Need Help please :(

[beerlife]

Hi All, I am brand new here and I come with a problem. So here's the deal. I was to brew a light ale and started doing so on Monday (2 days ago). I bought some new containers and measured of my grains and hops to start milling. So I started the wort, completed and placed in the fermentation bucket. All good! This morning I wanted to start another batch of lager and realised that my container has a lot more of the ale grain I should have left over and then it hit me. I used the wrong bucket of grains to mill and boil. I ran to my fermentation fridge now and sure enough, I see no movement in the fermentation.
I am not 100% sure how much grain was used, but if I have to guess what was left over, I would say roughly 2.6 lb and it was to make up a 5 gallon brew. So this means that I have way too weak of a wort going and fermentation probably already consumed all the sugars.

Is there any way I can save this? I am so p&ssed with myself right now.

 

[Jako]

i don't know how you could save it. you could blend it with another batch and pitch some type of sour yeast.

Or dump a ton of Hops in the beer and enjoy at 1% hop water batch.

Not sure i am following correctly. was the 2.6 a specialty grain for another batch.

A Scale is not too expensive its cheep insurance for times like this.

 

[beerlife]

Hi Jako, thanks for the reply. I bought new containers which are all the same size and colours. I used a scale to measure of my grains, but somehow I took the left over container and milled it which is way less than the recipe should have taken. I was thinking of dumping some DME, but that is not easy to come by here during lockdown in my country. Would it help if I create another very high OG of wort and water down some of the original, then dump in the wort with some more yeast? If I have to chuck this batch it will be a massive loss.

 

[Pappers_]

I'd let it be and let it ferment out and see what you end up with - not what you intended but you are as likely to make it worse by messing around with it now as not. Worse thing that happens is that you end up tossing it. And you might be surprised, you might enjoy it.

What yeast did you pitch?

 

[beerlife]

Thanks again. I pitched Lallemand American ale BRY97.

 

[Jako]

Hi Jako, thanks for the reply. I bought new containers which are all the same size and colours. I used a scale to measure of my grains, but somehow I took the left over container and milled it which is way less than the recipe should have taken. I was thinking of dumping some DME, but that is not easy to come by here during lockdown in my country. Would it help if I create another very high OG of wort and water down some of the original, then dump in the wort with some more yeast? If I have to chuck this batch it will be a massive loss.

That makes sense. What a bummer! Let us know how it turns out. It might be better than you think. Also might be super refreshing in the heat. I dont think adding anything would help. If you have a second bucket you could use the yeast that settles out and have a wonderful yeast cake that's a huge yeast starter.

 

[beerlife]

That makes sense. What a bummer! Let us know how it turns out. It might be better than you think. Also might be super refreshing in the heat. I dont think adding anything would help. If you have a second bucket you could use the yeast that settles out and have a wonderful yeast cake that's a huge yeast starter.

There was absolutely no activity and that just after 1 and half days, so doubt that it would have been drinkable. So I had to create another 5 gallon ale batch earlier. I use one and half pack of yeast on it so have half a pack left, so decided to create some additional wort on the side. I added 7 lb pounds all grain malt with some crystal malt as well and slowly dumped some of the original ale without creating any movement and I ensured I sprayed some iodophor on the lid and sides of the fermentation bucket to not get any bactetia in. Added the wort to the batch and pitched the half pack of yeast. The activity is a lot better now than it was on the bubbling, so will see how it goes. The BRY97 completes fermentation in roughly 4 days at 20 degree Celsius. My fermenter runs at constant 20.4 degrees Celsius so I will let it ferment for 8 days and then bottle. It is a little early, but it the batch is pretty much a stuff up as it was. Will let you know when the time comes to bottle if it has to be chucked or not.

 

[beerlife]

ok, so some feedback. I saved the beer. It actually came out great after my adjustments. I was sceptical, but sanitizing everything properly and not allowing too much oxygen during the adding of the malt helped a lot! It is a really nice amber ale now. I bottled it and it should be well carbonated in 3 weeks.