Starting gravity

[cask is best]

Just had a morning knocking up a Coopers Aus bitter. i got a starting gravity of 1049/50 is this a bit on the high side Guys.

:
CAB

 

[jonnymorris]

If you get down to 1012 you'll have a 5% brew which sounds respectable.

 

[cask is best]

Wouldn't mind 4% for a bitter of course 5% would be acceptable. It's just i have never had a 1049/50 i don't think. Just seemed a bit high.
Cheers :

 

[ScottM]

Would an Aussie bitter not go a lot lower than 1.012? I thought it would be a bit closer to a lager FG, more like 1.004, meaning 6% which does seem a little high.

What were the ingredients for the kit, was it definitely all mixed in 100% before taking the OG?

Edit: I was looking at an extract recipe for Aussie bitter, not the coopers. It would seem that 1.012 is indeed the norm so all sounds good. According to the kit instructions it should have an OG of around 1.041 though, did you add extra sugar?

 

[jonnymorris]

Did you account for the temp of the wort after taking your hydrometer reading?

 

[cask is best]

Hi Guys.

It was all mixed in good and proper with 1kg of Tate and Lylle topped up to 23lts left for around 10 minutes then yeast was added. I like to get the yeast in quickly for obviouse reasons but the temp of the wort just felt luke warm.
That's what i do all the time.
:
CAB

 

[johnnyboy1965]

If it felt "luke warm" it might have been a liitle too hot. If you place the inside of your wrist against the FV it should feel slightly cool. A accurate thermometer and hydrometer is a must in my book.

 

[cask is best]

Hi Johhnyboy.

Perhaps lukewarm was a wrong choice of word, more like tepid. I think I'm going to have to invest in a thermometer. BTW It's bubbling away through the air lock at the moment so all is well I nfact it's the quickest I've known it to get bubbling i noticed it after around 6 hours i don't know how long it had been bubbling before then or if it had just started then. Must have done somthing right. I'm realy looking forward to this one.

:
CAB

 

[cask is best]

It's gone down to 1015 works out at 4.5% still bubbling but I'm looking to barell an Wednesday so i hope it has stopped by then.

:
CIB

 

[PD]

If nothing else " invest " in one of those stick on the outside thermometers available from all good aquarium shops price £1.99.

 

[cask is best]

If nothing else " invest " in one of those stick on the outside thermometers available from all good aquarium shops price £1.99.

Was thinking about one of those. Do they stay on when the fv gets washed /sanitized. Cheers.

 

[PD]

mine has so far, if your worried paint around the edges with varnish, cant hurt anything. I've got them fitted to all my FV's and the other day I received one of those digital thermometers with external probe. Its reading the same temp as the stick ons... within 0.5 of a degree

 

[cask is best]

mine has so far, if your worried paint around the edges with varnish, cant hurt anything. I've got them fitted to all my FV's and the other day I received one of those digital thermometers with external probe. Its reading the same temp as the stick ons... within 0.5 of a degree

Cheers mate. Will get one.

:thumb: cib