LHBS Messed Up My Grain Order. What Should I do?

Besides RDWHAHB.

I am brewing my Kentucky Common recipe as follows:

7.5 lb American 2-row
2.25 lb corn grits
1 lb crystal 60
0.5 lb Pale Chocolate

Only the guy measuring my grains gave me regular chocolate instead. I didn't notice until I mashed in and the color was appreciably darker (my brew software shows a difference of 6 SRM). I'm afraid the final product will be more toasty than I want. The thing I like about this beer is that it is a super easy-drinker (imagine like a cream soda in beer form). Right now I'm about 50/50 concerned and RDWHAHB. I'm sure this will be a fine brew, albeit a little different than expected, but I have a larger problem.

I am brewing this for the Bicentennial of the first steam boat to navigate the Ohio River. I planned on making 10 gallons total: five today and five next week. Do I go ahead and brew the second batch with the correct ingredients, hoping the customers don't notice? Should I brew both batches the same? Should I just bring the second batch with me and leave the first one at home? How would you savvy veterans handle this situation?

Bonus question: do I ever bring this up to my LHBS or do I let it slide? All I know is next time I will make sure I watch them measure my grains.

I think the first beer will turn out great and I would keep all for myself.

If I really was invested in doing 10 total gallons I would plan a double brew day next weekend and make sure the ingredients are correct.

Finally I would keep an eye on the LHBS. People make mistakes.

JLW said:

If I really was invested in doing 10 total gallons I would plan a double brew day next weekend and make sure the ingredients are correct.

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There's two reasons I'm doing it this way:

1) I didn't get home from work until 4:00 today and I want my sanity. Plus I just don't have it in me to do a double brew day.

2) The fiancee is supposed to be retrieving some wild yeast I hopefully captured from Southern Indiana when she goes to visit her parents. I was going to do a split batch with half regular yeast and half wild. But now I may need to scratch that.

I'd brew the second with the pale chocolate and compare the two. You never know, the 'mistake' may be a better beer than the intended recipe.

Brew the 2nd one with the right grains and blend the 2 brews together. No one will be able to tell the difference.

You say "customers" - are you brewing for pay? Are you even licensed as a brewer?

jmf143 said:

You say "customers" - are you brewing for pay? Are you even licensed as a brewer?

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No, this is for the 200th anniversary of the first steam ship to navigate the Ohio River. Several local breweries are going to brew their interpretation of the Kentucky Common, including New Albanian, Lafayette, and Bluegrass Brewing Company. Several homebrewers are being invited to brew their interpretations, too. I'm doing this pro bono, so I'm sure it's on the up and up.

+1 on blending the two beers.

Brew the one with out any chocolate malt if possible and blend it together with the one that had chocolate malt. Should be close to pale and blending makes for some good beer typically.

jmf143 said:

Brew the 2nd one with the right grains and blend the 2 brews together. No one will be able to tell the difference.

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This is what I was going to suggest as well.