Worker mixed my grains on accident, is it salvagable?

[mykrausenhurts]

I was planning on trying to do a BIAB recipe with two separate 5lbs batches. The worker misunderstood me and mixed both German Pilsner and my Maris Otter. I have Hellertau and Amarillo to work with. For yeast I have Nottingham, Wyeast French Saison, Belgian Saison, and Farmhouse Ale.

Is there something I can do to save this? It may be a complete non-issue but it was not what I went in there to buy.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Roll with it. Based on your post, only the base malts were mixed, and if so, then there probably won't be a dramatic difference. I would brew whatever you planned to brew.

 

[mykrausenhurts]

well it was two separate SMASH recipes. One was 5lbs MO, 1oz Amarillo , with Belgian Saison
The other was supposed to be 5lbs German Pilsner , 1 oz Hellertau, with French Saison.

 

[kh54s10]

Now you have two 2MaSH recipes. Or base grains for something different.

 

[balrog]

I'm with kh54. I'm also presuming it is milled in a bag. In which case it's POSSIBLE one was milled then the other so they are somewhat stratified and could be somewhat separated, then you figure out which is lighter w touch of honey smell (pisl) or nuttier (maris otter) smell.

At that point, I'd mix the crap out of it and and split it.

 

[odie]

why did you not make them do it over? Did you not realize it until after you got home?

I can understand a LHBS thinking you were shopping a single recipe. Last time I bought some grains...for my stock room...they fired up the grain mill automatically...I had to intervene fast...

Unless you are buying a whole sack, they probably assume you have no grain mill and are buying for a specific recipe and just trying to "help you out"

 

[odie]

screw it....brew it...all in one pot and see what ya get...

 

[owmatooth]

i agree. like the great bob ross said "happy little accidents"! looks like a lighter ale from the bill, 10 lbs isn't too crazy, maybe a 1.040 -1.042 to look for to start. i'd go with a quarter ounce of the hallertau at boil for bittering and use the belgian saison at 72 degrees and see what comes of it. or use it as a base beer with .25 hallertau to start and .50 amarillo at flame out and think about adding some sort of flavored extract (apricot ala Magic Hat #9) after fermentation to make a tasty popular quick beer. The nottingham will be nice in that case as it clears really well with a cold crash.

 

[mykrausenhurts]

why did you not make them do it over? Did you not realize it until after you got home?

I can understand a LHBS thinking you were shopping a single recipe. Last time I bought some grains...for my stock room...they fired up the grain mill automatically...I had to intervene fast...

Unless you are buying a whole sack, they probably assume you have no grain mill and are buying for a specific recipe and just trying to "help you out"

I realized after he had already bagged it and everything. I did not explicitly ask for it to be in two separate bags so it was just as much my fault as his. He gave it to me half off which was nice. I do think it may be too mixed to separate so I will probably just try to make the best of it.

 

[dwhite60]

Tweezers. Should be enough color difference to differentiate one from the other.

Just kidding, roll with it.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Tweezers. Should be enough color difference to differentiate one from the other.

Just kidding, roll with it.

All the Best,
D. White

You beat me to it by 2 minutes!

 

[bkboiler]

Maybe like an altbier style? Any Munich laying around?

 

[grampamark]

Tweezers. Should be enough color difference to differentiate one from the other.

Just kidding, roll with it.

All the Best,
D. White

You beat me to it by 2 minutes!

Why not? Like picking fly poop out of pepper. How hard can that be?

 

[mykrausenhurts]

Maybe like an altbier style? Any Munich laying around?

None that I am aware of. This is my second beer ive tried to brew so if this turns out bad I will probably try to come up with something else. I am okay with it not turning out okay because I need to practice and go through the motions even if it ocmes out bad.

 

[Lefou]

well it was two separate SMASH recipes. One was 5lbs MO, 1oz Amarillo , with Belgian Saison
The other was supposed to be 5lbs German Pilsner , 1 oz Hellertau, with French Saison.

Yeah, in my opinion, that's two different beers you'd be able to tell apart.
If it was me that happened to, my swizzlestick would've definitely been stirred up ... but look on the bright side. You'll have another chance later to brew what you wanted the right way - until then, it's not the beer you wanted but it might be the only beer you get to drink until then.
If life gives me lemons I cut 'em up and drop them into light lager. It makes me feel better about being a cheapskate.

 

[smata67]

Aaaaaah, Grasshopper! You have gained insight into a TRUTH known to brewers since the beginning of time. Nothing EVER goes as planned in brewing. I can't recall a single brew that went without some kind of hitch between the concept and drinking stage. Just be glad no one got maimed or killed. The good thing about this particular one is that you can blame someone else. This won't be the case most times. Enjoy the moment.

 

[Miraculix]

Just mix it thoroughly and make two single hop beers with it. It will be almost the same as a smash, both are pale base malts and not that far away from each other. At least you will get to know both hops better this way.

 

[Bobby_M]

That LHBS is running a shabby operation with a clueless grainboy. We don't touch the grain bins without an order form filled out indicating groupings and mill preferences.

I would just give the grain a good mix and portion it out into two 5 gallon batches. The hop and yeast differences will make them more different than the grain separation would have.

 

[Saunassa]

Some have found these mistakes to be a happy accident especially when you have two different hops and yeasts. Some of the best beers I have tasted have been from 'accidents'.
I learned this from my mother who while cooking supper would find that what she had on hand did not match the recipe.
Flavors meld and omg the end results. Damn now I am hungry.

 

[odie]

That LHBS is running a shabby operation with a clueless grainboy.

Agreed. Don’t assume what your customer wants