2nd Brew - Didn't add the required amount of Malt

[Sanville]

Just finished my second brew about a half hour ago: Austin Homebrew Extract kit of Falconer's Flight IPA. I learned from my mistakes on the first brew I made (Austin's Kalamazoo IPA) and had pretty smooth brew day, but being a newbie screwed something up again.

The recipe called for 8 lbs of liquid Extra Pale Extract malt and 1 lb of Extra Light DME. Since my first receipt called only for the 8 lbs of liquid, I didn't even notice there was DME in my package (I assumed it was the bottling sugar which I don't use since I keg). Anyway, I didn't add the 1 lb of DME. I just finished up and my OG if 1.046 when it should be 1.066. My question: could not adding the 1 lb of DME cause that much of a discrepancy in OG or am I looking at a false reading? It seems like other threads I read say that if you are off that much on an Extract kit, it could be a false reading. My concern is that I I left out a portion of the malt and it caused something to be very off. I aerated the top off water very well and checked the OG twice and still got the same reading. If you think it truly is that off, what is the best course of action? I know they make alcohol boosts - but have never used one and don't know when they are to be added. Is there anything else I can do?

My hope is it's a false reading and everything will turn out OK. I goofed a few times on my first batch and it came out way better than I could have expected.

Thanks if advance for your help. This site is beyond helpful.

 

[LBussy]

Being short 1 lb of DME should have lowered it by ~.009 (or less) so 1.046 would have been 1.055. You sure you were testing cooled wort?

That's a smaller beer but still a respectable one. Let it go - you may like it just as well if not more. Messing with it now might make it more alcoholic but I doubt it will make it better.

 

[Sanville]

Lee, thanks for the prompt response. I had the wort cooled to 70.

I'll let it sit and see where it shakes out. I was just so mad because everything else when smooth, but overlooked something so simple. Oh well.

Also, just realized my thread title has a typo. Anyone know if there is a way to edit your subject line in a thread?

 

[Yooper]

Lee, thanks for the prompt response. I had the wort cooled to 70.

I'll let it sit and see where it shakes out. I was just so mad because everything else when smooth, but overlooked something so simple. Oh well.

Also, just realized my thread title has a typo. Anyone know if there is a way to edit your subject line in a thread?

I'd go ahead and boil up the DME in a little water (as little as it takes to dissolve/boil) and then cool it in a water bath and add it to the fermenter.

I can change the typo, and will do so. But I like the "requited amount of malt better" than the fix!

 

[Sanville]

Just a quick update on this thread. I took Yooper's advice and boiled up the 1 lb of DME, added it to the carboy and shook well to mix everything in. That was approximately 6 PM on Sunday. It is now Friday morning at 10:15 AM and I still have not seen an "bubbling" from the carboy - though it does appear there is fermentation going on (see photo attached). I know bubbling is not the best/only indication of fermentation, but is it normal not to have any? The recipe called for for two viles of White Labs Yeast (California Ale 001) since the OG was supposed to be high (which as you can tell from my original post was not the case). My question: Do I let it sit and let it take it course? Should I take a reading? Do I shake the carboy to try and wake things up? If so, how much/long? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[bway2141]

When you say there's no bubbling do you mean in the liquid your blow off tube is running into? It looks like there was/is a healthy kreusen and the yeast were doing their job.

Have you taken a hydro reading?

 

[xjmox14x]

That's fermentation you're looking at right there. Bubbling from the blow-off tube/airlock is not an indicator of that... case in point right there in your picture. It's happily fermenting, turn around and walk away.

 

[Sanville]

bway2141 - Yes, that is what I meant. There has not been any bubbling into the bucket the blowoff tube is running into. I have not taken a reading yet, as from reading a ton of forums over the last few months, I learned to try and not mess with things.

xjmox14x - I was hoping for that answer. During the first batch, I got vigorous bubbling in the blowoff tube into the bucket at around the 48 hour mark. Didn't know if I should always expect bubbling or in some cases it will not occur. I know it's not an indicator of fermentation, but didn't know if it was unusual not to have any and if I needed to shake things up.

Anyway, thanks for your responses. I'll let things be and take a reading after 7 to 10 days in the primary.

 

[LBussy]

Ditto what everyone else said. The only caution I will give you is that if you are not getting any bubbling with that healthy of a krausen, you have a pretty substantial leak where you attached your tube. Looks like it has peaked so spray some Star-San on there (or some cheap vodka), pull the tube and replace it with a good bung and an airlock.

With that leak, when the fermentation slows/stops, even a small change in room temp will suck in some air and that would not be a good thing.

 

[Sanville]

Thanks Lee. I checked the blow off and it seems to be air tight and didn't notice any punctures in the tube, but just to be sure, switched the blow off with a bung and airlock. Thanks everyone.

 

[Yooper]

bway2141 - Yes, that is what I meant. There has not been any bubbling into the bucket the blowoff tube is running into.

How much liquid did you have in the bucket? It looks pretty big, and I usually use a growler or something small for my blow off container, and I only add a few inches of water and sanitizer. But in a big bucket like that it might be hard to see bubbles without a ton of liquid in the bucket.

 

[Sanville]

Yooper - Good point. It's a 5 gallon Homer bucket that has my leftover Star San from brew day. So, there is probably close to 2-3 gallons in there.

 

[Sanville]

Yopper - you nailed it. Once I switched to the bung and airlock, I can see bubbling. I had too much liquid in the bucket. Thanks again for your help.