Abv higher than it should be

[Libigage]

Hi, I brewed a wilko classic lager which should have come out at 4.2%. I added muntons brew enhancer instead of just brew sugar. Had a few problems with temperature control at the beginning but managed to get a steady 18-19°. OG was 1041, fg was 2002 making it 5.12%. Is this normal, its quite a jump I thought. Currently cold crashing to clear as I may bottle and leave for the summer. To be honest it doesn't taste too bad for a cheap kit

 

[Libigage]

Hi, I brewed a wilko classic lager which should have come out at 4.2%. I added muntons brew enhancer instead of just brew sugar. Had a few problems with temperature control at the beginning but managed to get a steady 18-19°. OG was 1041, fg was 2002 making it 5.12%. Is this normal, its quite a jump I thought. Currently cold crashing to clear as I may bottle and leave for the summer. To be honest it doesn't taste too bad for a cheap kit

. OG was 1041, fg was 2002 making it 5.12%
That's obviously meant to be 1002 fg

 

[fury_tea]

1.002 is very dry for a beer, even using 100% brewing sugar as the extra fermentables you don't often get it that low. I'd expect 1.008-1.012. Are you sure your measurements were accurate and your hydrometer is measuring correctly?

 

[The Baron]

Yes that is a very low FG. Not to scaremonger as generally most beers will not go that low as Fury says double check that the hydrometer is reading correctly by checking in a glass of water, if all is correct have a taste before bottling as it could possibly be a infection that are well known for taking the OG lower than expected it would just save all the work of bottling if it tastes infected/off. If all is well just proceed to bottle as normal and just put it down to murphy's law

 

[Libigage]

Hydrometer reading at 20°

 

[Libigage]

ATTACH=full]40090[/ATTACH]
Beer at 4.5°and it tastes ok

 

[Libigage]

Update, I tasted it before I bottled and kegged it. It tasted OK so I went ahead. I've been a bit impatient and tried a bottle today. Its been in the bottle for 11 days and is nicely carbed. It has no head at all but still tastes OK. Surely if it had an infection I wouldn't be able to drink it, is that true? I don't want to be ill. So shall I just leave it to condition

 

[yrhendystu]

Just checked through my spreadsheet and I've had a Wilko Cerveza finish at 1002 before now. Most of my kits have finished at around 1006, sometimes 1004.

The instructions will likely say 1006/8 based on a one week ferment. I leave in for at least two with a bit extra to cold crash.

I haven't tried their classic lager all the others I have tried have been fine. Have tried Cerveza, copper bitter, Gold IPA SE, Newky brown.

 

[chrisb8]

It is a bit difficult to see where the reading is on the picture with water only but it looks like your hydrometer could be a few points out.