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Author Topic: missed gravity  (Read 4702 times)

Offline davidgzach

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #15 on: October 06, 2011, 10:31:30 am »
I haven't used D2, but I have used molasses.

I was going to suggest molasses or maple syrup.  Russian Imperial -insert one- Stout.   ;D

Or maybe Dark Brown Sugar.  Brown Sugar RIS a la The Rolling Stones? 

Dave
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Offline hoser

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #16 on: October 06, 2011, 10:49:02 am »

or add candi sugar and call it a belgian imperial stout

Belgian stouts are more about the yeast and not the sugar.  Do we call Imperial IPAs that have a sugar addition Belgain IPAs?  BTW, I think Belgian stouts are bad tasting combo.  The roasted malts and yeast phenols clash, IMHO.  I have not impressed with any of the commercial examples I have had. 

I think D2 would be a better choice than molasses or brown sugar, IMHO.  There are really no flavor contributions from brown sugar.

This is why I always check my initial boil gravity with refractometer so that I can add DME or dilute with H20 depending on my gravity after 5 minutes of boil so that I hit my OG prior to yeast pitch.  A little tip I learned from Mike "Tasty" McDole on the BN. ;D

Offline punatic

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #17 on: October 06, 2011, 01:53:34 pm »
I haven't used D2, but I have used molasses.

Did you recycle the left-over parts of the moles?
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #18 on: October 06, 2011, 01:58:20 pm »
I haven't used D2, but I have used molasses.

Did you recycle the left-over parts of the moles?

Sure, that's what white sugar is made from. everyone knows that moleasses are the left overs from white sugar production. and brown sugar is just white sugra with moleasses added back in! ;D
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #19 on: October 06, 2011, 02:10:59 pm »
BTW, I think Belgian stouts are bad tasting combo.  The roasted malts and yeast phenols clash, IMHO.  I have not impressed with any of the commercial examples I have had. 
I agree completely.

This is why I always check my initial boil gravity with refractometer so that I can add DME or dilute with H20 depending on my gravity after 5 minutes of boil so that I hit my OG prior to yeast pitch.  A little tip I learned from Mike "Tasty" McDole on the BN. ;D
I used to do this, but it's one of those things that when it's never a problem, why bother continuing to check?  Oh yeah, now I know why :)

In the end I used some DME and LME in a quart of water, boiled it for 5 minutes, and added it to the carboy.  I calculated it will be close enough to 1.097 now that I'm not going to worry about it.  But I won't be sending any data from this one to Sean for his refractometer spread sheet. :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline maxieboy

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #20 on: October 06, 2011, 06:31:16 pm »
I always check my initial boil gravity with refractometer

+1
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Offline oscarvan

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #21 on: October 06, 2011, 08:23:58 pm »
All well and fine, but this brewer has a question.....

Does the crush have THAT much of an effect? Tom, how badly was it out of adjustment? What was your mash time? I find it interesting that we're talking almost 20% off the mark for a crusher that's a hair out of whack?
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #22 on: October 06, 2011, 11:06:54 pm »
Oh no, it wasn't a hair.  It was more like 5 hairs. :)  The bottom gap was at 1.050, but it is usually at 1.035.  I think the set screws came loose and milling the grain probably pushed it apart.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline euge

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #23 on: October 06, 2011, 11:46:56 pm »
It just goes to show that no matter how experienced- stuff happens. Last batch I left the spigot open on the fermenter as the wort was filling it. :D
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #24 on: October 07, 2011, 12:39:49 am »
Even the pros dump batches occasionally.  Things happen, some you can fix some you can't.  It was still fun brewing. :)
Tom Schmidlin

Offline bluesman

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #25 on: October 07, 2011, 05:20:37 am »
Even the pros dump batches occasionally.  Things happen, some you can fix some you can't.  It was still fun brewing. :)

Brewing is a never ending process of improvement.  :)
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Offline punatic

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #26 on: October 07, 2011, 06:09:18 am »
It just goes to show that no matter how experienced- stuff happens. Last batch I left the spigot open on the fermenter as the wort was filling it. :D

In the boiler business we call that a "once-through" system...  ;)
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Offline davidgzach

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Re: missed gravity
« Reply #27 on: October 07, 2011, 06:16:25 am »
Even the pros dump batches occasionally.  Things happen, some you can fix some you can't.  It was still fun brewing. :)

Nice to know others make the same silly mistakes I do.  My last one was leaving my vorlauf alone while I attached my sparge arm.  Lost about a pint of fresh wort...... :-[

It still chokes me up....... :'(
Dave Zach