Low OG on extract only recipe

[Upstate12866]

I did an all extract wheat beer today. I boiled a gallon of water with about 1/3 -1/2 a can of LME. I added the rest of the can after the boil, and the plan was to qdd water to get to the proper OG.

Since I had 3.3 lb of LME, rated at 1.044 or so per pound per gallon, I expected to get around 3.3 gallons at 1.04 or so. Instead I ended up with 2.5 gallons at 1.030-1.034.

I can't fathom how this would happen. I even rinsed the can to get all the malt! Is this something that happens to anyone else? It's no big deal but I don't like the idea that basic measurements and proportions could be off by that much on an extract recipe.

 

[VikeMan]

First, LME is not 44 PPG. LME is typically about 35 PPG.

3.3 lbs LME x 35 points = 115.5 points
115.5 points / 2.5 gallons = 46.2 or ~1.046

When you topped off, did you mix the top-off water with the wort thoroughly before measuring the OG?
Did you measure the OG while the wort (and top off water) was still hot, and not adjust the reading for temperature?
Was some wort was left behind in the bottom of the kettle?
Is your hydrometer accurate?

 

[Upstate12866]

Ah, perhaps I am reading the points wrong? This is Brewer's Best wheat LME, which lists "PPG 1.0425-1.4397" which put the idea in my head that this was the reading I should see per gallon of water.

Also I took the readings too hot. I took readings at 100 on two different (albeit cheap) hydrometers. Both were at 1.030-2 (hard to read exactly), which an online calculator adjusted to 1.034.

I will retest when it is cooler.

Also, will an extra strong wheat beer taste horrible?

Thanks for taking the time to help This project was my first attempt at trying out hefeweizen yeast actually, so I am hopeful but inexperienced haha.

 

[VikeMan]

Ah, perhaps I am reading the points wrong? This is Brewer's Best wheat LME, which lists "PPG 1.0425-1.4397" which put the idea in my head that this was the reading I should see per gallon of water.

It probably says (or is supposed to say) 1.4250, not 1.0425. That would be the actual gravity of the syrup, not the gravity by making a gallon of wort from a pound of it (which is what PPG is).

Also, will an extra strong wheat beer taste horrible?

I don't think this beer will be "extra strong" for a hefe. An OG of 1.046 (if all the malt made it into 2.5 gallons total wort), is not a particularly strong wort for the style.

 

[Upstate12866]

Thanks very much! Yes, I totally miffed that label, it is 1.4xx... Welp, that settles it then!