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Low Original Gravity

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing
#1

First time post, but I’ve benefitted greatly from many of you. Thank you! :smiley: I’m fairly new to brewing (less than a dozen brews under my belt) and so far so good. My latest batch was the Irish Red Ale extract kit from NB. So far I’ve nailed the OG on every kit including PM kits, but this time I came in quite low…
1.037 - should have been 1.044. That reading was adjusted for temperature and I’m sure I read it correctly. I think I know why it is low, because I topped it to 5.5 gallons instead of 5 hoping to actually get 5 gallons out of a batch for once! I didn’t think it would affect it quite this much. I also left more of the sludge behind than I usually do. My question is since it looks like I have a “Light beer” on my hands (probably under 3.5% ABV) is there anything I can do if say I transfer it to a secondary? I was considering maybe boiling a pound of amber DME in a half gallon of water and adding it to the secondary before I transfer? Has anyone tried this before?

Thanks,
:cheers:

Primary: Irish Red
Secondary: English Pale
B: Brown Ale, Cream Ale

#2

You are correct on the reason your gravity is low. Assuming you left 1/2 gallon of trub behind, and topped up to 5.5 gallons, you would get a OG of 1.037.

As for fixing it, I say do nothing, and enjoy the results.
At this point adding and more DME or LME will throw of the IBU:GU ratio. You should be currently sitting at ~24 IBUs, topping up with another 1/2 gallon of unhopped wort would reduce your IBUs to ~21 IBUs and up your OG to 1.0395 or so.

So in all reality, it would be a lot of effort, for not much increase in OG and a resulting beer that would seem to sweet in the finish.

Chalk this one up to learning.
Your punishment will be drinking delicious, albiet less alcohlic beer.

#3

Do you have a homebrew store nearby that carries Muntons’ pre-hopped LME? If they carry the type that would be to style it could be added. Smallest tin would be about 3 pounds so only part of it would be used for this brew.
Whatever hops they have in the tin may blend using only one-third of the volume.

#4

Thanks guys, I do live near NB in Milwaukee, but I think I’ll just leave well enough alone. I tasted the sample after I took my reading and it already tasted fantastic. I don’t want to do anything to ruin that! I guess I’ll just have to drink more beers more often :smiley:

Primary: Irish Red
Secondary: English Pale
B: Brown Ale, Cream Ale

#5

I too vote for leaving it alone and enjoying the result. I’ve done similar things and I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Also keep in mind that your target FG has gone from 1.011 to 1.009.

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