Second brew.. need some advice on OG

[AshK]

Hi all, so this is my second brew! First one seemed to go ok (still conditioning) but this one i need some advice on, if anyone can point me in the right direction I'd be muchly grateful:

So:

Bavarian Hefeweizen (kit)

Total batch 23L
Kit OG 1.050
Kit TG - 1.012
Mash vol - 13L
sparge in two batches one at 8L and one at 13L (seemed a lot to me))
Grain 5050g mix of pilsner and wheat
Yeast 10g of mangrove jacks
Hops one addition at 60m (overall boil 60m) of H. Hersbucker

After cooling my OG came out at 1.030!

I think the consistency of the grain was stoping a lot of the water coming through - the water didn't seem to get through the grain easily during sparge (but I'm guessing really!)

The brew is in the fermenter and bubbling away (for about 24 hours).

I really don't want a weak tastless brew... I have read somewhere about adding DME during fermenting or adding priming sugar undiluted (to increase ABV). But i'm a bit lost really.

Does anyone have any advice! What would you guys do - you know more than me I know that for sure!

Cheers

 

[chub1]

I have bumped the OG up with spraymalt,but before pitching yeast. Not too sure aboutadding it now.

 

[Nicks90]

I don't see why adding some sugar would hurt. I don't think adding it raw would be the best way to go, but maybe dissolving some lme (or other sugar) in to a litre of boiled water and pour it in.
According to brewersfriend calcs, you'll need to add 1.5kg of lme to bump it from 1030 to 1050

 

[Ciaran12s]

What effeciency does brewers friend or whatever tell you that Is? What was the efficiency of your previous brew? Any major differences between the two I.e efficiency and technique?

 

[Leon103]

What is your set up? 3 vessel or biab. I just admit that seems low. Is your hydrometer working ok?

 

[Spapro]

13l of water in your mash for 5kg of grain seems a little low to me. I tend to mash with 17l of water for 5kg of grain. Always thought 3.5l of mash water per kg of grain was about right.

I batch sparge with remaining water at 75°C - usually batch sparging with 19l of water.

Obviously your kit/dead spaces etc will be a little different to mine but the above gives me circa 32l of wort in the boiler (pre-boil), leaving me 26litres of wort/trub/hop debris post boil and 23litres in the FV.

Did you get 23litres in your FV ?

 

[AshK]

Hi all, thanks for replies i'm sure I've have nailed the issue down to the mash for a few reasons:

- I found some videos on my system which recommended strike water of 3.5l per 1kg (i have a brewster - https://goo.gl/6PTfWo ) this time I went with the kit instructions (about 2.6l per kg)
- Being rather a novice I simply shoved all the grain (at once) in and left it for 60m, I've subsequently found that I should put the grain in a stages (prob 500g), stiring well at each stage and a good stir at the end (my school boy error)
- I think the grain was just far to clumped up and when i came to sparge the water had real difficulty straining through the grain.

Does this sound like the reason on bad efficiency? - You guys are better than I!

Now to the solution... I had a thought, any advice would be welcome!

- Id like to leave the Primary fermentation to see where I get to on my FG
- If, as I suspect, the FG gives me a really weak brew I considered creating a LME or DME mix (thoughts on best one?) and adding this to the bottom of a secondary fermentor (instead of putting in primary)
- then syphon my brew into secondary (which should hopefully mix with the LME / DME mix to save my stiring/ introducing O2)

Do you guys think this will kick of the yeast again for a second go

or

would it be best to add MDE / LME mix to primary?

That said I do have a watery brew will the DME/LME mix increase the flavour (or just add more water to an already watery brew!)

Thanks guys - It did pain me to see 1.030 but i have learnt a lot from this which will make me come back better!

Cheers

Oh re FV I got about 20l

 

[AshK]

Sorry one last thing re LME or DME what sort of thing would be best to buy? Light / medium / dark / wheat / amber! etc?

Cheers

 

[Aarondapastyman]

Sorry one last thing re LME or DME what sort of thing would be best to buy? Light / medium / dark / wheat / amber! etc?

Cheers

Totally depends on the beer you're making, if it's a pale ale/lager you want light, amber or medium, anything darker than that dark obviously, and wheat for a wheat beer I guess lol.

There's no 'best' DME/LME based on colour as far as I know, but I'm also a bit of a noob...

 

[AshK]

Makes sense re malt extract - thanks :) Does anyone think my noobs solution (below) will be ok?


- Id like to leave the Primary fermentation to see where I get to on my FG
- If, as I suspect, the FG gives me a really weak brew I considered creating a LME or DME mix (thoughts on best one?) and adding this to the bottom of a secondary fermentor (instead of putting in primary)
- then syphon my brew into secondary (which should hopefully mix with the LME / DME mix to save my stiring/ introducing O2)