Noob in trouble with second brew !

[crasher600]

Yeah i know its pathetic really isnt it !
The second brew i have tried is a woodfordes admiral reserve 3kg kit that i started on 30/12/08. Everything seems to have gone fine, loads of bubbles out of the airlock nice thick froth on top now everything has stopped so i assume fermentation is finished. The kit says when sg stays constant below 1020 and it is at 1016. Happy days right ?. Well no. Im confused cos i read the og when i started and it was only 1022. So according to the abv calculator (very useful) at the top of the page it is now only 0.8% not the 4.5% it should be.
Where am i going wrong ? Is there a difference because this is an 3kg kit with no extra sugar so lower starting og ?
Help !

 

[Jonnyv]

The 3 kg kits don't require extra sugar, and as long as you diluted to the correct volume (23l right?) then all should be well and the only explanation would be a misreading of the hydrometer when you started.

It sounds like you had a happy fermentation in four days, which is not unheard of for some yeasts. I would taste it, if it tastes thin and non-alocholic then there's a problem, if it tastes fine (albeit a little flat and 'green') then bottle it as per the instructions, leave for a week in the warm and taste again.

 

[percival]

just dropping in to say its not pathetic!

i'm sure i wouldn't be out of place saying that by far the vast majority of folks here want to make a nice brew of whatever that they enjoy, and help others to achieve the same. There's always someone out there who can give you solutions to problems, explanations to queries, or just info (funny, odd or technical) that you'll find a use for one day. Sharing the hobby and encouraging others is a joy.

 

[crasher600]

Nice one guys. Ive given it a little taste . And it seems ok So i reckon i will test it again tomorrow and the keg it if the sg is the same. i Guess im over thinking this a bit and looking for problems that dont exist. I need to get a few brews under my belt (have next two planned already) so i have a bit of experience to fall back on. Until then it is great to have you guys to help me out and reassure me. Who knows in a couple of years i may be the one answering newbies question eh !.
thanks again

 

[NickW]

I agree with percival!

I'm sure if you trawl through my first 100 posts here, they were just the same (and most likely worse ) than yours..

It's suprising how much you pickup in a month or so!