Original gravity completely wrong

[DChomeBrewer]

I just brewed a batch of beer, and the original gravity is WAY lower than it should be. I measured it at 1.032 before pitching the yeast.

I brewed with:

3.3lb Porter malt syrup
3.3lb Special dark malt syrup
1lb Crystal 90 malt
1lb Chocolate malt
1lb Flaked barley
.5lb Rolled oats
.3lb Molasses
.3lb corn sugar

According to the BYO.com calculator, OG should be at least 1.046.

What the hell did I do wrong? It's also been 2 days and there is no sign of fermentation from my airlock. I used a smack pack of Wyeast, started for 4 hours and the bag was very inflated when I pitched it.

Is there anything I can do to save this? Maybe add another can of extract and another yeast packet?

 

[SoupNazi]

You sure your recipe wasn't for a 3 gallon batch?

 

[Revvy]

1) Read this- Attention new brewers, yes your original gravity reading is wrong. Don't panic.

2) The only "activity" that means anything is a hydrometer reading. Airlocks lie. If it's been 72 hours (as the stickey says it can take up to 72 hours for yeast to get going) take a grav reading.

An airlock is a valve, a vent, not a fermentation gauge...If it bubbles it just means that there's EXCESS co2 needing to be voided., Not bubbling, doesn't mean fermentation has or hasn't started yet either. You can have fermentation and it's not producing any extra co2 that needs to be vented....

 

[DChomeBrewer]

You sure your recipe wasn't for a 3 gallon batch?

Recipe was for 5 and when I plugged everything in as shown below it said I should be at 1.046.

 

[DChomeBrewer]

1) Read this- Attention new brewers, yes your original gravity reading is wrong. Don't panic.

2) The only "activity" that means anything is a hydrometer reading. Airlocks lie. If it's been 72 hours (as the stickey says it can take up to 72 hours for yeast to get going) take a grav reading.

An airlock is a valve, a vent, not a fermentation gauge...If it bubbles it just means that there's EXCESS co2 needing to be voided., Not bubbling, doesn't mean fermentation has or hasn't started yet either. You can have fermentation and it's not producing any extra co2 that needs to be vented....

1) I certainly hope that's the case, but I kind of doubt it since I stirred very well then siphoned between a bucket and carboy twice to aerate before taking the reading. I really shouldn't have water on top at that point. I also did this with exactly 5 gallons of bottled water because DC tap water sucks, so I definitely didn't put too much water in.

2) Yes, I know, and again I hope that's the case. I'm just worried it will have a hard time starting since the OG is so low.