What Is Original Gravity In Beer?

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What is a good original gravity for beer?

What is Original Gravity? – Original gravity is a measure of the sugars dissolved in the water in your unfermented wort. It is typically measured with a hydrometer or refractometer in the fermenter when brewing is complete but before fermentation has started.

• The gravity measurement is most often done on a unitless scale that measures the relative density of the wort compared to water.
• So water would have a specific gravity of 1.000, and beers often start in the 1.030-1.060 range.
• OG can also be measured in degrees plato.
• You can do a rough conversion (its not exactly linear) by taking the “points” of a unitless measurement, and dividing by four.

For example a reading of 1.048 is 48 “gravity points” which is roughly 48/4 = 12 degrees plato.

How does original gravity affect beer?

What is gravity? – Gravity is a measurement of beer’s density. An original gravity (OG) reading indicates the number of dissolved sugars in the beer that can be converted into alcohol. These sugars come from malted grain and are later consumed by yeast to convert wort into beer. In short, the OG is an indication of the beer’s potential alcohol percentage.

What should my original gravity be?

As Mythbusters’ ballistics expert, Adam Savage, has said: “Remember kids, the only difference between screwing around and science is writing it down.” During the brew day, one of the most important things to write down and one of the very last things to write down is Original Gravity.

1. Original Gravity dictates whether the desired ABV will be achieved in a brew.
2. It dictates whether the hop additions will provide the desired balance.
3. It determines whether or not the brew day went as planned.
4. Ultimately, it’s a measure of how well the brewer knows their brewery.
5. Gravity is a key measure in physics and petroleum as well as brewing and winemaking.

In physics gravity is the force bringing objects together. In the contexts of petroleum and fermentation, gravity is the measure of a liquid’s density relative to water at a specified temperature. Within brewing and winemaking, the difference in density is a result of dissolved, fermentable sugars. The color of a beer can provide clues to its density. The higher the density of a beer, the higher its gravity will be. Gravity measurements, or ‘specific gravity readings’ are made at key points throughout the wort-making and fermentation process; prior to boiling the wort (“pre-boil gravity”), immediately prior to pitching the yeast (“original gravity”), and post-fermentation (“final gravity”).

These readings are usually taken with a floating hydrometer or refractometer. A hydrometer is a tall, thermometer-like glass instrument placed within the sample of the liquid to be measured. A refractometer is a monocular-like instrument with a glass prism where a drop of the sample liquid is placed. Hydrometers and refractometers expect the wort to be at a calibrated temperature – usually 65˚F.

Calculations exist to adjust the readings taken at higher temperatures – though this is less of a concern with the refractometer because the sample size, a drop from a pipette, cools much faster than the 130 millileters of sample required by the hydrometer.

These dissolved, fermentable sugars were extracted from the beer recipe’s grist – the barley, malt extract, adjuncts, or sugars – as part of the brewing process.The amount of sugars within a fermentable ingredient is measured in Points Per Pound Per Gallon (PPG), or the specific gravity reading from extracting 100 percent of the sugars of one pound of the fermentable within one gallon of water.

Each ingredient has a different amount of available sugars; Liquid malt extract has 36 PPG, American 2-row barley has 28, wheat has 38. No all-grain brewhouse can extract all 100 percent of the fermentable sugars. Commercial breweries aim to extract 80 to 90 percent of the sugars where as many homebrew-scale recipe writers assume the homebrewer’s system can achieve only 70 percent. A simple American Pale Ale recipe may include 9 pounds of 2-Row and,25 pounds of Crystal 40L. The 2-Row has a 37 PPG and the Crystal has a 34 PPG. On my homebrew system, I usually brew six gallon batches and average 70% efficiency. By multiplying each grain’s PPG by the number of pounds used divided by the batch size in gallons (37*9/6=55.5 for the 2-Row and 34*.25/6=1.4 for the Crystal) the maximum gravity I could reach would be 55.5+1.4 = 56.9.

1. Rounded and converted to a specific gravity reading gives us 1.057 Original Gravity.
2. That’s if 100 percent of the sugars were extracted.
3. Multiplying the 57 by my 70 percent brewhouse efficiency gives us 39.9, or and expected original gravity of 1.040.
4. The amount of sugars extracted stays constant (through PPG & efficiency), it’s the volume of liquid changing the gravity.

Which means, if I took a gravity reading at the end of the brew day and discovered I extracted more than 70 percent of the sugars. I could dilute the batch with more water bringing down the OG. If I extracted less than 70 percent, I could boil longer or add an easily dissolvable fermentable like honey (36 PPG) or corn sugar (46 PPG) at the end of a boil to achieve the target Original Gravity.

1. A brewer with the same recipe and an 85 percent efficiency could achieve the same 1.040 target OG with just 7.4# of 2-Row and 3.3oz of Crystal.
2. Conversely, if they brewed with my 9 pounds and 4 ounces their 85 percent efficiency would result in a 1.048 OG.
3. This substantial difference is why professional brewers talk in percentages – rather than pounds or kilograms – when describing a recipe, e.g.

“97.3% American 2-Row, 2.7% American Crystal 40L, to 1.040 OG.” This concisely describes the ratio of ingredients and target gravity, while leaving out the brewhouse-specific efficiency.

What is original gravity?

The Oxford Companion to Beer Definition of original gravity The Oxford Companion to Beer definition of Original Gravity (OG), sometimes called original extract, is a measure of the solids content originally in the wort, before alcoholic fermentation has commenced to produce the beer.

• OG is one of the major measurements used by brewers to determine the future alcohol content of a beer fermented from a particular wort.
• It is measured by a saccharometer, hydrometer, or refractometer as the density of the wort at standard temperature and pressure (STP; usually 20°C and 760 mm) at the final collection point before the yeast is added.

Original gravity is expressed as the density above that of distilled water and in the UK is called the excess gravity. Water is deemed to have a density at STP of 1.000. If the wort density is 1.048, it will have 48° of excess gravity and an OG of 48. Internationally, different units are used to express OG that are unique to the brewing industry and include degrees Plato, degrees Balling, or percent dry matter of the wort, Brix % (for sucrose only).

• These units take into account the solution factors of carbohydrates and mixtures of carbohydrates typically found in wort made from different cereal/malt recipes (e.g., barley malt, maize, rice, sugar).
• The numerical figure for these units approximates one-quarter of the excess gravity.
• In the example above 48/4 = 12% dry matter by weight or 12° Balling or 12° Plato.

Laboratory procedures can be used to establish the original gravity of a beer by measuring both the present or apparent specific gravity of the beer and the alcohol content of the beer, the latter by distillation. Original gravity tables convert the alcohol content back to the amount of carbohydrate fermented to produce it.

Then, by the addition of these two values, the wort’s original gravity can be established from the tables. Tables for converting alcohol content to a value for carbohydrate fermented were first produced in 1850 by Graham, Hofman, and Redwood and were incorporated into the UK 1880 Inland Revenue Act for excise duty collection calculations as Statutory Tables.

They were found to give inaccurate results under certain circumstances (Section 15 of the Act Export drawback, etc.) so in 1910 after a Joint Inquiry led by Sir T.E. Thorpe and Dr H.T. Brown of the Institute of Brewing, they were refined to accord with “brewing operations as carried out in present day brewery practice.” The use of high-gravity brewing technology and postfermentation dilution is ignored by this analysis because it measures the OG as if no dilution had occurred.

Brewers seek to achieve consistent original gravities for their worts as part of overall quality assurance for their beers. See also,, and, Broderick, H.M.,, The practical brewer, St Paul, MN: Master Brewers Association of the Americas, 1993. Graham, T., A.W. Hofman, and T. Redwood, Report on original gravities,

Quarterly Journal of the Chemical Society 5 (1852): 229. Hopkins, R.H., and B. Krause, Biochemistry applied to malting & brewing, 2nd imp. London: Allen & Unwin, 1947. Hough, J.S., D.E. Briggs, R. Stevens, and T.W. Young, eds. Malting & brewing science, 2nd ed.

What if my OG is too high?

We’ve all done it. You forget something, miss a calculation, or your efficiency is off. Whatever the reason, rather than just accepting what you’ve got, here are two easy ways to correct a high or low missed OG. Once you’ve missed your OG you are faced with the problem of what to do with your batch.

Figure out the difference between your target and actual OG, then multiply by 1000. For example, if your target is 1.056, but you’ve got 1.048 this would give us (1.056-1.048) x 1000 = 8 points. Be sure to temp correct if needed. We need to raise our gravity by 8 points which means we need to add 8 points/gallon of dry malt extract (DME) equivalent. Assuming a 5 gallon batch size, we need a total of 40 points of DME. DME has a potential of 1.046 which means it contributes 46 points/lb added, so we simply take the 40 points and divide it by 46 to get 0.9 lbs of DME to add.

If the gravity is too high, dilute it by adding boiled or sterile water:

This time we’ll assume our target was 1.056 but we overshot and came in with a gravity of 1.064, again using a 5 gallon batch. We’ll use the fact that the number of points times volume should be a constant to do the dilution. So we start by taking our starting points of 1.064 = 64 gravity points, and multiplying by our original volume of 5 gallons: 64×5 = 320 points Now we divide by our target points which is 1.056 = 56 points which will give us the target volume: 320 / 56 = 5.71 gallons Since we started with 5 gallons, we need to add 0.71 gallons of water to dilute our gravity to achieve the target of 1.056

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Why is my original gravity so low?

Missing Your Original Gravity – Once you have your OG estimate and brew the beer, you often miss. Occasionally the OG comes in high, but more often your original gravity will be lower than you predicted. So what do you do next? I’ll cover how to adjust your OG using dry malt extract or water below, but as you plan your next batch here are some of the potential issues to look at:

Grain Milling – For all grain brewers, poorly crushed grains can have a large effect on original gravity. Your grains should be crushed finely – with the center of the grain forming a fine powder. Large pieces of the husk should be left intact, however, to form a bed for filtering during the lauter. A dual roller mill like the Barley Crusher (full disclosure – we sell these) works best for crushing your grains. Sparging – If you sparge too quickly, have a poorly designed mash tun filter, or sparge the wrong volume you can get a low OG. Take your time when sparging, which will let the wort extract as much as possible from the grain bed. Also design of the mash system can have an impact. A cylindrical (Gott or Igloo style water cooler) with a full size false bottom (screen type) will generally yield higher efficiency than a flat picnic cooler with only a few copper tubes acting as the filter system for example. Measure your Volumes – If you have not accurately measured your volumes at each stage in the brewing process and accounted for losses along the way, it can have a huge effect on your OG. For example, a 10% increase in final volume can result in a 10% decrease in OG. So to hit your target OG, you also need to hit your volumes at each step – into the boiler, post boil and also into the fermenter. If you find your volumes don’t match your equipment profile – then adjust your equipment profile until you have a good match with your brewing style. Additional Tips : Here are some more tips to improve your all grain efficiency,

Do low gravity beers ferment faster?

2. Keep Original Gravity Low – While it is completely possible for bigger beers to ferment in just a few days, it still takes time for high-gravity beers to come into their own. The lower the gravity, the greater chance of producing a quality beer in a short amount of time—aim for something below 1.050.

Why is my beer not reaching original gravity?

Many brewers hit the original gravity easily but then have trouble reaching their final gravity. If this happens to you, it most likely means one of two things. Either you are fermenting in temperatures that are too low for the beer you’re trying to brew, or you didn’t use enough yeast.

When should I take OG reading?

To do the math, you’ll have to have the following pieces of information: – Your original gravity (OG), which is taken just before pitching your yeast and after the wort has chilled. Make sure you make any temperature adjustments to it before recording it.

How do you raise OG in beer?

If you know your boiling losses and the pre-boil specific gravity, you can estimate the post-boil original specific gravity (OG) of your beer with reasonable accuracy. The formula for calculating the approximate post-boil OG is: Post-boil gravity points = (Pre-boil volume x pre-boil gravity points) / Post-boil volume Specific gravity “points” (or GP) are the portion of the specific gravity reading to the right of the decimal point multiplied by 1000.

For example, a specific gravity of 1.050 is 50 points. Using the pre-boil and post-boil volumes from the example above, with a pre-boil specific gravity of 1.036, the projected post-boil OG would be 1.049. (7.5 gallons x 36 GP) / 5.5 gallons = 49 GP (equivalent to SG 1.049) (28.3 Liters x 36 GP)/20.8 Litres = 49 GP (equivalent to SG 1.049) Calculating the post-boil OG at the beginning of the boil is valuable because this is the easiest point to make adjustments.

If the calculated OG differs appreciably from the target for the recipe, additional extract or water can be added. INCREASE GRAVITY: To increase the gravity of a 5-gallon (19 L) batch by approximately 1 GP at the end of the boil, add 2.5 oz. (72 g) — roughly one-half cup/118 mL — light dried malt extract, or approximately three-quarters cup (177 mL) liquid extract at the start of the boil.

INGREDIENT	SPECIFIC GRAVITY
Dried malt extract	1.042
Malt extract syrup	1.036
Corn sugar	1.036
Cane sugar	1.042
Brown sugar	1.042
Honey	1.036
Brewery Grade Corn Syrup1.036	1.036
Rice Syrup Solids	1.042
Brewer’s Pale Malt	1.025 – 1.030 (depends on your efficiency!)
Munich malt	1.022 – 1.027 (depends on your efficiency!)
Wheat malt	1.025 – 1.030 (depends on your efficiency!)
Cara-pils/Dextrine malt	1.024
Crystal malt	1.015
Black malt/Chocolate malt	1.010

What if my final gravity is too low?

Final Gravity – Final gravity measures the attenuation of the beer, which is the reduction of the wort’s density caused by the fermentation of sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation also leaves behind dextrins (non-fermentable sugars), proteins, and peptides, all of which combine to form the density of final gravity readings.

These dextrins, proteins, and peptides also provide body and mouthfeel. Final gravity readings help define each beer because the density of the finished brew determines alcohol content and overall balance. An American pale ale with an original gravity of 1.054 but a final gravity of 1.020 missed the mark because the final density of the beer will provide too much body, which then masks the hop bitterness, leaving a beer malty rich and out of balance for the style.

Brewers should always examine all possible causes of high final-gravity readings, such as improper aeration of the wort, low fermentation temperature, lack of viable yeast, or too many dextrins. Low final-gravity readings can be caused by wild yeast contamination, bacterial contamination, or not enough dextrins.

• A careful examination of sanitation, brewing procedures, and yeast source can solve many final-gravity problems.
• Extract brewers may also find that the extract source contained too few dextrins for a high final gravity or too many dextrins for a low final gravity.
• As when fine-tuning original gravity, combining extract syrup with dry extract may solve this problem as well.

For extract brewers adjusting the amount of available dextrins is the only way to adjust final gravity and mouthfeel in a successful brew, because malt extract does not include the proteins and peptides generated by all-grain mashing. Only experimentation and strict notation will help extract brewers obtain target final gravities.

• All-grain brewers should examine the mash schedule.
• Well-modified malt mashed in with a single-step infusion method should stabilize within a range of 150 to 158 °F (66 to 70 °C).
• A mash held at 150 °F (60 °C) will produce mostly fermentable sugars, generating a delicate brew with light body and mouthfeel.

A mash held at 158 °F (70 °C) will produce a blend of fermentable and non-fermentable sugars, creating a brew with either medium or full body. For example a Continental style stout with a 1.055 OG finished at 1.008 FG. Batch notes state that the mash temperature stabilized at 158 °F (70 °C) for an hour but actually started at 148 °F (64 °C), requiring 20 minutes of forced heat to raise the temperature.

Well-modified malt held for 15 minutes within the 150 to 158 °F (66 to 70 °C) range will reach total saccharification, with all starches converted into sugars. The stout seemed thin for style. In the short time that heat was applied to raise the temperature, the starch converted primarily to fermentable sugars, well before reaching the higher range of temperature required to produce dextrins.

Batch notes then suggest that the strike temperature of the water added to the mash to reach conversion temperatures should be raised so that the mash will immediately reach 158 °F (70 °C) before conversion. Another solution includes the addition of cara-malts, including cara-pils, cara-Vienne and cara-Munich, into the total grist bill.

• These specialty grains are designed to produce dextrins.
• Eight ounces of any of the above cara-malt will raise the final gravity of a 5-gallon (19-L) brew.
• All-grain brewers enjoy the ability to lightly raise or lower mash temperatures while adding or decreasing, if necessary, dextrin malts to produce a perfect blend of fermentable sugars, dextrins, proteins, and peptides.

Only experimentation and strict notation will help all-grain brewers obtain target final gravities in each batch.

Is it better to have a higher specific gravity?

Causes of high readings – High specific gravity suggests that the concentration of urine is too high. This can be a sign of dehydration, and the doctor may recommend drinking more clear fluids. Conditions that cause high specific gravity include:

• dehydration
• diarrhea or vomiting resulting in dehydration
• congestive heart failure
• shock

High levels of certain substances in the urine can also cause high specific gravity. Substances include:

• glucose
• proteins
• red or white blood cells

Learn more about red blood cells in the urine here.

What is OG and FG in brewing?

Gravity (alcoholic beverage)

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A in use to test the temperature of Gravity, in the of fermenting, refers to the (abbreviated SG), or relative density compared to water, of the or at various stages in the fermentation. The concept is used in the and wine-making industries. Specific gravity is measured by a,, or electronic meter.

1. The density of a wort is largely dependent on the sugar content of the wort.
2. During alcohol, yeast converts sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol.
3. By monitoring the decline in SG over time the brewer obtains information about the health and progress of the fermentation and determines that it is complete when gravity stops declining.

If the fermentation is finished, the specific gravity is called the final gravity (abbreviated FG). For example, for a typical strength beer, original gravity (abbreviated OG) could be 1.050 and FG could be 1.010. Several different scales have been used for measuring the original gravity.

1. For historical reasons, the brewing industry largely uses the (°P), which is essentially the same as the scale used by the wine industry.
2. For example, OG 1.050 is roughly equivalent to 12 °P.
3. By considering the original gravity, the brewer or vintner obtains an indication as to the probable ultimate alcoholic content of their product.

The OE (Original Extract) is often referred to as the “size” of the beer and is, in Europe, often printed on the label as Stammwürze or sometimes just as a per cent. In the Czech Republic, for example, common descriptions are “10 degree beers”, “12 degree beers” which refers to the gravity in Plato of the wort before the fermentation.

What is SG vs OG vs FG?

Tip – SG will be used in the beginning and the end of the brewing process. You will have an ‘original specific gravity’ (OG) and a ‘final specific gravity’ (FG). In the end, the difference between the two gives you the ABV.

What should my hydrometer read for beer?

How To Use A Hydrometer (The Easy Way) – By BREW MART Today I am going to show EXACTLY how easy it is to use a hydrometer. In fact this is the same process which has allowed me to brew excellent beer, wine and cider during the last few years. And I will let you into a secret – it is not rocket science In fact if you are not scientific like me you will love this easy to follow guide LET’S DIVE STRAIGHT IN

What is a hydrometer? How do I use a hydrometer to calculate ABV? Using a hydrometer when making wine Using a hydrometer when making beer How to measure the specific gravity using the hydrometer How to use the hydrometer using a four-step process Stage 1: Using the trial jar with the hydrometer Use a Wine Thief Stage 2: Obtain the Original Gravity Reading Stage 3: Calculate with Temperature S tage 4: Obtaining the final gravity reading (FG) Temperature Correction Chart for Hydrometer Reading

WHAT IS A HYDROMETER? A hydrometer is a straightforward device that measures the density of a liquid comparing it to water. It usually comes with a thin plastic case to help to protect it and uses a scale called specific gravity or just gravity for short. It works on the same principle as floating in the dead sea.

1. The dead sea is so easy to float in because it is full of dissolved minerals.
2. Much like in the Dead Sea, the more dissolved sugar there is in a beer or wine solution, the higher the hydrometer floats, giving a higher reading on the hydrometer’s scale.
3. The easiest way to use a hydrometer is to collect a sample of the must (wine) or wort (beer) using a sterilised and rinsed wine thief (pipette), and a trial jar.

A hydrometer is for use in any wine, beer or cider making situation. In terms of brewing beer, wine or cider the hydrometer measures the amount of dissolved brewing sugar in the recipe. If you notice the amount of sugar going down, fermentation is working, and alcohol is increasing.

• The measurements/readings show how the yeast is turning sugar by volume and lets you know how well the fermentation process is coming along.
• A hydrometer looks like a round pointy glass rod with lines on it to use as a measurement.
• It is much like a thermometer used for inserting under the tongue except that one end of it is fatter.

Depending on how much the hydromtera floats or sinks in various liquids, you can measure how dense the fluids are. Brew Mart’s recommendation is to use a trial jar which is a specific jar to use with the hydrometer for this purpose. A trail jar made from plastic is better than a glass one as the glass ones can break easily. The trial jar is 20cm long and has a diameter of approximately 3.5cm. and has measurements on the side. This enables you to fill the right amount of liquid leaving a space at the top for the insertion of the hydrometer in order to test the results.

Take care to use the same hydrometer for each measurement in the same experiment as different hydrometers may vary a little. The analysis of pure water at 20°C – 68°F will have a gravity of 1.000. (This reads one point zero zero zero). Add sugar to the water, and the gravity will increase. Adding alcohol to the pure water the gravity will go down as alcohol is less dense than water.

As things heat up, they get less dense. Using the same hydrometer and sugary water, now at 40°C – 104°F, the water will appear to have a lower gravity. If your liquid has a much different temperature to 20° C, you can also use an online calculator or app to calculate how the reading due to the differing temperature is effected.

1. What this means is that you can tell how well your wort or must is fermenting by taking a reading of the original gravity (OG) before you add your yeast.
2. Taking this reading is a critical measurement as it indicates the amount of sugar you can use.
3. The beer or wine yeast then turns the sugar into alcohol which in turn gradually reduces the gravity until it reaches the final gravity (FG).

The final gravity (FG) is as low as the gravity will reach. Despite the alcohol content, the gravity will usually never reach lower than 1.000. This measurement is because residual proteins and un-fermentable sugars are present in the liquid. The yeast can not metabolise these remaining proteins and un-fermentable sugars.

• By knowing the original gravity (OG) and final gravity (GF), you can find out how much alcohol has been produced and therefore the alcohol content of your beer or wine, which will help determine your ABV (Alcohol by Volume).
• How do I use a hydrometer to calculate ABV ( Alcohol by Volume)? The ABV can be worked out only by taking the start gravity from the final gravity and dividing this figure by 7.362.

As an example, the starting point for your wine is 1.080 this then ferments down to 0.990. The drop is 90 points.90 divided by 7.362 is 12.23% ABV. Using a hydrometer when making wine The starting gravity should usually be between 1.070 to 1.090 and the usual finished ABV will be between 10.5% to 13%.

1. Finish Gravity is typically 0.990 (for dry wines) to 1.005 (for sweet wines).
2. Brew Mart always recommend that wine should be fermented down to dryness and if you require a sweeter wine adding sugar or grape juice at the end will increase the sweetness.
3. Using a hydrometer when making beer It can be complicated to give a definitive guide when brewing beer as there are so many beer brewing variations.

A typical beer will start (OG) at 1.045 and finish (FG) at 1.012 giving a 32 point drop (divided this by 7.362) making it 4.5%ABV. How to measure the specific gravity using the hydrometer By using the hydrometer, you measure how dense your beer or wine is. This measurement means that you can estimate how much-dissolved brewing sugar is in the brew. The gravity of the unfermented wort or must is called the original gravity (OG). The hydrometer will show you the current density of the brew and can indicate the rate at which the yeast is converting the brewing sugar into alcohol.

This new measurement helps you assess the success and health of the fermentation. This stage is the most delicate stage of brewing. It is also the stage when by reading the information which the hydrometer gives you, you can make adjustments to your brew. How to use the hydrometer using a four-step process Step 1: Using the trial jar with the hydrometer Take the first measurement before you pitch your yeas t s once the wort has cooled down to the optimum temperature required for the yeast.

This is commonly 20°C/68ºF for beer or wine and 15°C /59°F for lagers, this allows you t o obtain the OG (Original Gravity). When using the hydrometer, many people say that you can drop it into the bucket containing the wort. Brew Mart do not recommend this as it increases the risk of contamination, even if everything has undergone sterilisation. Use a Wine Thief The best practice is to use a wine thief with a trial jar. Draw the wort or must into the trial jar using the tap on your fermentation bucket or a wine thief to transfer the liquid. Half fill the trail jar to avoid spillage from displacement, then entirely suspend the hydrometer into the liquid.

Place the trial jar on a flat surface. Carefully place the hydrometer into the trail jar, it can move about a little, wait for it to settle down, you can also give it a little spin at this stage to eliminate any air bubbles. It also makes sure that the hydrometer is not sticking to the side of the trial jar.

Step 2: Obtain the Original Gravity Reading You will notice that the surface of the liquid in the trial jar is slightly concave (U-shaped) – this is called the meniscus. The accurate reading to take is the level at the centre/base of the curve. Take note of this reading. This reading will enable you to work out how strong your fermented beer or wine is later in the process.

The reading will depend on the beer or wine kit you used, how much you diluted it and the amount of sugar you added. A typical beer wort OG will be between 1.035 and 1.060. Your ingredient kit will list an OG so that you’ll have a reference for what your wort’s OG should be. A typical wine must OG is between 1.075 to 1.090 (a lot of instructions will leave out the point and write 1090, for example).

In a few days, the gravity will have dropped to 1.040 and will finish in the region of 1.000 to 0.990. Brew Mart does not recommend that the liquid in the trail jar is poured back into the bucket; you can either discard it or drink it. Remember that specific gravity is heavily influenced by temperature. Knowing the temperature of the wort is critical for reading the original gravity (OG). The best practice is to use the hydrometer when the wort or must temperature is 15°C – 59°F for lager or 20ºC – 68ºF for beer or wine. Use a stick on thermometer that sticks to the side of the fermenter, to measure the temperature of the main batch.

Doing this is safer than using a thermometer and inserting it into the liquid and potentially ruining your brew by adding bacteria. If the temperature reading is different, you can use the table below to work out the accurate reading. Step 4: Obtaining the final gravity reading (FG) When the fermentation process is nearing completion or better still actually completed another hydrometer reading is needed to obtain the final gravity (FG).

Don’t be tempted to take this reading to soon as the recommendation is only to do two readings — one to obtain the original gravity and one to get the final gravity. Care must be taken each time not to expose your beer to harmful air or bacteria which could spoil the entire batch.

At the final gravity stage, your wort is now officially a beer, and the final gravity reading should be close to the FG reading in the instructions of the home brew beer kit used. A typical beer’s FG is between 1.015 and 1.005 and should be about 1/4th or 1/5th of the beer’s OG. If additional testing is needed, possibly due to a stuck fermentation, do use extreme caution to limit exposure to harmful bacteria.

If fermentation is not complete, i.e. the hydrometer is not reading 1.010 or below, then fermentation has stuck and needs re-starting. If fermentation is not complete, it typically requires a “re-start” yeast and doing that should sort out any problems and start the fermentation process once more.

°C	°F	G	°C	°F	G
	32	0.0007	25	77	0.0021
1	33.8	0.0008	26	78.8	0.0023
2	35.6	0.0008	27	80.6	0.0026
3	37.4	0.0009	28	82.4	0.0029
4	39.2	0.0009	29	84.2	0.0032
5	41	0.0009	30	86	0.0035
6	42.8	0.0008	31	87.8	0.0038
7	44.6	0.0008	32	89.6	0.0041
8	46.4	0.0007	33	91.4	0.0044
9	48.2	0.0007	34	93.2	0.0047
10	50	0.0006	35	95	0.0051
11	51.8	0.0005	36	96.8	0.0054
12	53.6	0.0004	37	98.6	0.0058
13	55.4	0.0003	38	100.4	0.0061
14	57.2	0.0001	39	102.2	0.0065
15	59	0	40	104	0.0069
16	60.8	0.0002	41	105.8	0.0073
17	62.6	0.0003	42	107.6	0.0077
18	64.4	0.0005	43	109.4	0.0081
19	66.2	0.0007	44	111.2	0.0085
20	68	0.0009	45	113	0.0089
21	69.8	0.0011	46	114.8	0.0093
22	71.6	0.0016	47	116.6	0.0097
23	73.4	0.0016	48	118.4	0.0102
24	75.2	0.0018	49	120.2	0.0106

Check out all brew Mart’s home brew hints & tips A guide to brewing

What is 1.075 original gravity?

A high-gravity beer is one made from 1.075 OG wort or higher. In brewing, gravity is a measure of sugar density in the wort. A reading of 1.075 means 75 units of fermentable sugar relative to water.

Can I add sugar to increase OG?

Topic: adding sugar to raise OG? (Read 3152 times) – I’ve seen some homebrewers talk about adding sugar at the end of a boil to raise OG and get a higher ABV. Does this work? Seems like it has a lot of potential to mess up the taste/fermenting. I’ve been dabbling in IIPA’s, and if I can get the same results from a little extra sugar instead of the extra grains/boil time, I’m so down! Logged First, you can add it anytime during the boil. Second, most IIPA’s have sugar added because it can increase gravity without adding additional body to the beer. Sugar is basically 100% fermentable. Third, many Belgian styles have sugars added sometimes up to and over 20% of the grain bill. Logged Dan Chisholm Does it work? Yes. To get the same results as additional grain? No. In high-gravity beers like IIPA (depending on your tastes) it can be an essential part of the style since the simple sugar is fully fermentable and won’t contribute to your FG. Logged Sugar will lower your FG, resulting in a drier beer with a cleaner finish. This helps “drinkability;” allowing bigger beers to not become too cloying or full so drinkers will want another pint. Logged I’ve read (maybe in Yeast by White/Zainasheff) that adding simple sugars to a big beer is best done a few days after primary starts rather than up front. Yeast will consume them first and can expire before they get to the more complex maltose, so waiting until most of the maltose is gone before adding simple sugars will result in a more thorough fermentation. Logged I’ve read (maybe in Yeast by White/Zainasheff) that adding simple sugars to a big beer is best done a few days after primary starts rather than up front. Yeast will consume them first and can expire before they get to the more complex maltose, so waiting until most of the maltose is gone before adding simple sugars will result in a more thorough fermentation. Logged Life begins at 60.1.060, that is! www.dennybrew.com The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. – Alewyfe “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.” – Bertrand Russell I’ve read (maybe in Yeast by White/Zainasheff) that adding simple sugars to a big beer is best done a few days after primary starts rather than up front.

• Yeast will consume them first and can expire before they get to the more complex maltose, so waiting until most of the maltose is gone before adding simple sugars will result in a more thorough fermentation.
• While I haven’t done a comparison brew of the same high gravity wort to compare results, I have had fermentations with sugar added up front poop out early.

The theory made sense to me after reading that, and I’ve been following that practice for a bunch of years with good success. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I haven’t found any difference between adding in the kettle or the fermenter. Same here. Maybe for a huge 18%+ ABV beer you might see some benefit from late, incremental additions, but for something like a big Belgian or IIPA you can just add it all in. Logged I’ve read (maybe in Yeast by White/Zainasheff) that adding simple sugars to a big beer is best done a few days after primary starts rather than up front. Yeast will consume them first and can expire before they get to the more complex maltose, so waiting until most of the maltose is gone before adding simple sugars will result in a more thorough fermentation.

While I haven’t done a comparison brew of the same high gravity wort to compare results, I have had fermentations with sugar added up front poop out early. The theory made sense to me after reading that, and I’ve been following that practice for a bunch of years with good success. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I haven’t found any difference between adding in the kettle or the fermenter.

Same here. Maybe for a huge 18%+ ABV beer you might see some benefit from late, incremental additions, but for something like a big Belgian or IIPA you can just add it all in. This is one of those theories that makes sense when you think about it, but doesn’t actually hold true in practice.

1. There is some truth in it though.
2. Pitching yeast into a higher gravity wort takes more yeast mass or cells, so adding the sugar after fermentation is underway gives a smaller yeast starter a head start.
3. It probably doesn’t make too much difference, but I like to add the sugar after my yeast gets going.

(In the next post Denny will suggest pitching more yeast.) Logged Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian) Homebrewing since 1990 AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member BJCP judge since 1995 I’ve read (maybe in Yeast by White/Zainasheff) that adding simple sugars to a big beer is best done a few days after primary starts rather than up front.

• Yeast will consume them first and can expire before they get to the more complex maltose, so waiting until most of the maltose is gone before adding simple sugars will result in a more thorough fermentation.
• While I haven’t done a comparison brew of the same high gravity wort to compare results, I have had fermentations with sugar added up front poop out early.

The theory made sense to me after reading that, and I’ve been following that practice for a bunch of years with good success. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I haven’t found any difference between adding in the kettle or the fermenter. Same here. Maybe for a huge 18%+ ABV beer you might see some benefit from late, incremental additions, but for something like a big Belgian or IIPA you can just add it all in.

1. This is one of those theories that makes sense when you think about it, but doesn’t actually hold true in practice.
2. There is some truth in it though.
3. Pitching yeast into a higher gravity wort takes more yeast mass or cells, so adding the sugar after fermentation is underway gives a smaller yeast starter a head start.

It probably doesn’t make too much difference, but I like to add the sugar after my yeast gets going. (In the next post Denny will suggest pitching more yeast.) Yep. And keep in mind I’m not a cell count kinda guy. Matters little to me. Yeast vitality is what I look for. Logged Life begins at 60.1.060, that is! www.dennybrew.com The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. – Alewyfe “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.” – Bertrand Russell I used to add it at high krausen, but yeast pitch vitality and yeast choice seem to be the most important factors here, with vitality by far the most significant of the two. Logged Hodge Garage Brewing: “Brew with a glad heart!”

Is high-gravity beer bad for you?

Is High Gravity Beer Bad for You? – High-gravity alcohol can harm one’s health when consumed in excess, but it can also be beneficial when consumed in moderation. Minerals and other health-promoting substances found in beer, including high-gravity beer, have enhanced general health and well-being.

How can I increase my original gravity?

Tools of the trade – It’s important to measure the volume and gravity with reasonable accuracy. Some brewers make volume marks on the side of the kettle, while others use a previously calibrated sight glass or “dipstick.” Remember to account for the thermal expansion of water as it is heated at temperatures above 39 °F (4 °C).

• Water and wort increase in volume approximately 2% from 68 °F (20 °C) to 158 °F (70 °C), and 4% from 68 °F (20 °C) to 212 °F (100 °C).
• If you use a hydrometer to measure specific gravity, you will need to cool the sample to the hydrometer’s reference temperature or adjust the readings to compensate for the sample temperature (there are charts in brewing texts, or software can make the adjustment for you).

A refractometer is a handy tool for taking pre-boil gravity readings because the sample is small and cools very quickly. Once you have measured the pre-boil volume and gravity, these figures can be compared to the target values. Of course, any number of things can occur during the mashing process that may cause you to miss the mark.

Don’t despair if this occurs; it happens to all brewers. The secret is to know what measures to take to correct the situation and adjust the gravity or volume accordingly so that you still achieve the target values. Within reason, the target gravity is more important than the target volume. A little extra volume is desirable in order to allow for various losses after the boil.

There are several possible means of adjusting the values, depending on whether the actual volume and gravity are above or below the targets. Diluting the wort with water will increase the volume and decrease the gravity, both before and after the boil.

Do you age faster in low gravity?

Can you Age less if you live in an environment with more Gravity? – No, definitely not. Clocks tick slower in more gravity, but the time on clocks has nothing to do with aging. The force of gravity is the cause of motion and stress that causes physical age.

Time is the measurement of the duration of motion, and gravity is the cause. Let’s understand science instead of thinking that time is a cause of anything. We need to use time to keep track of our daily events, but time doesn’t create the events. We plan our events based on our thinking and desires, and we are the creators of things, but time alone does nothing to the entire universe.

The stress of living and the poor choices we make cause aging. I thought common sense was common, but apparently, it’s uncommon. When I see science that doesn’t make sense, I question its validity. Things don’t shrink the faster they move, and time doesn’t stop or slow down.

Can you fake gravity?

Speculative or fictional mechanisms – In science fiction, artificial gravity (or cancellation of gravity) or “paragravity” is sometimes present in spacecraft that are neither rotating nor accelerating. At present, there is no confirmed technique as such that can simulate gravity other than actual mass or acceleration.

1. There have been many claims over the years of such a device.
2. Eugene Podkletnov, a Russian engineer, has claimed since the early 1990s to have made such a device consisting of a spinning superconductor producing a powerful ” gravitomagnetic field”, but there has been no verification or even negative results from third parties.

In 2006, a research group funded by ESA claimed to have created a similar device that demonstrated positive results for the production of gravitomagnetism, although it produced only 0.0001 g, This result has not been replicated.

What is the average beer gravity?

Introduction – During the brewing process, brewers are required to measure the concentration of dissolved sugar in wort. There are a variety of different tools that may be used to accomplish this task. Sugar concentration is an indicator of the potential alcoholic strength of the beer, as it is these sugars that the yeast will ferment into alcohol.

As sugar is denser than water or alcohol, these tools all measure the wort density. Various scales exist for measuring density, the most popular of which are degrees Brix, degrees Plato, and specific gravity (SG). Winemakers as well as the sugar and juice industry tend to use degrees Brix. Professional brewers generally use degrees Plato or specific gravity.

Home wine, mead, cider, and beer makers typically use specific gravity. Throughout our website we use specific gravity exclusively for all measurements, mostly in our recipes, This density is measured at several points during the brewing process: During sparging, before the wort is boiled, after the wort is boiled, before fermentation, and after fermentation (to name a few).

The gravity of the wort before fermentation is called the ‘original gravity’ (OG) and the gravity of the beer after fermentation is called the ‘final gravity’ (FG). The difference between the two is used to calculate the alcohol content of the beer. Distilled water has a specific gravity of 1.000. A typical 5% ABV (alcohol by volume) beer usually starts as wort with an original gravity of around 1.045 – 1.050 and finishes fermentation with a final gravity of around 1.007 – 1.012.

The larger the difference between the starting and ending gravities, the higher the alcohol content of the beer. The lower the final gravity, the dryer the beer. Below are a few different products we recommend for measuring gravity.

What should the original gravity be for IPA?

-Ethan Johnston- The saying goes that a rising tide lifts all boats, and the rise in craft/artisan beer has certainly had a similar impact on the various beer styles. Styles like Gose and Grätzer, which were bordering on extinction until recent years, are enjoying exponentially more of a market share than they ever have.

However, no style has been lifted to the height of India Pale Ale and its various sub-styles. IPA has been the hottest craft beer style on the market since the most recent surge in craft beer began approximately 15 years ago. One of the first beer fads, Double/Imperial styles, saw the rise of the Double IPA, and was pretty quickly followed by the concomitant backlash preference for Session or lower ABV styles.

Hence the rise of the Session IPA. Then there was the Black IPA or Cascadian Dark Ale, a style likened to the offspring of an IPA and Porter. For some time now though, the king of IPA (and craft beer) has been the American style West Coast IPA, defined by its light body, dry finish, clean and clear presentation, a bright citrus-heavy hop profile, and pronounced bitterness.

No style had been more successful than IPA, save for historically popular mass – produced light lagers: so what could possibly come next for this giant of the craft brew world? Where could the aromatic/flavor profile go from here and would those be the only variables brewers would toy with? The current course of the IPA has taken a very unexpected turn, and to the surprise of many, has embraced a number of things that have long been considered anathema for the style; a murky and even opaque appearance or a full/round body with a soft carbonation and velvety mouthfeel.

Enter New England IPA, the most recent fad in India Pale Ale and one that’s hit craft beer like a tsunami. The style arguably originated with Alchemist’s Heady Topper out of Vermont and expanded from there. Heady Topper has long enjoyed a cult-level following for its mold-breaking juicy hop character coupled with an expressive yeast strain and unexpectedly cloudy appearance. What is New England IPA? Lucky for us, the Brewer’s Association recently added stylistic guidelines for these hazy/juicy brews. This has helped smooth out previous inconsistencies in how people understood the style. The BA style guidelines (and a marked amount of consumption on my part) tell us to expect a brew that is straw blonde to golden in color with a noticeable haze that can approach opacity.

1. Aromatics should be off the hop character chart and focus on tropical fruit with citrus playing a background role.
2. A mild and restrained malt character is acceptable, and some supporting character from yeast esters and bio-transformed hop compounds is often found.
3. The mouthfeel should be more along the lines of medium-full, soft, and round than typical IPAs and feature a much more mellow bitterness.

Your starting gravity should be somewhere in the 1.060 to 1.070 range and your final gravity between 1.008 and 1.016. In my opinion, a higher original gravity is acceptable when coupled with a higher final gravity here. This style can handle more body than you’d expect.

In layman’s terms, a Hazy IPA is one in which the brewer’s goal is to produce a beer with an aroma, flavor, appearance, and palate not unlike tropical fruit juice. The nose should maximize the potential to cram hop aromatics into a beverage and reek of tropical fruit and citrus (juice, not zest). The appearance should be pretty light in color and real cloudy/murky.

Juicy IPAs should be very quaffable, and you shouldn’t be getting nearly as much bitterness as you would in a standard IPA. Fruity hop flavors should predominate, and the body should be a little bit more full than typical IPAs. Sounds delicious, right? It is.

So, we’ve answered the question: What is a New England IPA? The only thing left to do is track some down and give ‘em a try. There are a number of breweries that are producing excellent examples of this style. However, I’m in North Carolina, and I’m gonna give a shout out to one of our locals. I decided that I wanted to get in touch with Wilmington Brewing Company for this article.

I had not tasted any of Wilmington Brewing’s offerings prior to getting my hands on their Some New IPA, Let’s just say that now I’ve made a point of seeking out any beer they release. The folks at Wilmington Brewing were kind enough to provide us with a 5-gallon recipe for their Kitten Biscuit New England IPA made with lactose, and we’ve shared it below! I won’t delve into it here but know that Milkshake IPA’s and IPA’s utilizing lactose for more mouthfeel are also current (unexpected) trends! If you can get your hands on Kitten Biscuit then you’ll have about the best exposure to that style as you could hope for. Credit: Rob Brink Batch Size: 5 gallons Recipe Type: All-Grain Original Gravity: 1.080-1.085 Final Gravity: 1.020-1.024 ABV: ~ 8% Ingredients 9.5 lbs 2-Row Pale Malt 4 lbs Wheat Malt 1.5 lbs Flaked Oats 1 lb CaraPils,5 lb Rice Hulls,5 lb Lactose – add during boil w/10 min remaining 2.5 oz Citra hops – whirlpool @ 210˚F for 20 min 2.5 oz Mosaic hops – whirlpool @ 210˚F for 20 min 5 oz Citra hops – dry hop for 4 days 5 oz Mosaic hops – dry hop for 4 days Dry English Ale Yeast – WLP007 Process Mill all of your grains (not the rice hulls) and mash at 152˚-153˚ F for 60 minutes.

Collect wort and boil for 60 minutes. Add lactose with 10 minutes remaining in boil. Once the boil has concluded you’ll chill to 210˚F, add your whirlpool hops, and hold for 20 minutes. Finish chilling your wort to 68˚-70˚F, transfer to a fermentor, aerate, and pitch your yeast. Dry hop for four days after fermentation is complete.

Advanced Tips Wilmington recommends a chloride to sulfate ratio of about 6:1 for this brew. They also toss in about 1 gram of Cl pre 5 gallons at the end of the boil. Your pH should be coming out about 5.2 at the end of your boil and 4.5 in the finished product.

What is the original gravity of Heineken?

Heineken

Current export bottle
Original gravity	1.044–1.048
IBU scale	23
Related products	Heineken Oud Bruin Heineken Premium Light Heineken Tarwebok
Website	heineken.com

What is the ideal hydrometer reading for beer?

How to Take a Hydrometer Reading Hydrometers are a tool that every homebrewer and winemaker should become familiar with because they can tell you so much about what is going on. A is a glass tube with a weight on one end. Its purpose is to measure the difference in gravity (density) between pure water and water with sugar dissolved in it.

The hydrometer takes this reading by floating in the liquid. It is best to use a hydrometer test jar to take your samples. Test jars are made of plastic or glass and allow you to take a small sample to be tested. Newer winemakers and brewers tend to take a lot of samples. We know what the directions say on some kits, but it is usually best to keep the sample down to a minimum.

You are not going to gain that much information by taking samples all the time. A lot of old wine recipes have you take samples almost daily because they were using inferior equipment and yeast. Today, once everything starts fermenting, you have very little to worry about.

Keep in mind that every time you open your fermenter you are allowing the possibility for bacteria to be introduced. Use a turkey baster or to take your samples. And of course, make sure everything is sanitized before use. On most of the hydrometers made today you have three scales for taking measurements.

The three scales are potential alcohol, Balling, and specific gravity. Which scale you use will depend on how specific you want your reading to be. The easiest scale to use is the potential alcohol. How to take a hydrometer reading using the potential alcohol scale:

Sanitize all equipment that will come in contact with your wine or beer. Take a sample of the liquid before you add the yeast. Place the sample in the hydrometer test jar. If you have a Wine Thief, you do not need to do this as the Wine Thief doubles as a test jar. Make sure the hydrometer is not hitting the sides of the jar as this will affect your reading. Spin the hydrometer as you would a top to remove any bubbles that might be clinging to it. With the sample at eye level, look to see where the liquid crosses the markings. Write down the reading. For beer it will usually be around 5%, for wine around 12%. Let the beer or wine ferment completely. You’ll know it’s done when you see one bubble a minute or less coming out of the airlock. Take a second reading just before bottling. To determine the amount of alcohol you subtract the second reading from the first. For example if your first reading was 5% and your second reading is 1%; take 5-1=4%. That is the amount of alcohol.

The Balling scale is not usually used in America, but we’ll tell you how to use it anyway. How to take a hydrometer reading using the Balling scale:

Sanitize all equipment that will come in contact with your wine or beer. Take a sample of the liquid before you add the yeast. Place the sample in the hydrometer test jar. If you have a Wine Thief, you do not need to do this as the Wine Thief doubles as a test jar. Make sure the hydrometer is not hitting the sides of the jar as this will affect your reading. Spin the hydrometer to remove any bubbles that might be clinging to it. With the sample at eye level, look to see where the liquid crosses the markings. Write down the reading. For beer it will usually be around 10, for wine around 22. Take that number and multiply it by 0.55. This will give you your potential for alcohol. So, take 22 X 0.55=12.1%

The Balling scale is a little less accurate version of the Brix scale. Typically, the Brix scale is used when using a refractometer. The Balling scale is a quick way to get a rough idea of how much alcohol will be created. The most common scale used today in America is the specific gravity scale.

Sanitize all equipment that will come in contact with your wine or beer. Take a sample of the liquid before you add the yeast. Place the sample in the hydrometer test jar. If you have a Wine Thief, you do not need to do this as the Wine Thief doubles as a test jar. Spin the hydrometer to remove any bubbles that might be clinging to it. With the sample at eye level, look to see where the liquid crosses the markings. Write down the reading. For beer it will usually be around 1.046, for wine around 1.090. These numbers will vary greatly depending on your recipe, so follow what your recipe says it should be. Let the wine or beer ferment completely and then take a reading just before bottling. Write that number down. The equation to figure out the amount of alcohol is this: (S.G. – F.G.)/ 0.776.1.050 – 1.010=,04,04 / 0.776= 5.2%

There are a lot of calculators on the web to make this easier, so do a quick web search and the math can be done for you. Hydrometers will read 1.000 in 60°F distilled water. Follow this conversion chart to account for temperature variances.

Degrees Fahrenheit	Adjustment to Reading
40	Subtract	.002
50	Subtract	.001
60	CORRECT	––
70	Add	.001
80	Add	.002
90	Add	.004
100	Add	.005
110	Add	.007
120	Add	.008
130	Add	.010
140	Add	.013
150	Add	.015

The obvious reason why we use a hydrometer is to figure out our alcohol percentage. But, a hydrometer can be very handy for figuring out if there is a problem. If you suspect that the yeast has not started fermenting, take a hydrometer reading to find out.