Overshot Target Batch Size

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

RPG27

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
78
Reaction score
3
I brewed a marzen today, shooting for a 2 gallon all grain batch. I had some trouble hitting my target mash tun temperature of 155. I was a little high at first so I added some cold water. Later on I went a bit too low (150) and I added a touch of hot water (total clusterf I know).

Brewers friend had a target kettle size of 3.50 gallons pre boil. I may have been a bit higher than that, but not much. After the boil I was left with about 3 gallons in the kettle. It's certainly possible that I didn't have a strong enough boil, then didn't lose enough wort in the process.

This is far from my first all grain batch, but I feel like I really messed this one up. I usually end up with a little more than I shot for, but not really a whole gallon more. I probably have 2.75 or so gallons in my fermentator right now. I'm assuming this has thrown everything off and basically ruined my beer.

Thoughts?
 
You could send it to me to dispose of it. On the other hand, you made beer, and possibly quite good beer. Wait until it is fermented, bottled, and matured a bit before making the decision on whether it is bad beer or not.
 
Haha thanks for the chuckle. I'm just kicking myself because this is probably like the 5th or 6th batch I've done and I ALWAYS seem to mess something up.

I followed the brewers friend water requirements to a T, but it seems like a gallon and a half is a lot to boil off in 60 minutes. I probably have an extra half gallon to 3/4 than I expected. I have a 3 gallon carboy so that's not the issue, I just didn't want to lower my OG by a whole bunch. I took a hydrometer reading and it was about 1.046-1.048 (I was shooting for 1.056), but that was at 62 degrees on a 60 degree calibration, so I expect it's closer to 1.050ish? Maybe it's not a total loss.
 
I should also add that I took the wort sample from the top of the fermenter, so that could be a reason it's reading lower.

Not the best brew day ever for me..
 
Back
Top