Grain Bill Error

[brew703]

I'm planning to brew a NEIPA on Saturday. I normally keep my OG under 1060.
I must have had a brain freeze and ordered too much (all grains are mixed). Now my OG is 1.075.
What would be the best way to dilute this down to 1.060 without screwing up the end result?
Or should I just go with it and expect a 7%+ ABV brew?

 

[RPh_Guy]

What would be the best way to dilute this down to 1.060 without screwing up the end result?

Use only 80% of the grain, or brew a 25% larger batch, increasing the hops as well.

 

[Jag75]

Or you can not add the rice hulls and get a stuck mash or sparge and get a lower efficiency.

Honestly I'd just go with it . But that's just me .

 

[balrog]

Forgot the hops bit, but I've added water at the end when things were too far higher OG, but only to drop it ~5 points.

 

[bucketnative]

Go with it, as-is. Pour 12 oz "pints" off your keg.

 

[brew703]

Brewing a larger batch isnt an option. kettle is just 10.5 gal.
Guess I will let it ride as is. never brewed a 1.075 batch before so this will be a first. Don't believe I ever drank a 7%+ either.
Anyway not sure how I screwed up the grain bill. Not the first time brewing this recipe.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

The one question I'd have is how you manage your yeast? Do you make starters? Is it an appropriately sized pitch of dry yeast [although I don't know of NEIPA dry yeast yet]?

All the issues involved with underpitching of yeast get worse when you increase gravity, so that's the only thing I'd really worry about.

Otherwise just making sure the grain is well mixed and as @RPh_Guy suggests, removing 20% of the grain by weight, will get you back into range and you can keep that grain for a future batch.

 

[bucketnative]

[although I don't know of NEIPA dry yeast yet]?

FYI - https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/en/united-states/product-details/lalbrew-new-england/

Although, based on stated mfr's cell counts, I've seen recommendations for a starter when pitching from the 11 g sachets.

 

[brew703]

The one question I'd have is how you manage your yeast? Do you make starters? Is it an appropriately sized pitch of dry yeast [although I don't know of NEIPA dry yeast yet]?

All the issues involved with underpitching of yeast get worse when you increase gravity, so that's the only thing I'd really worry about.

Otherwise just making sure the grain is well mixed and as @RPh_Guy suggests, removing 20% of the grain by weight, will get you back into range and you can keep that grain for a future batch.

I make starters when I use liquid yeast. Made a 1.6L starter yesterday.
I may end up withholding 20%. Gonna mess with it tonight.

 

[Jag75]

I take it to toss 20 % you have to weigh it ? Seems like if your adamant about fixing it taking out 20% is easiest.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I make starters when I use liquid yeast. Made a 1.6L starter yesterday.
I may end up withholding 20%. Gonna mess with it tonight.

Good deal. But with a 1.6L starter, you should be fine with the extra gravity if you choose to roll with it as-is.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Brewing a larger batch isnt an option. kettle is just 10.5 gal.

If you aren't adverse to using FermCap S, and are careful, you can probably boil 9+ gallons in that pot.

 

[isomerization]

Didn’t see if you mentioned what the extra grains were? As in only base malt or was it proportional to your recipe?

 

[brew703]

Here's the grain bill/ 5.75 gal to fermenter
9.5 lb 2 Row
3 lb Golden Promise
2 lb Flaked Oats
.75 lb white wheat
.4 lb Honey Malt
My normal grain bill is under 13 lb's so I'm about 2.5 lbs over.
Must have been having a day when I ordered my grain.
Oh Well. I'm gonna just go with what I have. Never brewed anything this high in OG or estimated ABV (7.26%). Should be interesting.
FWIW, i follow two different NEIPA recipes. In this case I added a touch of honey malt. The golden promise replaces golden naked oats.

 

[CTS]

If you have a refractometer, you could keep checking your gravity and call it done when it reaches 1.060. Probably 30 min mash or so.

 

[brew703]

I'm in the process now. Almost finished mashing.
I just let it ride. Should be ok.
Guess I could always dilute it at the end.

 

[RM-MN]

I'm in the process now. Almost finished mashing.
I just let it ride. Should be ok.
Guess I could always dilute it at the end.

If you keg the beer you could just pull less than a pint.

 

[dwhite60]

Let us know where you end up volume and gravity wise.

All the Best
D. White

 

[kh54s10]

FYI - https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/en/united-states/product-details/lalbrew-new-england/

Although, based on stated mfr's cell counts, I've seen recommendations for a starter when pitching from the 11 g sachets.

Don't make starters with dry yeast, they are coated with nutrients and sterols that help the cells. Making a starter depletes this so in the end you are pitching yeast that are not a healthy as if you didn't do a starter. Plus it is about the same in cost to just use a second pack of yeast.

 

[seatazzz]

I will agree slightly with the above, but you can do what's called a "vitality" starter instead; basically pull off 2 cups of first runnings, and rehydrate your yeast in that once it's chilled. Let it sit until you're ready to pitch. It gives the yeast a jump start, and your one packet should be enough to ferment that high a gravity. I do it all the time and have never had an issue.

 

[kh54s10]

I will agree slightly with the above, but you can do what's called a "vitality" starter instead; basically pull off 2 cups of first runnings, and rehydrate your yeast in that once it's chilled. Let it sit until you're ready to pitch. It gives the yeast a jump start, and your one packet should be enough to ferment that high a gravity. I do it all the time and have never had an issue.

Fermentis now advises against rehydrating in any way. The process described will deplete the yeast of the nutrients and sterols so carefully engineered by the yeast manufacturer, So you are not really giving the yeast a jump start. Will it work? Sure. So will dumping one pack into a 1.090 wort. It will ferment eventually. But the best procedure?

It has also been said that rehydrating in wort is stressful to the walls of the cells and will kill off one half of the yeast... I doubt that since sprinkling dry yeast into wort would do the same?!?

 

[seatazzz]

Fermentis now advises against rehydrating in any way. The process described will deplete the yeast of the nutrients and sterols so carefully engineered by the yeast manufacturer, So you are not really giving the yeast a jump start. Will it work? Sure. So will dumping one pack into a 1.090 wort. It will ferment eventually. But the best procedure?

It has also been said that rehydrating in wort is stressful to the walls of the cells and will kill off one half of the yeast... I doubt that since sprinkling dry yeast into wort would do the same?!?

Good points, but it works for me. Never had off flavors or "bad" fermentations using this procedure, and I only use dry yeast. The same procedure (modified) is used for yeast when baking bread, and the theory seems sound to me. Yes, different strains of yeast, but the end result is the same (co2 & alcohol production). As long as you're careful not to shock the yeast, it works. For a typical batch when I'm using fresh dry yeast, it gets rehydrated about 2 hours prior to pitching; during that time it already has a small krausen going by the time I pitch.

 

[kh54s10]

Good points, but it works for me. Never had off flavors or "bad" fermentations using this procedure, and I only use dry yeast. The same procedure (modified) is used for yeast when baking bread, and the theory seems sound to me. Yes, different strains of yeast, but the end result is the same (co2 & alcohol production). As long as you're careful not to shock the yeast, it works. For a typical batch when I'm using fresh dry yeast, it gets rehydrated about 2 hours prior to pitching; during that time it already has a small krausen going by the time I pitch.

I agree that it will work. But the best? No. One dry yeast that I used cautioned not to exceed 30 minutes rehydration as that would deplete all the nutrients and the yeast would no longer be energized by the time the yeast went into the beer.

 

[brew703]

All done.
Finished at 1.068 post boil. I added extra water as my boil off was a little more than I anticipated. Still trying to dial in the new system.
Bout to pitch OYL052. This is the 3rd gen.

 

[dwhite60]

Good points, but it works for me. Never had off flavors or "bad" fermentations using this procedure, and I only use dry yeast. The same procedure (modified) is used for yeast when baking bread, and the theory seems sound to me. Yes, different strains of yeast, but the end result is the same (co2 & alcohol production). As long as you're careful not to shock the yeast, it works. For a typical batch when I'm using fresh dry yeast, it gets rehydrated about 2 hours prior to pitching; during that time it already has a small krausen going by the time I pitch.

Actually I bake bread too. The "rapid rise" bread yeasts are mixed in with the dry ingredients before adding water. Therefore they are not rehydrate before using.

All the Best,
D. White