Adding DME to Primary 1 day after pitching yeast?

I used the search and didn't find anything.

I did my first all grain last night and my og was .035 points under my target. Target was 1.089. I read a 1.055 at 70degrees. It is an IIPA. I know, a big beer for my first AG.

So, the friendly fellows at our LHBS said to add 3 lbs of pilsner DME to a gallon of water, boil for 10-15 min cool to 68 degrees and add to the fermenter to raise my OG to the ballpark it is supposed to be in. I am also around 4.75 gal in my primary so the added liquid won't hurt. Does anyone think this is a good or bad idea?

Thank you for your advice.

John

That sounds great. Just make sure you cool the fresh wort before adding to the primary. I didn't do the math so I'll have trust your LHBS on the amount of DME to add. (Maybe someone else who's not been drinking tonight can tell you exactly how much DME to add).

Thanks for such a quick response! Anyone else have any comments?

If you have your heart set on the high gravity then yes, that is the way to go I would think. Boil 15 mins, cool close to temp of your current wort and pitch. I have added 1/2 gallon once or twice to bump gravity, but usually the same evening of brewing. You just have to follow good sanitation. Also I'm not sure of your headspace, but at that gravity and assuming you pitched a good amount of yeast I would think fermentation will get aggressive a couple days in so be prepared for a blowoff.

Zen_Brew said:

If you have your heart set on the high gravity then yes, that is the way to go I would think. Boil 15 mins, cool close to temp of your current wort and pitch. I have added 1/2 gallon once or twice to bump gravity, but usually the same evening of brewing. You just have to follow good sanitation. Also I'm not sure of your headspace, but at that gravity and assuming you pitched a good amount of yeast I would think fermentation will get aggressive a couple days in so be prepared for a blowoff.

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It's not that my heart is set on high gravity exactly, but that with the hop bill I have for this brew and the amount I have already added, I'm afraid there won't be enough backbone in the beer for the hops. Im afraid it will be all out of balance without a decent amount of malt. I will definitely be on it with sanitation. Fermentation has been going pretty slow so far, so I don't think it will be too late to add more fermentables. I pitched two packs of safale yeast. I am prepared for a blowoff, Ive done big beers before. My blowoff tube and bucket are already hooked up. Thanks for the advice.

I made an american session ale today. OG was 1.040, wanted 1.044, should I add some dme? If so, how much? What should the abv be in 2 weeeks if I leave it at 1.040?

Thanks!

brittney81895 said:

I made an american session ale today. OG was 1.040, wanted 1.044, should I add some dme? If so, how much? What should the abv be in 2 weeeks if I leave it at 1.040?

Thanks!

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I'd do nothing.

Your ABV will be ~4% as opposed to about 4.4% (very approximate numbers)

In short. You intended making a session ale and made a session ale albeit one slightly more sessionable and with a touch more perceived bitterness.