Mayday s.o.s. Mayday

[mvasek]

This last weekend I brewed a Samuel Smith's oatmeal stout clone. I brewed it according to the recipe, but I didn't have enough strike/sparge water or a combination of the 2, so my final volume was low. So the idiot I am (after a few, ok quite a few, home brews) I topped up with water and way under shot my oh. The of was supposed to be 1.050-1.051 but it ended up being a 1.033. I'm guessing that's what caused my the lag in starting to ferment. I am nervous that that low the beer won't turn out right! What should I do to get my gravity where it should be (dme/lme, and hope much if any).

Thanks for help in advance and brew on!!

 

[passedpawn]

Technically, you could boil some DME or LME in a little water (to sterilize) and add it to the fermentor. I would just let it go, carbonate, and call it your first attempt at a light beer.
Maybe you learned a lesson there, maybe not, you'll know next brewday.

 

[mvasek]

Well lesson one is done drink and brew!!!

 

[aeviaanah]

Next time take post boil gravity and calculate what is gonna happen when you dilute.

 

[IslandLizard]

I suggest taking a look at your grain crush, being too coarse, giving you poor mash efficiency. If so, get it milled twice or better yet, get the gap tightened. Or use more grain to compensate <ugh>.

Undershooting gravity this much is usually not just due to a bit lower strike or sparge volume. As a matter of fact, lower volumes tend to give higher gravity, as the amount of extracted sugars should remain the same but in a smaller volume.

For this batch I'd let it be: a very sessionable Oatmeal Stout.