Need some quick advise/suggestions on my first AG batch

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Fid

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I'm currently brewing my first AG batch on my stove top. I did it BiaB style and my efficiency is around 60% (I mashed 10.5 lbs of grain with 4 gallons of water in a 5 gallon mash tun TIGHT FIT). I was originally planning on topping this batch off with a gallon of water to bring the total batch size to 5 gallons so I was shooting for a higher OG that would end up at 1.054 after adding top off water. I took a gravity reading after my mash and I'm at about 1.055 with 4.25 gallons in the kettle.

Which of the following should I do?

Roll with what I've got and just end up with a smaller batch size that has an OG of 1.055.

Add the extra water at the end to bring my volume up to 5 gallons and finish with a gravity closer to 1.045.

-OR-

Swallow my pride and throw in the 1lb bag of DME that I have and add the top off water ending with 5 gallons @ 1.055.


Its an American Pale so no matter the route I go I'm going to fall within the guidelines... What would you do? I've got 45 minutes left in my boil.
 
You're not trying to make money, OR are you :)

I'd let it ride unless you think you aren't gonna have enough hops as you wanted. Higher OG with same hop bill is going to give you less bitterness in a Pale Ale.

Personally I'd let it ride, I like my PA's to be closer to session with the hopping that I do. I try to stay below 1.050.

Just go all grain already!!!! Tis so much easier
 
Just started the cool down. My final boil volume is 3.5 gallons. I'm gonna top it off to 5 gallons. After trub loss and everything I leave behind while racking ect... I'd be left with basically no beer. And no beer is no good.
 
Then top off with some dme cooled down if you wanna boost your OG.

What is your gravity on your 3.5 gal
 
I topped off and kept the DME out of it. My first All Grain batch is officially All Grain!

OG after top off hit at 1.044. Anticipated IBUs were 48 but obviously the top off water will have likely impacted my utilization so I'm thinking that the bitterness will be kept in check by that. I'm cool with the idea of a sessionable Pale so we'll see how this thing turns out. I've got some ideas I can try to improve my efficiency next time so I can get my system dialed in.

All in all though it was a fun, stress free brew day and, efficiency issues aside, I think I'm gonna be hooked on AG. I'm half tempted to rebrew the same recipe tomorrow and try to improve my efficiency.

But for now... Its time for a few rounds of New Dogtown Pale. :tank:
 
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