OG that low? Seems too quick. I’m still saying the hydrometer is wrong or it was read wrong.
Maybe the hydrometer got bumped or dropped since you calibrated it. Sometimes when that happens the paper will move inside the tube. I would check the hydrometer calibration again.
[quote=“dobe12”]
I was thinking an infection… but after only a week would it drop the OG that low? Seems too quick. I’m still saying the hydrometer is wrong or it was read wrong.[/quote]
indeed. it does seem unlikely to happen that quickly. but an infection is the only thing (that i can think of) that would get a beer that low (assuming a correct reading with a calibrated hydrometer). I agree, it seems more likely it was read incorrectly
+1
Bingo! The hydrometer I had used had a crack at the very bottom and was leaking inside! it read 0.900 in distilled water. Luckily I have a spare, brand new hydro laying around. Checked it real quick in the distilled water and then took another sample. 1.018. That seems a bit better for one weeks fermentation. I should’ve tried that first. This is mildly embarrassing. Thanks a ton for the help guys.
no worries. None of us are above ‘Doh!’ moments.
ive broken 5 hydrometers myself :oops: (those things are damn slippery)
Year and a half of brewing… haven’t broken one yet. But having written that, I’m fully prepared to break mine this weekend :oops:
