My double IPA came up short on gravity. What to do?

[Bisco_Ben]

So yesterday I was brewing my Imperial IPA recipe that I have been working on for some time now. The last batch was the best yet and I was looking forward to having 5 more gallons on hand. I used a different base malt this time and wound up 6 points short. The strange thing is, my preboil gravity was on the money, and after all was said and done I wound up pretty damn short! I was aiming for a gravity of 1.083 with 111 ibus. Instead I am left with a gravity of 1.077 and 117 ibu's. My question is, what do you guys think I should do? Just leave it alone and drink an out of balance beer? or are there measures I can and should take to get this batch closer to where it should be? I just hate the feeling of wasting all that grain and hops and winding up with a subpar batch of my favorite brew. Any insight/help would be very much appreciated!

 

[HungerJack]

Have you already chilled and pitched the yeast? If so, One thing you could do is add about 3/4 pound of table sugar at high krausen. The sugars added then will contribute enough to what would have been around 1.083. So you'll end up with about the same abv.

 

[Bisco_Ben]

Yes the yeast has already been pitched about 12 hours ago. The recipe already had a pound of dextrose in it so im afraid that might not be the best fix. But then again I have no clue.

 

[duboman]

Boil up about a pound of DME, cool and add it and you'll get another 6points

 

[CarboyBoy]

I'd let it ride.

1) Six points short of your gravity isn't as big a deal up around 1.080 as it is at 1.040.
2) They say the tongue can't taste more than about 100 IBU's.
3) Based on the numbers you've given, and assuming a 100 IBU taste limit, you hit a BU:GU (bitterness to gravity) ratio of 1.3 rather than 1.2 - not a big deal.
4) You don't know your FG yet. You could end up closer to your intended bitterness and abv profile than you think.

Ergo, RDWHAHB! This could be your best beer yet!

 

[chickypad]

I'd let it ride.

1) Six points short of your gravity isn't as big a deal up around 1.080 as it is at 1.040.
2) They say the tongue can't taste more than about 100 IBU's.
3) Based on the numbers you've given, and assuming a 100 IBU taste limit, you hit a BU:GU (bitterness to gravity) ratio of 1.3 rather than 1.2 - not a big deal.
4) You don't know your FG yet. You could end up closer to your intended bitterness and abv profile than you think.

Ergo, RDWHAHB! This could be your best beer yet!

Exactly what I was thinking. Boil and add the DME if you want but I just don't see you being able to perceive a big difference balance-wise between 1.083/111 IBU and 1.077/117 IBU.

 

[Bisco_Ben]

Thanks for your replies everyone! Is there really any downside to adding the appropriate amount of dme? I would like to get it closer to the usual abv.

 

[matt2778]

Keep in mind that adding boiled dme will also increase your volumes too, so you'd need to add a very big wort to make any appreciable difference. I'd have to agree with the let it ride camp as I don't see a .75% difference in abv being something worth monkeying with.

 

[RLinNH]

Lt it ride.

 

[beerkench]

And If it is out of balance just let it age longer. It's amazing what an extra month can do to a beer.

 

[dpittard]

I'd let it ride too. I'd also be more concerned about why you missed your OG by that amount, especially if your pre-boil gravity was spot on. Did you end up with the correct volume of wort post-boil?