DIPA gravity too low.

[Killer Brew]

Why wouldn't you put the right amount of LDME into the saucepan, add required volume of hot water to dissolve and then bring to boil? Saves splashing around trying to spoon into boiling water. Also no need to boil for anywhere near 10 mins. If you are boiling just to sanitise then 1 minute is plenty. That way you don't need to account for any boil off as it will be minimal.

 

[kaiserben]

Just the way I do it. It works for me, so I'm sticking with it.

EDIT: And I originally did it this way because I was worried about boil over. Plus, I didn't want to have to sit there watching a pot come up to the boil to avoid such a boil over. This way it's pretty much boiling from the get go. If it reaches boil before I'm there to put LDME in then the worst that can happen if a bit of water on my stove top.

 

[Killer Brew]

Fair enough but looks to be overcomplicating a simple task for a beginner without adding any benefit for following that process.

 

[kaiserben]

I can't say I agree with that, but I'm not going to argue with someone sitting on 666 posts.

 

[resin]

Thanks guys, malt is in! lets see how it goes.

I read a post from someone on another forum that said a candy chef told them it was better to start at a lower temp and bring to boil from there, something about it being better for the sugars, cant find the post again. Anyway, i sifted it in and it was taking ages, got impatient and just dumped the rest in, it was clumpy as but by the time the temp got to boil it liquidised beautifully and i could control for boil over by adjusting the gas level. Did it in a sterilised pressure cooker and left the lid on and placed it in cold water once done. Poured in to the fermenter once cooled without stiring.

will post back with results, cheers
-Dan

 

[BKBrews]

I would have just left it as is and chalked it up to experience. She would have been bitter but sounds like a lot of stuffing around to try and fix it.

The grainfather doesn't handle big Malt bills extremely well, but I'd still be looking at your processes and how you can improve them. My last 4 brews have been between 4.5 and 5.5kg and I am locked in at 73% brewhouse efficiency. I know a lot of people using the grainfather get a better efficiency than this, but I can't complain with repeatability like that!