Low SG, what can I do to help final ABC?

Hi all! I'm new to the forums, but have heard great things about this board. I am 1.5 batches into my brewing "career" (1st, English Brown Ale; 2nd Continental Pilsner). The brown ale was a kit as well as the pilsner. Last night I decided to go off the beaten path and make my own recipe. I'm very anxious to try it. When I measured the SG it only measured 1.022. What could cause this? By my calculations, my final ABC won't be very high. Is there any way I can help to add sugars in between 1st ferm and 2nd ferm to help with final ABC? Thanks in advance!!!

What's your recipe? We need more info to be of any help.

It sounds like you've already brewed the recipe. In that case, I would recommend enjoying your session beer and change stuff for next time rather than tinkering with an already brewed beer.

Yes, I have brewed it. I used a total of 24 oz grains (8 Wheat, 16 caramel malt), 3.3 lbs Light LME, 3/8 cup honey, 2 lbs Wheat DME, 1 oz Tettenger hop pellets, 1 oz Fuggle hop pellets, 1 oz Liberty hop pellets and I added the zest of 1 lemon.

crjohn02 said:

Yes, I have brewed it. I used a total of 24 oz grains (8 Wheat, 16 caramel malt), 3.3 lbs Light LME, 3/8 cup honey, 2 lbs Wheat DME, 1 oz Tettenger hop pellets, 1 oz Fuggle hop pellets, 1 oz Liberty hop pellets and I added the zest of 1 lemon.

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The sugars don't disappear, so they are in there! What probably happened is you used some water to top up the fermenter, so the heavier wort sunk to the bottom.

If you used 3.3 pounds of LME, 3/8 cup honey (no idea how many ounces by weight that is, so I"ll have to guess, but it's not much), and 2 pounds DME, your OG MUST be about 1.042 if you have five gallons. The sugars are there, and are a "set" amount so they can't give you a wrong OG.

Yooper said:

The sugars don't disappear, so they are in there! What probably happened is you used some water to top up the fermenter, so the heavier wort sunk to the bottom.

If you used 3.3 pounds of LME, 3/8 cup honey (no idea how many ounces by weight that is, so I"ll have to guess, but it's not much), and 2 pounds DME, your OG MUST be about 1.042 if you have five gallons. The sugars are there, and are a "set" amount so they can't give you a wrong OG.

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Unless, of course, the DME was antimatter DME. Then they would annihilate each other and you would definitely have a low gravity.

But yeah, what Yooper said.

OK, thanks guys! Come to think of it I'm not sure I stirred it after adding the water to bring the fermenter to 5 gallons.