Well darn.

I'm making an American ale and planned on only making half the batch, but accidentally added all of the bittering hops (cascade). Do I go ahead and do half with twice as much cascade or do I make the full 5 gal. When I only used half of the specialty grains? A quick answer will help a lot.

I'd go all in for the full batch.

Thanks for the quick tip good sir. If I might ask though, would making a smaller batch just give it more of an IPA taste?

You're actually not over hopping as much as you think, because of the hop utilization in a partial boil compared to a full boil your hop additions should be 75% of the full batch recipe (not 50% like logic suggests). I think my numbers are right, I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will be in here right away to point it out. It is the internet after all.

do you have enough grain and/or extract for a 5 gallon batch? otherwise your 5% beer will end up at 2.5%...

It's an extract kit with specialty grains. I used half the grains an put in all the extract...

sweetcell said:

do you have enough grain and/or extract for a 5 gallon batch? otherwise your 5% beer will end up at 2.5%...

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That last post was a response to this btw

Is it too late to steep the rest of the grains and add them all together? Do you have a fermenter large enough for all 5 gal?

freisste said:

Is it too late to steep the rest of the grains and add them all together? Do you have a fermenter large enough for all 5 gal?

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Wort is cooling now. That sounds good but I have no extra mesh bag. I thought of using a sock lol

kirbykollege said:

It's an extract kit with specialty grains. I used half the grains an put in all the extract...

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The specialty grains are mainly there for flavour, aroma, mouthfeel and don't contribute a great amount of fermentables to the wort. If you've used all your extract, and it was enough for a 5G batch, then you're fine for a 5 gallon batch. Like Freistte mentioned, steep the remaining grains, sieve or filter them out, cool and add to wort. Just make sure to properly sanitize anything you're using that makes contact with the wort.

Cascade is a pretty low acid hop anyway, yes? I doubt if there will be a big difference. Stay with the half batch and then go by some extra hops for the second half.

Ogri said:

The specialty grains are mainly there for flavour, aroma, mouthfeel and don't contribute a great amount of fermentables to the wort. If you've used all your extract, and it was enough for a 5G batch, then you're fine for a 5 gallon batch. Like Freistte mentioned, steep the remaining grains, sieve or filter them out, cool and add to wort. Just make sure to properly sanitize anything you're using that makes contact with the wort.

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+1. If you used all the extract, you made a full batch. Make the full batch.

if i understand correctly: you put all the extract, intended for a 5 gallon batch, into 2.5 gals - so you were trying to make extra-strength beer, correct? if so, there is no reason why you can't go back to the (originally intended) 5 gallons. you'll have your regular 5% beer (or whatever the original ABV was supposed to be), not double. BTW, making a high-gravity beer takes more than just doubling the amount of fermentables. you need proportionally more yeast, extra aeration, extra nutrients...

my suggestion: specialty grains don't need to be mashed, just dunk them in some ~150*F water for 20 mins, mix every now and then, and strain them out as best you can. boil the resulting wort for 5 mins to sterilize, then add to the other half-batch (which at this point will already have cooled).

Ogri said:

Just make sure to properly sanitize anything you're using that makes contact with the wort after it has started cooling. anything that touches the wort before the boil isn't too concerning since the boil will sterilize the wort.

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edited.

Appreciate the help guys. Cooked the remaining grains and added and hoping for some good ale on a month!

Didn't you originally say you added all the bittering hops? I misunderstood. Sorry.