Are the claimed ABV on home brew kits pretty reliable?

[mancer62]

Hi there just got a good deal purchasing 5 Simply kits (3x Real Ale & 2x Export Stout) along with 5 Free!!! bags of brewing sugar for £10.81 each.
I've just made one of each both to just under 40pints but using my two hydrometers got og readings of 1034/1036 which to me seems vert low. I don't want to be brewing big strong beers but would like them in the 4% 4.5% range which I'm sure these kits claim to be.
I made sure I stirred everything well and I even made one just mixing extract, sugar and boiling water in the fv and the other boiling on the cooker with 3l of water. Made no difference both og same.
I'm in two minds to stop taking og readings and just trust what the kits say.
Are these kits pretty accurate in their abv claims and even if my readings are low will the beer during fermentation ferment.out fully and give me the correct abv..ie approx 4.5%?
If anyone has done these kits I'd be interested to know ty

 

[old dog new tricks]

sounds like a great deal on kits where did you get them from if you don't mind me asking?

Sorry I can't comment on the above only made cider kits they came out roughly what they said about 5.5%

 

[mancer62]

This deal is from The Malt Miller...

 

[Clint]

One thing I did think about when brewing kits and hydrometer readings as well as the mixing as you said,was how accurate are the volume indicators on my fv?
Probably OUT!
I couldn't be bothered weighing 20-odd litres of water so just cracked on.
You will make beer. It'll be nice.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I can say the brew to bottle fv's are spot on using a 1L jug

 

[mancer62]

I have done the volume indicator thing on my FV's by carefully measuring 40 pints and have marked each FV accordingly. So this is def not an issue also I have checked numerous places and it claims this brew comes out around 4/4.5% when brewed to 40 pints + 1kg brewing sugar. I have brewed it to approx 38 pints so I presume regardless of what my hydrometer says its likely to be in this ball park yes?
Don't get me wrong I'm not looking to brew super strength stuff but I don't want to to make piss water either...at least 4% I'm happy

 

[The Baron]

All I can suggest is take a FG with the same hydrometer when finished to see what the ABV will be at the end. You reading does seem a little low and you have mixed well and measured your FV previously so it looks like it is possibly either low as you have suggested or the hydrometers are out.
You would need the beers to go down to 1.004/6 which seems low for a Ale etc.

 

[Clint]

Regardless of what x litre jug you use to fill your fv you need to be sure that your jug is also calibrated as a lot aren't.
Put your jug on a scales,zero scales,pour in water until the scales read 1kg. If its on your mark for 1 litre you're good to go,if not you'll have to mark the jug or remember the difference. My 4 litre jug is approx 200ml out if I fill to the 4 litre mark. This also applies to measuring out strike and sparge water if you're that bothered.

 

[ARNWD]

Don't forget, water temp will affect volume measurements.

 

[mancer62]

I think my fv is fine....I checked.my measuring jug with my pint measure and.all seems.fine...I do not think the amount of water.in the fv is the problem....if others on YouTube etc say they getting approx 4.5 % when adding 1kg brew sugar I'd think me doing the same with slightly less than 40 pints should be getting around the same abv regardless of what my hydrometer says dint u think.?

 

[Davegase]

Hi there just got a good deal purchasing 5 Simply kits (3x Real Ale & 2x Export Stout) along with 5 Free!!! bags of brewing sugar for £10.81 each.
I've just made one of each both to just under 40pints but using my two hydrometers got og readings of 1034/1036 which to me seems vert low. I don't want to be brewing big strong beers but would like them in the 4% 4.5% range which I'm sure these kits claim to be.
I made sure I stirred everything well and I even made one just mixing extract, sugar and boiling water in the fv and the other boiling on the cooker with 3l of water. Made no difference both og same.
I'm in two minds to stop taking og readings and just trust what the kits say.
Are these kits pretty accurate in their abv claims and even if my readings are low will the beer during fermentation ferment.out fully and give me the correct abv..ie approx 4.5%?
If anyone has done these kits I'd be interested to know ty

Are you going to be adding priming sugar ? That will increase the abv, by how much, depends on how much priming sugar you add.

 

[Graz]

I've always found the quoted ABV on most kits to be a little optimistic but yours does sound a little on the low side. If you plug the numbers into here, i.e. 1.8kg of liquid malt & 1kg of sugar in a 5 gallon volume, then it comes out 1.041 with an estimated ABV of 3.9%: https://www.brewersfriend.com/extract-ogfg/

Then if you prime with around 100g of sugar it will take it to around 4.1%

Sounds like you've done everything right though such as ensuring it is all mixed before taking a hydrometer reading. Have you checked your hydrometer reads 1.000 in plain water?