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I'm working on a recipe that called for some small amounts of LME (.75 lb Wheat LME, .5 lb Munich LME). I couldn't get such small amounts of LME at the homebrew store, so on some advice from the people working there I bought 1 lb of wheat and .75 lb Munich grains and did a partial mash to get those flavors.

I realized at the end of the recipe, after pitching and sealing the bucket, that I forgot to add a pound of DME. But the recipe stated the OG at 1.060 and I measured mine at 1.0618 after temperature correction. So it seems like this accident actually worked out for the best, and if I had added that DME the OG would have been too high.

I'd like to get as close to the recipe as possible. Does it sound like I will end will end up with something similar?

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I'd say yes, taste wise it will be spot on compared to the original recipe. I'd also venture a guess that the recipe was based on an OLDER recipe which used those specific grains, but was converted to extract for the convenience of extract brewers. Seriously, who measures out liquid extract in units less than a pound?

My only question is how you got the proper gravity after leaving out a pound of DME. I'd suspect you boiled off a little more than you planned and have less than 5 gallons in the actual fermentor. OR, if you added top-off water before your gravity reading, then your sample isn't totally homogenized and your real gravity is a little lower.

Either way, you are totally fine. RDWHAHB!

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    Thanks, that's an interesting theory. The recipe is from Brewing Class Styles from 2007. I think you're right, I think I did do the gravity reading before I added the top off water, that makes sense. Do you think it's worth boiling the 1lb of DME in some more water and adding it to the bucket? I'm guessing it's not worth it. – paul Aug 8 '11 at 17:09
  • Honestly, I'd say no to the idea of adding the extract now. If you do so, you'll be over 5 gallons in the fermentor, and you could temp shock the yeast if the newly boiled extract+water are hotter than the fermenting beer. You'll be a little lower gravity + alcohol in the finished product, but you risk less by just leaving the extract out now. Keep it for future yeast starters! – Graham Aug 8 '11 at 17:50
  • Thanks, that's what I figured. The recipe was for 5.5 in the fermentor so there's already over 5 in there. – paul Aug 8 '11 at 17:56

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