Is my batch ruined?

[kw642]

I was brewing 5 gallons of oatmeal stout (extract kit) last weekend when a neighbour decided he wanted to ?help?.  The recipe calls for 3lbs of dark dry DME, but my helper dumped in a pound of amber from a brown ale kit.  I measured out 2 lbs of the dark dry and added it, unsure if it could be salvaged at that point.  Everything else went according to plan.  Does this batch have a chance?

[merfizle]

It will be different than intended but fine. Once primary fermentation subsides, taste a small sample.

Mark

[kw642]

Thanks Mark!  I really did not want to abandon it, but I needed to hear from someone else that the sky is actually not falling.

[merfizle]

Yeah, I get that. Many of my best beers had a less than perfect brewday. Just take notes for next time so that error doesn't occur again. For example, pre-measure your fermentables prior to brewing. Especially if you have help. 

The biggest difference in the beer will be color. Amber malt is usually a mix of base, caramel and munich malts so expect more caramel and more maillard driven maltiness.

Dark DME is a mixture of base, a bit darker caramel malt and black malt. You'll get a bit more darkened caramel (less sweet) and some roasty notes from using this.

You can expect to get more of an amber style than a brown or porter. Don't be afraid to re-categorize your beer. If it tastes good, take notes for next time....RDWAHAH (relax...don't worry...and have a homebrew).

Cheers,

Mark

[dtapke]

Some of my favorite beers have been "kitchen sink" beers. Ones that i've brewed with whatever was leftover from the previous few brew-days.

I started taking notes on these beers several years ago when i made one after a long brew day (started at noon, finished brewing at 4am) It was just some leftovers from the first 3 batches we brewed that day, and some other miscellaneous things, and I had no idea what was in it as we were pretty well inebriated and exhausted. Turned out to be one of my favorite beers of all time.

[Kevin58]

There is a small craft brewery near me that was trying to make a certain style on their pilot system. It didn't turn out how they intended at all. But instead of abandoning it they let people try it. Lo and behold it was a hit so they gave it a new name and it became their flagship beer.

Adding a pound of amber DME instead of the dark will only affect the color a bit. Don't even think of abandoning a beer over such a small miss step.

[kw642]

I appreciate the feedback.  I sampled it after fermentation and I can't say I loved it, but I bottled it anyway and will give it another go in 2 weeks.  At the very least, I learned a lot!

[kw642]

Well, the oatmeal stout is now ready to drink and although it's nothing like oatmeal stout, it's surprisingly palatable.  In fact, it's really growing on me - kind of a brown ale character but hard to categorize.  Glad you guys convinced me to stick with it. 

[dtapke]

give it a few more weeks, I don't often bottle carb any more, but if i recall, beers really don't mature for 4 weeks.

I do remember always wanting to drink it after a week, and then 9 days, and then another tomorrow, just so i could see how it was doing

before i knew it, i was on the last 6 pack of a beer that finally matured to a great beer after drinking two cases of mediocre beer.

[BOB357]

Yep, it's totally FUBAR. Once you have it bottled and conditioned send it to me and I'll dispose of it in an eco friendly manner.