Best brewday ever, dissappointing result

[wbosher]

I've just completed my best brew day to date, ran like clockwork with absolutely no problems at all. I loved every minute of it. That is until I did the pre-boil gravity test...very low. Beersmith estimated 1.035, I got 1.028. The grains came crushed from the LHBS and looked a little underdone, but time was of the essence, so I went ahead with it anyway.

I went ahead with the boil hoping for a miracle, never got it. Once again everything went without a hitch, met my estimated volume within a few hundred mls. OG also very low at 1.033, estimated 1.044.

Looks like I'm going to have a very hoppy and bitter mild (IBU 33), rather than a pale ale. I don't mind the low alc, in fact I'm quite happy about that, just think it may be very, very bitter.

Disappointing result to a very good brewday.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Midstrength IPA. Would it hurt to throw some malt extract in or is it too late?

 

[Yob]

33 isnt overly bitter, it'll turn out fine... And a quaffer

 

[lukiferj]

You'll be surprised what some dry hopping will do to an overly bitter beer. I recently had an IPA that worked out to be 73 IBU (no chill adjusted). Going into the keg I thought I may have to dump it as it was so bitter. 20 gms each of Cascade and Centennial in the keg and it's turned out to be one of my best beers so far. My APA mids I have been making have been between 25-30 IBUs and that is perfect to my tastes. 33 IBUs should be fine.

 

[wbosher]

I usually aim for an IBU in the mid 50s when I make an IPA, but it's balanced out with a much higher gravity. The reason I thought 33 might be quite high is because of the very low OG, was amining for a mid strength pale ale this time.

It seems then that it might be ok, thanks guys.

 

[QldKev]

I'm with midnight brew, just throw some DME in it as it hits the fermenter. Use to fav beer application to work out exactly how much to add.

 

[wbosher]

Bit late now to add DME. I don't have any and I can't get to the shop today, I think it's closed for ANZAC day anyway.

I'll just see how it goes. Starting to think it might be ok.

 

[bum]

Bit late now to add DME.

Why?

 

[pk.sax]

It'll be right. Might even be a cracker.

 

[wbosher]

Why?

Because I don't have any, and can't get any today due to the shop being shut for ANZAC day.

 

[bullsneck]

I think Bum was referring to the DME addition, not that you can't source any.

I'm sure you could add it high krausen with good results.

 

[manticle]

You could add it whenever you like - just calculate how much, boil it up in a smidge of water for a few minutes and Bob becomes part of your family.

Or if it tastes OK, leave it.

 

[JDW81]

I've just completed my best brew day to date, ran like clockwork with absolutely no problems at all. I loved every minute of it. That is until I did the pre-boil gravity test...very low. Beersmith estimated 1.035, I got 1.028.

What was your estimated mash efficiency before the brew? What mash (not overall) efficiency have you got in the past? What was your actual mash efficiency today? Not trying to tell you how to suck eggs, but could it be a case of expecting a higher yield than your gear and process can deliver? I only ask as I've made this mistake in the past. Fixed it by aiming a bit lower and adding a bit more base malt, never been a problem since.

Just a though.

JD

 

[Nick JD]

Crappy milling with un-crushed grains reduces your efficiency by exactly the percentage of grains uncrushed.

 

[Screwtop]

Maybe the absolutely bloody obvious, but! Your recipe, amount of grist, volumes etc. Maybe something is out of whack!

Screwy

 

[mckenry]

how are you measuring your numbers? Hydrometer OK? 1000 in water?
Temp of wort you measured SG at? Compensated for that?

 

[wbosher]

Nick - I think it was definately that fact that the grains weren't milled properly, but I just had to do it as it was the only oppertunity I had to put on a brew for another couple of weeks, and I'm getting low on beer. Just took a gamble, and lost.

Qwlkev, manticle, bullsneck and bum - sorry, having never added DME to an AG brew before, I thought it had to be done early on in the piece, never realised that I could do it whenever. Still unlikely I will be able to get any for the next few days.

jdw - I have consistantly got around the 70 - 75% mark for my last few brews, so generally aim for about 70%. This time was just a touch under 50%. Like I said, I think it was the grains.

screwtop - the amount of grains, volumes etc were spot on. Done this recipe a few times before, only change was the hops.

mckenry - hydrometer is two points out, I always allow for this.

Anyway, the more I read on the subject, the more I'm getting the impression that it's not too much to worry about. Might be a little bitterer (if that's even a word) that I had planned, maybe a little thin, but still ok.

Thanks for all the replies guys.

 

[manticle]

Qwlkev, manticle, bullsneck and bum - sorry, having never added DME to an AG brew before, I thought it had to be done early on in the piece, never realised that I could do it whenever. Still unlikely I will be able to get any for the next few days.

No different to adding any other kind of sugar later during fermentation or even afterwards. Think of bottle or keg priming or someone adding candy sugar at the later stages for a big belgian.

 

[wbosher]

I remember reading somewhere, probably here, that if the IBU is close to the OG, it will be fairly balanced. If that's the case, then this should be ok.

OG: 1.033
IBU: 33
IBU/SG: 0.922

Will probably be closer to an low alc IPA rather than a medium strength pale ale, but if it works out ok I might even try to deliberately do this again...add less grain that is, not waste money on uncrushed grain.

 

[treefiddy]

If the LHBS is closed you could get BE or malt extract from Big W.

Edit: Sorry, I just noticed you're in NZ. You may know it as Big Double Ewe.

 

[wbosher]

You may know it as Big Double Ewe

Surprisingly, in the 10 or so months I've been here, this is only the 2nd sheep joke! You Aussies are slacking off. :lol:

 

[Spiesy]

I'm just a little puzzled as to how it was your "best brew day" when efficiency and subsequent pre-boil and post-boil gravities are all out?

Out of interest, the 70% efficiency you were targeting for - you've hit this with a similar grain bill (IPA) and mash schedule before?

I BIAB and recently noticed diminishing returns in efficiency as the grain bill gets bigger... My recent Black IPA turned out as a very nice Black Ale (thankfully I caught the low efficiency at pre-boil and changed some of the hop quantities to balance it out).

 

[pk.sax]

I think he meant to say he had the time to take the sheep behind the house between doughing in and mash out, kinda pita if you gotta keep looking after the temp drop, spills, gas running out, stuck sparge or whatever.

There, better?

 

[wbosher]

I think he meant to say he had the time to take the sheep behind the house between doughing in and mash out, kinda pita if you gotta keep looking after the temp drop, spills, gas running out, stuck sparge or whatever.
There, better?

Much better

spiesy - by best brew day, I meant that everything went smoothly. No problems with temp, spillage, gas, kids, drunkenness, bag breaking etc...went beautifully and really enjoyed it. This is precisely why I was so disappointed.

And yes, I consistently get 70% with the same grain bill.

I'm not so much asking advice on why this happened, I think I know why, just venting and seek reassurance that it's not a complete disaster from those who may have been here before.

 

[Nick JD]

Recently, we had a brew day for the Gold Coast club. We were brewing a beer from a set bunch of ingredients for a comp (the grain came pre-milled) and we got the same kind of numbers as you have.

Woefully under expected OG. Heaps of uncracked grains on inspection of the spent grain.

It happens.

 

[wbosher]

How did it turn out Nick?

 

[AndrewQLD]

You did everything right, measured your pre boil and found the gravity lacking, that was when it all went pear shaped. Nothing after that pre boil gravity reading was going to get better unless you made corrections.
Add more extract, dextrose or sugar to increase your pre boil gravity OR reduce the bittering hop additions to give you a more balanced bu/gu ratio.

Lesson learnt and for your first brew not really all that bad.

 

[Adr_0]

Lesson learnt and for your first brew not really all that bad.

Wasn't his first brew by the sounds of it; I think what you meant to say was "Lesson learnt and for a kiwi not really all that bad."

 

[AndrewQLD]

Wasn't his first brew by the sounds of it; I think what you meant to say was "Lesson learnt and for a kiwi not really all that bad."

Nope, Kiwis are awesome, great country and people that grow great hops and brew great beer, but your right best brew day, not the first.

 

[Adr_0]

On a serious note, good to know or have a pretty good idea where your efficiency was lost, and so you can test it next time you brew. I will certainly be having a peek at the grist before I mash next time, but I'm sure there's always a small % that will be uncracked. Sounds like you had a good 20-25% of your grains uncracked though, which is pretty disappointing.