Missed OG with extract....what did I do now??

Brewed an extract recipe (based on Three Floyd's Zombie Dust) and missed the target OG by .011....not sure how I did that.

Recipe:
7lbs DME (1.75lbs full 60 boil, 5.25 added at flame out)
2 lbs steeping grains (I calculated 35% efficiency) 30 minutes at 155 degrees.
lots of hops (1 oz Magnum for 60, and staggered Citra until flame out)
s-05 dry yeast

Partial boil at 3 gallons ended up with a little more than 2.5 gallons.

Added 2.5 gallon (+/-) water to make 5 gallons....mixed well and took reading = 1.054! Should have been 1.065.

Mixed again and took another reading - exactly the same = 1.054.

what happened? Did I totally miscalculate the steeping grains?

On a positive note it started chugging away less than 10 hours later and smells great!

Was this a kit? If it was a kit, I'm inclined to say that you met the OG, and just that there was a bit of an issue with the hydrometer, or mixing (even if you think you mixed well, sometimes it's not as good as you think).

It's nearly impossible to miss OG with a Kit.

Also, why 35% efficiency on the steeping grains? Generally, there's a PPG you can add depending on the type of grain.

In the end, I say RDWHAHB. You should be fine. In the end, you'll make beer!

Did you rinse your grains?

Even if you totally messed up the grains, conservatively the DME in and of itself should have been a little more than 1.054.

Have you confirmed your measurement gear for weight, volume, and gravity check out?

not a kit - put the recipe together myself based on a 'zombie dust' thread.

grains were:
.5 lb german carafoam
.5 lb crystal 75L
.5 lb german melanoidan
1 lb munich light

(it was 2.5 lbs, not 2 lbs as I originally posted...my bad)

And no - did not rinse the grains


I did an earlier recipe that had 6lbs DME and 1lb of corn sugar that nailed the OG at 1.068...not sure why I was so far off on this zombie dust type recipe...unless I did not mix as thoroughly as I thought I did (urgh)

whoaru99 said:

Even if you totally messed up the grains, conservatively the DME in and of itself should have been a little more than 1.054.

Have you confirmed your measurement gear for weight, volume, and gravity check out?

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for weight I assume it was spot on (came from reputable LHBS)....not sure what 'gravity check out' is - help?

and yah - if I had zero efficiency for the grains it should have been 1.059..

CHUM_ said:

not a kit - put the recipe together myself based on a 'zombie dust' thread.

grains were:
.5 lb german carafoam
.5 lb crystal 75L
.5 lb german melanoidan
1 lb munich light

(it was 2.5 lbs, not 2 lbs as I originally posted...my bad)

And no - did not rinse the grains


I did an earlier recipe that had 6lbs DME and 1lb of corn sugar that nailed the OG at 1.068...not sure why I was so far off on this zombie dust type recipe...unless I did not mix as thoroughly as I thought I did (urgh)

Click to expand...

I don't usually rinse either and my OG is low every time I don't rinse.

m3n00b said:

I don't usually rinse either and my OG is low every time I don't rinse.

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really? (yes, I believe you).

Why would that be the case?

CHUM_ said:

really? (yes, I believe you).

Why would that be the case?

Click to expand...

Well....there's a lot sugars stuck to the grains you need to rinse off. Not sure what you're asking actually.

CHUM_ said:

for weight I assume it was spot on (came from reputable LHBS)....not sure what 'gravity check out' is - help?

and yah - if I had zero efficiency for the grains it should have been 1.059..

Click to expand...

At least confirmimg that your hydrometer shows 1.000 in water at the calibration temp.

m3n00b said:

Well....there's a lot sugars stuck to the grains you need to rinse off. Not sure what you're asking actually.

Click to expand...

OK, now I'm confused.

If you rinse the sugars off the grains wouldn't you have a lower OG?

Isn't a higher gravity reading indicative of more sugars in the wort? So if you rinse sugars off you would have a lower gravity reading....

or am I having a gnarly case of the brain dead mondays...

whoaru99 said:

At least confirmimg that your hydrometer shows 1.000 in water at the calibration temp.

Click to expand...

cool! never thought about doing that

CHUM_ said:

OK, now I'm confused.

If you rinse the sugars off the grains wouldn't you have a lower OG?

Isn't a higher gravity reading indicative of more sugars in the wort? So if you rinse sugars off you would have a lower gravity reading....

or am I having a gnarly case of the brain dead mondays...

Click to expand...

You use the water you rinsed with in the boil. you're basically sparging. Same here....I'm out of it today lol.

CHUM_ said:

for weight I assume it was spot on (came from reputable LHBS)....not sure what 'gravity check out' is - help?

and yah - if I had zero efficiency for the grains it should have been 1.059..

Click to expand...

This is why I think it was more of a mixing issue. Given that you added 2.5 gallons of top water, the best bet is it didn't get thoroughly mixed in, even though you think it did. Mixing wort and water is harder than it sounds . . . but the fermentation will handle it.

My final comment is regarding the Munich Malt . . . this malt generally needs to be MASHED, and not simply STEEPED. This could be a factor.

I'm going with mixing first (my most common problem) with hydrometer trouble a distant second. I don't think the steeped grains are making much difference. Enjoy the beer with a happy heart.