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CornishGreen

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Having started my first brew ten days ago with an SG of 1029, the FG is now coming out at 1011. Using the calculator above this suggests an ABV of below 2.5%.

Having read previous posts, I'm thinking I'll put this being a bit on the weak side down to experience. It's more than likely I simply put too much wort in and using a couple of litres less water would have brought the SG up a few points.

My question is; is there anything that I might do when kegging/bottling tomorrow that might help to increase the ABV such as using a little extra sugar, or would it be more sensible to follow the instructions and just try and learn from the experience?

I've got my St. Peters Ruby Red all lined up for the second brew and am keen to make it a good 'un!
 
Not really I'm afraid, adding extra sugar will just make it more gassy and will not add to the flavour or ABV (well not much anyway)...you could transfer into another FV and add some hops which will add aroma to make it more tasty...although I would be less inclined to do that really due to low ABV and the cost of hops :lol: What kit was it?

I guess you can put this down to experience, you will have a weaker beer but then you will be able to drink more of it before getting rat-arsed! :lol:
 
You could possibly double ferment it if you wanted.

Boil up a load of sugar or DME and add it back into the brew then ferment out for another week. You will run the risk of altering the flavour so it's a gamble, up to you.

A couple of years ago when I first started AG I would be bottling and sometimes found myself with not enough bottles to put all my beer in. So I would fill a DJ and add some sugar syrup and ferment out for another week. Never had a bad one.

Just a suggestion,

DirtyC
 
what kit was it ? Commercial beer kits are usually designed and made to give you amble alcohol strength for that particular brew, usually around the 4% mark
Perhaps you didn't mix the wort enough before taking the gravity reading or you read the hydrometer wrong...both are easy enough mistakes to make.

At this stage I would go with whatever you have ( perhaps dry hop for some extra flavor ) But take more care and double check on your next brew.
 
I have read elsewhere (and it's probably on this forum somewhere), that the kit OG (printed on the packaging) should just be used as false readings can be given when measuring the wort when mixing from tins due to incomplete mixing. If the FG is about right then you will probably have a proper strength brew.

Only one way to find out :drunk:
 
If you didn't mix the wort properly then the original gravity reading will be too low but the yeast will find the sugar and the final gravity will be as expected. If the gravity is stable then I would just bottle it - it will be fine and probably stronger than you think.
 
Many thanks for all the responses. Interesting to note that it's often best to go with advertised OG.

It's the Woodforde's Wherry kit and I made it up to 27 litres. I gave the wort a good thrashing and dropping the liquor from a great height though, so wouldn't have thought aeration should be a problem.

I did wonder whether the yeast should be mixed in or just sprinkled on top and left. I plumped for the former though and gave everything a reasonable stir after the yeast had gone in too.

One to put to experience I think.

Thanks again.
 
From what I can remember of this kit, making up to 27 litres is a bit too much, I thought it was a 23 liter kit ?

If that's the case you will have made it a little weak...
 
Yes it is a 23l kit, and should be around 4.5%

You will most likely need to add 3.5l of boiling water with the can contents to your fv then top up to 23l with cold water, not top up with 23l of cold water ;)

That should then give you 23l at about 1040 :thumb:
 
Yes that will be the problem, I'm pretty sure its a 23 litre kit so that will be where the low OG came from. I've done the same after reading it which says something like "make up to 23 litres" I have added 23 litres of water...made this kit a few times and making it up to 20 litres instead really boosts the body and flavour and would be recommended for most kits IMO as the manufacturer's estimates on ABV's are always optimistic at best :lol:
 
I have done several St Peters RRA, it's my favourite kit. I always add about 750g of Demorara sugar to up the ABV to about 5%. Adding white granulated sugar would definitely worsen the flabour but Dem sugar keeps the malty flavour in there and it is still delicious, I can vouch for it. A really good stirring is essential to get your first SG reading accurate. I stirr it until both arms are ready to drop off! Give it 2 weeks in the FV, 2 weeks in the warm after priming, and 2 weeks in the cold conditioning. It really is very good after this process but if you can keep your hands off it for longer, during the conditioning period, it goes on improving. It's a dirty beer though, don't be alarmed if you get all sorts of rubbish floating on the top of it and loads of trub. Enjoy
 

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