Phil Mud Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I'm currently fermenting a Mexican Cerveza - first brew so I am just going with the recommended additions (BE2) - I think my OG reading may be inaccurate though - I measured 1.030 - I thought nothing of it, but since then it seems this is a low original gravity reading for any wort. I did check the hydrometer in 20C tap water and it was right on 0.00, so I think the hydrometer is OK. Out of interests sake I checked the SG again today (after 3 days) and it's at 1.020 - this works out to be about 1% Alcohol. This said, I also tasted the wort and it tastes stronger than 1%. If my brew ends up weaker than say, 4% I won't bother drinking it - can someone tell me, a) If it's possible that my OG would have been as low as 1.030? There was 23L of wort in the fermenter and I meaured my sample at approx 26C. If it could have been this low, what did I do wrong? b)When, during a 6 day (give or take) ferment, does most of the fermentation take place? Is it likely that in the next three days, the SG will drop much further? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 The cerveza kit and 1kg of BE2 should give you an OG of around 1.040. Your reading could have been caused by not mixing the ingredients properly. Nothing to worry about though it will still ferment properly, it will just give you an incorrect reading. The FG should be around 1.012 so there is still some fermentation to go. This will give you an ABV% of about 4.4%. Generally fermentation will be complete in 4-6 days depending on various factors such as OG, temperature and the amount of viable yeast cells pitched. But it is beneficial to leave it another week to allow the yeast to clean up after themselves and clear up the beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Well paul to be honest half the time i dont take gravity readings i know roughly from the time in fermenter at what temps etc with what ingredients produces what sort of beer that i like. OMG probably just started a big shit storm here but i have never had any problems. Ocasionally i take them just for the hell of it especially if trying something new. Even alot of the time the temp creeps up to 26 or 28 for a short while overnight or while im at work and never a drama. Beers still tastes good but as a new brewer i suggest wait another 4 days start taking more readings if same over 2 days then bottle away everyone has their own way though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 but as hairy said a week in Fv after fermentation is better for clear beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 i dont take gravity readings i know roughly from the time in fermenter at what temps etc with what ingredients produces what sort of beer that i like Ha ha, you tryin' to start some trouble 'round here? [biggrin] Just kidding mate, each to their own. But my advice to a new brewer is to take gravity readings. I am inconsistent in taking OG readings but FG readings should be a necessity. Otherwise, potential bottle bombs. You base fermentation on time. However if I am expecting an FG around 1010 and it stalls at 1020 then, even though the timeframe has elapsed, it still has capacity to ferment. You then rouse the yeast in the bottle, nice warm temperature and BOOM! Gravity readings are a good habit to develop so start when you are learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Nah no Trouble sir [innocent] yeah always good as a learner to do everything by the book as i have 4 years brewing experience myself broken up in 2 lots of 2 years have never had a boom from not being fermented even overgassed bottles havent guess just lucky. but i always leave at elast 10 to 12 days in fv at between 22 to 26 some say too hight for me never been a problem each to their own. lots to learn on here mate good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I am just amazed to hear that you are able to tell what the ABV is just by tasting it. What does 1% taste like? [alien] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Mud Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 The cerveza kit and 1kg of BE2 should give you an OG of around 1.040. Your reading could have been caused by not mixing the ingredients properly. I think this could be what happened - I noticed that the BE2 kind of caked up a bit and while I was conscious to try and mix it properly, it was hard to see what was happening below the surface. Glad to hear it should still work out OK - cheers for the help. I am just amazed to hear that you are able to tell what the ABV is just by tasting it. What does 1% taste like? [alien] Really? You can't taste the difference between 1% (the approx % based on the SG readings) and about 4% (assuming a SG of 1.050)? So either your palate is defective, or I'm some kind of ABV savant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Mud Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 ... but i always leave at elast 10 to 12 days in fv at between 22 to 26 some say too hight for me never been a problem each to their own. lots to learn on here mate good luck. Thanks Jamie - Do you try and keep the temp. steady over the whole 10-12 days? Assuming the fermentation is largely done by day 6 or so, is it OK for the temp. to come up a bit later on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Really? You can't taste the difference between 1% (the approx % based on the SG readings) and about 4% (assuming a SG of 1.050)? So either your palate is defective, or I'm some kind of ABV savant. Just want to know how you tell the difference just by tasting as I certainly can't. If it is possible, I would like to know. That seems like a fairly legit question. I am asking you to help me tell the difference. So I put it to you again, how do you tell the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Mud Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Sure, you can ask me any question you like. I might be new to brewing, but I'm sure as hell not new to drinking, which is really what qualifies me to school you on this particular point. Presumably when you drink a beer, or any alcoholic beverage, you are able to discern which part of the taste is the actual alcohol. I also assume that you find this more noticeable when you drink a glass of wine compared to a beer, and more so again when you sip some scotch. Look for the same (albeit far more subtle) difference between a light beer and a strong ale. Different people's palates vary in terms of their sensitivity to this, and personally I'd struggle to differentiate a difference of 1% or so, but the difference between 1% and 4% is a bit more obvious. If you don't think it would be for you, go to Coles and buy a can of the very low alcohol beer (I think this is approx 1%, or at least it used to be). Drink it (if you can manage - it's awful stuff) and follow it with a full strength beer. Sure they're different beers so they taste different, but look for the alcohol, it's part taste, part mouth feel. If you can't tell the difference, stick with the supermarket beer - it's cheaper! Does anyone else think they could taste the difference between a 1% beer and a 4% beer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Mud Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Fair enough, not my intention to offend - presumably Bill is having a bit of fun, and I'm responding. Happy to adhere to the community standards here, so I'll keep it clean in future. Do the mods need me to edit my posts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuchuliann Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Paul I just did a mexican cervesa and thought I'd throw my readings into the mix for a comparison (it tastes great by the way). My OG 10037 with a FG of 1006. Your OG would appear to be on the low side. My fermenting temps were on the high side - consistently over 24 deg C during fermentation. Be interesting to see how your cervesa turns out.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Fair enough, not my intention to offend - presumably Bill is having a bit of fun, and I'm responding. Happy to adhere to the community standards here, so I'll keep it clean in future. Do the mods need me to edit my posts? [cool] Most of the time this is a friendly and helpful forum and well moderated by Paul (PB2). I don't know if you have this spreadsheet or not, but it is a handy guide as to what you can expect from your brew, not only OG, FG & ABV but also IBU and EBC. Apart from my first brew, which was Lager and BE1 which like yours was too low, mine have all come close. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Fair enough, not my intention to offend - presumably Bill is having a bit of fun, and I'm responding. Happy to adhere to the community standards here, so I'll keep it clean in future. Do the mods need me to edit my posts? No offense taken. However, I wasn't actually just having fun, I was really wanting to know the different. I haven't seen a 1% beer in Tassie and there are no alcohol sales in the Supermarkets here so I really have no idea what it tastes like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadian Eh!L Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Hi Gang, This thread has a bit of heat to it don't it?[joyful] I personally think it is important to take readings to know when the brew is done. A while back in the summer when my brewing temps were around 16-18C I had a brown ale on the brew with Cooper's re-cultured yeast. I had it on the brew for the standard 14 days. I didn't have time due to my work schedule to take a couple of SG readings. Well Guess what? BOTTLE BOMBS![crying] One blew up a Grolsch bottle. I was pissed off?[annoyed] So in my opinion it doesn't matter if you can taste the diff between 1% and 4%. What matters is if your brew is finished doing it's thing. Hey Jamie, Before I joined up to the Order I had been brewing for seven years. I can say that in the one year of hanging out and listening to advice instead of giving it I have become a brewer. [wink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasond4 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Your last comment was well put Chad. I'm 20years brewing and still learning. Wouldn't come to this site if I thought I knew it all....never will and thats a good thing to keep on learning[happy] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB2 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Happy to adhere to the community standards here' date=' so I'll keep it clean in future. [/quote'] [cool] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Mud Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 @Chuchulian, I'll let you know what the FG reading is - your OG sounds low as well (or am I confused?), does your cerveza have much impact? @Eddie, thanks for that link/spreadsheet - looks great! @Bill, you're not missing out re: 1% beer - it's pointless horrible stuff and I can't for the life of me remember why I put any in my mouth. Also, where in Hobart are you from? I marred a girl from Blackmans Bay. If I were you, I'd be at the Taste festival right now eating and imbibing - was there this time last year and was thoroughly impressed! @Chad - I like that logic - esp as the new Coopers fermenters have no airlock (though I gather SG readings are more accurate anyway. I see you're Canadian - are there any beer styles that benefit from a bit of maple syrup? I love the stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 hey all just got home from a 12 hour shift havin a boags. well i dont think i ever said i knew what percent it was from tasting it but anyway. so as i got busier in life just stopped taking readings im sure its not always the same but tastes good regardless so i have just decided i dont take them and never a problem my guess work has done wonders. everytime i try a new recipie i take readings a few times to get a rough idea and away i go but as i dont drink and drive anyway its not a concern for me knowing the percentage. sorry there are many more posts to read i will after kids to bed or if get chance before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 i think that may have been directed to paul the comment regardless knocking on people just because they dont follow everything to a tea all the time is kids play. everyone has there own methods and like paul said buy a 1% beer from supermarket or 0.7 Percent i have also seen tassie will have them. im not here to suck up to anyone or to be rude to anyone just want to talk beer. [biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattw16 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 PaulM49, the OP, "ABV savant" love it mate, bloody excellent, in answer to your question, yeh you're not alone, i drink no alcohol beer, low alcohol beer and high strenght too, with everything in between, no doubt at all i can tell you which is which by taste i totally agree that a highly alcohic beer tastes as such thing is, you can type what you think you mean and someone can read what you dont think they would think you would mean, it happens [biggrin] let's talk beer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 and like paul said buy a 1% beer from supermarket or 0.7 Percent i have also seen tassie will have them. I'm sorry but you are wrong. Supermarkets are not allowed to sell alcohol in Tassie so I'd actually be interested to know the one you got it from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Bill, beers like Birrell (see link) can be bought in supermarkets. Birrell They have 0.5% alcohol and are considered to be alcohol free. I personally don't recommend trying it though [sick] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 there u go can get 0.5% give it a go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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