Last 2 BIAB Brews not Dark/Light enough

[violinguy]

I've just bottled my 3rd BIAB batch and a common thread with my last two is, the color isn't really what I wanted. My honey wheat was way too dark and this brew, a brown IPA was way too light - looks like a regular pale ale.

My efficiency was only 64% which leads me to want to use more grain while I work on fixing that problem. Should I also go darker than the recipe editor (brewer's friend) says just to get what I want? What else can I do to get my colors right?

On side note, both brews taste good. I've got some ph measuring and fixing supplies for the next brew as well. Hopefully that helps with efficiency. Also, I'm going to try a LHBS instead of regular mail order so I can maybe get double crushed grains for the next one.

Thanks!

 

[jwalk4]

Yeah, post the SRM you were expecting and the recipes. Maybe we can help you there.

I hate to say it, but maybe someone tampered with your order, charged for special malt, gave you more two row.

 

[Leezer]

Regarding double crushed grains, I order my grains from Ritebrew, they will double crush for you and I've had a good experience with them every time.

 

[violinguy]

Recipe is attached. It's a 3 gallon brew so don't freak out at only 7.5 pounds of grain. lol Looking at it again, I could have maybe used 120L crystal, but it's still not 18+SRM dark.
And thanks for the recommendation on Ritebrew. I'll take a look before my next brew.

 

[chickypad]

There may be a little overestimation from the software but the recipe looks to me like an amber not a brown with just 6% medium dark crystal and no roasted malts. I get about 17 SRM estimated in Beersmith which also seems higher than I'd expect, or 16 if you sub in a slightly lighter base malt - which malt did you actually use? At any rate I'd throw in a few oz of chocolate, black, debetittered, etc. to bring it into brown range.