Hydrometer Reading!!!

[mancer62]

I broke my trusted hydrometer a few weeks ago and purchased a new one.
I used it tonight for the first time and and confused with what I seen .
I am no home brew expert and keep it simple brewing extract kits and dry hopping.
This evening I made a mangrove jack 1.7kg real ale kit and added 1kg brown sugar.
I have made these kits many times and the OG is normally 1042.
I first of all put my hydrometer in the test jar with water and it read 1002.
I then brewed this kit and got an OG of 1032!!!!!
Any ideas brew mates?

 

[Galena]

What temperature was the brew when you checked the gravity? A reading of 1.032 at 50C is equivalent to 1.042 as an example. Most hydrometers are designed to be used at 20C, it should say on it.

 

[mancer62]

to be honest with u i am not entirely sure.
I brewed to 40 pints. I boiled 6 pints of water and mixed with the 1.7kg extract and 1kg sugar as I always do and topped up to 40 pints with cold water.
I dont usually take temp as it always seems to work out just fine.
Is there any point in an hour or two taking another reading to see what i get or wont I get a true abv reading because i have added the yeast?

Should i disregard this very low reading of 1032 and assume my beer is indeed around 1042 and will end around 1010 giving my a pint around 4.2%
or have I done it wrong and i will get a weak pint around 3%??

 

[Galena]

You could try taking a reading now yes, there should not be much alcohol yet so though it will not be fully accurate it will give you a clue and if it is over 1.032 then you know your reading was wrong. Don't forget to sanitise anything you dip into the FV and don't be tempted to put it back in. Also recheck in water at 20C to calibrate.

 

[mancer62]

Ty for reply Galena.
I didnt manage to take reading last night I fell asleep lol.
But I have just taken a reading this morning around 12 hours after I made.
I know the reading may not be totally accurate as the yeast has been added and fermentation has begun...but my reading was 1042....

For future reference what would u say is the temp I should use hydrometer at..ty

 

[Galena]

For future reference what would u say is the temp I should use hydrometer at..ty

Normally 20C but check on the hydrometer or paperwork it should state its calibration temperature. There are also temperature correction calculators available, just so long as you know the temperature of course

 

[mancer62]

Tyvm for your input and advice.
Cheers

 

[mancer62]

I made my other brew last night around 10pm.
A mangrove jack American pale ale 1.7kg extract kit with 1kg brown sugar... itook hydrometer reading at 16 C...and again it read 1032..
I've just taken a reading 12 hours later...I know not ideal with yeast added but it read 1042...the hydrometer is calobrated to 20 C....what am I doing wrong..i was used to plonking my old hydrometer in and seeing 1042 every time...does this new hydrometer mean I just basically add 10 points on or do I wait and take a reading in the morning.
Sorry to be a pain but this is confusing me.

 

[johncrobinson]

Is the sugar and kit concentrate fully and properly dissolved and most importantly MIXED when you take the initial readings.?????
I have seen this many times on the wine kit threads

 

[Galena]

You could calibrate again. this time with tap water at 20C (should be 1.000 or close) then dissolve 104grams sugar (sucrose) in 1 litre of water and then check that at 20C and it should read 1.040

 

[jeg3]

It's almost always because the gloop isn't fully dissolved, and it may be a higher temperature. In the main I don't do kits, but when I won the MJ Irish Stout I made this very mistake. In the end, I topped up to 23 litres and put all the malt in, so it must have been OK, but the first reading was 1.026 @ 27degC, then a few hours later it was 1.046 @20degC in the fridge.

I've also worked out that my trusty hydrometer reads .004 too low, so the paper must have slipped...for ages I thought all my beers were overattenuating...

 

[johncrobinson]

I really don't know how that paper stays in place.