Timaroons Best bitter clone

[Waterlogged]

First all grain recipe with new BIAB 19 gal pot.  All went well especially my 1 year old going to bed between the bittering hops and flavour hop addition.  He loves me!  One thing was a little strange.  Took gravity reading during boil (40 min) and it was lower than pr-boil.  All ended up well with OG of 1.06 which was .04 higher than we expected.  Three of us left with about 15 litres each and could have added additional 2 gallangs before boil.

Recipe: Timaroons Best Bitter Clone   TYPE: All Grain
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
---RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS-----------------------------------------------
SRM: 14.1 SRM      SRM RANGE: 6.0-18.0 SRM
IBU: 41.2 IBUs Tinseth   IBU RANGE: 30.0-50.0 IBUs
OG: 1.057 SG      OG RANGE: 1.048-1.060 SG
FG: 1.019 SG      FG RANGE: 1.010-1.016 SG
BU:GU: 0.720      Calories: 562.7 kcal/l   Est ABV: 5.0 %      
EE%: 70.00 %   Batch: 47.00 l      Boil: 54.71 l   BT: 60 Mins
---WATER CHEMISTRY ADDITIONS----------------
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
25.36 g               Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent   1        -             
Total Grain Weight: 12.27 kg   Total Hops: 212.17 g oz.
---MASH/STEEP PROCESS------MASH PH:5.20 ------
>>>>>>>>>>-ADD WATER CHEMICALS BEFORE GRAINS!!<<<<<<<
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
10.05 kg              Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)         Grain         2        81.9 %        
1.23 kg               Wheat, Torrified (1.7 SRM)               Grain         3        10.0 %        
0.98 kg               Caraaroma (130.0 SRM)                    Grain         4        8.0 %         
Name              Description                             Step Temperat Step Time     
Saccharification  Add 65.74 qt of water at 73.4 C         68.9 C        60 min        
Mash Out          Heat to 75.6 C over 7 min               75.6 C        10 min        
---SPARGE PROCESS---
>>>>>>>>>>-RECYCLE FIRST RUNNINGS & VERIFY GRAIN/MLT TEMPS: 22.2 C/22.2 C
>>>>>>>>>>-ADD BOIL CHEMICALS BEFORE FWH
Remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
---BOIL PROCESS-----------------------------
Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.053 SG   Est OG: 1.057 SG
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
89.77 g               Tettnang [4.30 %] - Boil 60.0 min        Hop           5        18.7 IBUs     
73.44 g               Mt. Hood [5.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min        Hop           6        17.8 IBUs     
0.60 Items            Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins)              Fining        7        -             
28.56 g               Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min      Hop           8        2.8 IBUs      
20.40 g               Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min         Hop           9        2.0 IBUs      
---FERM PROCESS-----------------------------
Primary Start: 23/05/2013 - 14.00 Days at 19.4 C
Secondary Start: 06/06/2013 - 10.00 Days at 18.3 C
Style Carb Range: 1.50-2.40 Vols
Bottling Date: 06/06/2013 with 2.4 Volumes CO2: 

[Richard]

One thing was a little strange.  Took gravity reading during boil (40 min) and it was lower than pr-boil.

I'm guessing you didn't temperature correct the sample? Gravity readings are usually normalised for 16C with a hydrometer.

[Waterlogged]

I look up a conversion table and even correcting for temp, it was way too low.  I think the next time I will take a pre-boil reading and wait until after cooling for a second and final reading.

[jamie_savoie]

One tip: invest in a refractometer!  It took me awhile before I bought one and I wish I would've bought one sooner.  Great tool and save you time on brewday!  They're only 25$ shipped on amazon.com

I bought mine when it was the 4th time I broke a hydrometer lol

[Waterlogged]

Funny you should say that.  I have only been brewing for 3 month and have gone through 4 hydrometers including the one last night.  I will definitly be looking into a refractor today.

[Chris Craig]

Funny you should say that.  I have only been brewing for 3 month and have gone through 4 hydrometers including the one last night.  I will definitly be looking into a refractor today.

Yeah, I break those things regularly.  Refractometer is definitely the way to go here.  Make sure you get on that has temperature correction.