First specific gravity too low- dump or save

I just finished brewing my second batch. Everything went so much easier this time. I even had the opportunity to have a bottle of my first batch during the process (needs another week in the bottle, but still very good). When I transferred everything to my fermenter and took a specific gravity, it was low, way low, at 1.028. I soon found out my error, the metric system. The ingredient list for my traditional English Pale Ale called for 3 kilograms of light malt extract syrup. This equates to 6.5 pounds. Well for some reason, I had "3" stuck in my head, and only dumped 3 pounds of extract into my boil. A quick taste after realizing the error, yielded a decent taste with a strong hop! (2oz of Goldings). Despite my doubts going to bed last night, I awoke this morning to the sounds of my fermenter bubbling away! I know the final product will be very low alcohol content and a weak flavor, except for the hops. Which leads me to the big question- I'm sure I'm not the first person to do this, or will I be the last. Who has some experience with this mistake? Should I wait it out and see how things taste or dump and free up the fermenter and brew another batch? I do have the name figured out should I choose to keep it- "Metric Mistake English Pale Ale"

i would definitely keep it.. you'll just have a low alcohol "session" ale. i would guess that it'll be pretty hoppy (as you detected already), but definitely drinkable. i would save it, and see how it turns out... and i'm guessing as a "way low" sg you meant 1.028? 1.28 would mean you have a monster of a brew on your hands, which based on the fact you put 3 lbs of extract wouldn't be the case. i am not that experienced of a brewer, but there may be a chance that when fermentation subsides you may be able to add more malt extract and maybe some more yeast to boost up your abv.. but i am only speculating, would be best to get the opinion of someone more experienced on that point.

DON'T DUMP IT!!! It will be hoppy, but good.

You can leave it as-is, or boil up some more extract in enough water to dissolve it (for about 15 minutes), cool it down, and add it in (if you have room in the fermenter).

Save the beer and chalk it up as a learning experience.

Yeah, definitely keep it. Like others have said, you can always add more dme to up the gravity.

Let it run. You will be surprised at how nice a 3% beer can be. I've (intentionally) made beers in the 3-3.5% range, which are normally very lightly hopped, but can handle more.

At least it didn't crash land.

Wots DME please?

Also, I have continued to produce low ABV beers. Can I increase the ABV after 1 week in primary and how?

Do I need to add more yeast or just more sugar?

In what form? Corn syrup, raw sugar?

Thanks

You never dump a beer if it isn't infected...always see the process through!

Even if you OG was low, you still made beer!!!!

Tweaker said:

Wots DME please?

Also, I have continued to produce low ABV beers. Can I increase the ABV after 1 week in primary and how?

Do I need to add more yeast or just more sugar?

In what form? Corn syrup, raw sugar?

Thanks

Click to expand...

DME is Dry Malt Extract. After a week in primary I wouldn't add any more extract to it. Others might, but you already have a beer done in that fermentor.

You could add more sugar, but that will ferment out and make a very thin tasting sort of "rocket fuel" that I doubt you'll be very happy with. If you did use sugar, standard table sugar is fine.

Leave it as is and start a new batch. You have a tasty low gravity, hoppy ale in the style of an English Bitter.

And next time, make a check list. :cross:

Thanks for this thead people, especially mmb. Very helpfull.

I am also new to home brewing, and just brewed my first batch of all grain. I wasn't able to check the gravity after brewing, so have no idea how efficient my process is. After 10 days in my secondary though, the gravity is stuck at 1.012, and this pale tastes pretty weak, assuming between 2 and 3 percent ABV. I'm going ahead with carbonating, it will still make a light session drink, a little extra carbonation, like a lager, refreshing for late summer.

I considered mixing up a gallon of water and 4 or 5 lbs of LME to add to, and restart fermentation, but this thead made me reconsider. However I read somewhere that you can brew an initial wort, something light, but enough for yeast to colonize, and then add another wort, something much stronger, so that the already colonized yeast can have a head start. Not sure what this would change as far as taste goes, or if it stresses the yeast, produces esters or whatnot, or if like MMB says, if there is a time period you want to do this within, for best results. I'm going to try it, as a way to make it possible to brew larger batches in my small setup. will start another thread to discuss it.