The perils of switching LHBS

[Brewing Clamper]

Since 3b took over a LHBS and had a grand opening sale (15% off) I decided to get my goddies from them for my most recent batch of beer. The first thing that I noticed is that they crushed my grain way too fine. When I put the grain in the bag for steeping, about half of it went through... yeah, it looked like flour. Anyway, long story short.... the recipe that normally makes a nice APA at an OG of about 1.055-59 with the stuff from my usual guy ended up at a whopping 1.080! This recipe usually finishes around 1.008, if that happens, I'll have a very alcoholic beer! I was thinking of doing another batch of it but cutting back on the LME and then blending the two. Any suggestions?

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

My suggestion is to consider yourself lucky!!!!

 

[Beerrific]

How much grain was it? Mini mash or just steeping?

 

[Brewing Clamper]

.5 lb steeped of each crystal 15 & 40. I think the LME might have been a little more fermentable too, being a different brand.

 

[Beerrific]

I think your OG reading might have been off. 1 lb of crystal will only raise your OG by ~7 points and that mashing with 100% efficiency. The brand/type of LME might do it, but that seems like a lot. What is the brand? You might be able to find the exact ppg for the extract and calculate out what the OG should be from that.

 

[Dr Malt]

You can always dilute with water either before or after fermentation. Welcome to high gravity brewing!

Dr Malt

 

[Drunkensatyr]

I am with the "There is NO WAY that 1 lb of crystal could change your OG that much no matter HOW fine it was crushed" mentality. It has got to either be
*Put too much extract in
*Extract was really A LOT more potent than what you normally use (doubt it)
*just got a sample for your Hydro that had more sugar in it and was not a good basis for a sample

 

[DeathBrewer]

i'm gonna go with bad reading...possibly took it before topping off?

 

[Foreigner]

I am with the "There is NO WAY that 1 lb of crystal could change your OG that much no matter HOW fine it was crushed" mentality.

*just got a sample for your Hydro that had more sugar in it and was not a good basis for a sample

Yup to both of these.

No way the crystal made the gravity jump like that.

 

[EdWort]

i'm gonna go with bad reading...possibly took it before topping off?

Possibly. Then again, how many homebrews had you consumed before you took the reading?

 

[DeathBrewer]

yeah, maybe you were reading it upside down, lol