super low OG

[mdriver1005]

what is the best way to fix a really low OG, say around 20. shud i use glucose alone or maybe brown sugar for a brown ale? what do you guys think.? thanks!

 

[denimglen]

D/LME is most often the best way to up a low OG.

How did the low OG come about? Unexpected low efficiency in an all grain batch?

 

[mdriver1005]

i attempted to replace a pound of lme in the recipe with pure maple syrup and i calculated that 1.23 lbs syrup would give the same gravity but apparently i was way off because i was supposed to hit 45

 

[mdriver1005]

and yea i wud use extract of some sort but i have none and unfortunately live nowhere close enough. if i ordered some cud i add it in later in the fermentation?

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Post your recipe. The conversion you made could not POSSIBLY have made that big of a difference in OG.

Probably the single most common mistake extract brewers make is doing a partial boil, then adding top-off water in the fermenter and not mixing it thoroughly, and then taking an OG reading from the liquid at the top of the fermenter, which is very watery. It does not in any way affect your beer to fail to mix, but it renders your measurement useless.

 

[the_bird]

Post your recipe. The conversion you made could not POSSIBLY have made that big of a difference in OG.

Probably the single most common mistake extract brewers make is doing a partial boil, then adding top-off water in the fermenter and not mixing it thoroughly, and then taking an OG reading from the liquid at the top of the fermenter, which is very watery. It does not in any way affect your beer to fail to mix, but it renders your measurement useless.

+1 (from experience).

The difference in sugars between maple syrup and extract is minimal (although the maple will likely ferment out more completely, leaving the beer drier).

 

[malkore]

just one more voice saying "your math looks right...I think your OG reading wasn't accurate".

post the recipe before you do ANYTHING.

 

[mdriver1005]

5 lbs amber unhoped malt extract
1.2 lbs pure maple syrup
1-1/2 lb 2-row malted barley
1/2 lb medium crystal malted barley
1/2 lb cara-pils malted barley
1/4 lb chocolate malted barley
1 oz Cascade hops (bittering)
1/2 oz Willamettes hops (flavoring)
1/2 oz Willamettes hops (finishing)
1 pkg water crystals
white labs california ale yeast

yeah thats right i forgot to stir it. I'll take another gravity and post again. thanks for all your help.

 

[mdriver1005]

after 24 hrs my gravity is at about 32. still seems a bit low but much better than 20. thanks for your help guys!