10 replies to this topic

[Poptop]

I'm working on a batch that I'll be amping up with 3# of DME and I'm curious to know if I should be adding additional water to my boil volume? I'm siding on no, because that would dilute my desired gravity?

[jayb151]

I'm working on a batch that I'll be amping up with 3# of DME and I'm curious to know if I should be adding additional water to my boil volume? I'm siding on no, because that would dilute my desired gravity?

I believe you're correct. I wouldn't add water unless you were planning on changing the volume. The DME is a solid that will dissolve, so the volume should not change. 

[Big Nake]

Yeah, probably would not add more water but to be honest I'm not uber-specific on water volumes.  Yes, I measure out 5 gallons for mash, around 3 for sparge but I could be off by a quart or something and not care.  I think I would just let it roll.  So you're feeling the pinch from the Weyermann fire already and using DME now?    

[HVB]

Yeah, probably would not add more water but to be honest I'm not uber-specific on water volumes.  Yes, I measure out 5 gallons for mash, around 3 for sparge but I could be off by a quart or something and not care. 

[Big Nake]

  You'll get over it.  

I remember someone commenting on the "malt conditioning" process where you spritz the grain with 2 ounces of water (or whatever) prior to milling and they asked "should we adjust our water volume based on that?".  Ha, no.  

[Poptop]

Yeah, probably would not add more water but to be honest I'm not uber-specific on water volumes.  Yes, I measure out 5 gallons for mash, around 3 for sparge but I could be off by a quart or something and not care.  I think I would just let it roll.  So you're feeling the pinch from the Weyermann fire already and using DME now? 

You know that's sorta what I do. My very typical grain bill is between 10 and 12 pounds and it seems I'm always calculating ~ 5.5 mash and 3-3.25 sparge which always seems to hit the sweet spot.

The DME will be absorbed into the water to hit my target gravity I suppose. Just wasn't sure.

[HVB]

  You'll get over it.  

I remember someone commenting on the "malt conditioning" process where you spritz the grain with 2 ounces of water (or whatever) prior to milling and they asked "should we adjust our water volume based on that?".  Ha, no.  

Think that was me.  Hell I have a water meter that I use to measure the amount of water I am using!

[Big Nake]

Think that was me.  Hell I have a water meter that I use to measure the amount of water I am using!

Yeah, I just filter 5 gallons based on the marks on the bucket (then pour that into my kettle) and then filter another 3 gallons and I'm done.  If the batch has a bit more grain or has more hops, I might filter more but I'm strictly a "ballpark" kind of brewer when it comes to water.  When I measure my grains I'm pretty precise with a digital scale and same for hops.  When I need 8½ pounds of pilsner malt my scale read 8 LBS 8 OUNCES.  When I need an ounce of Hallertau the scale reads 1.00 ounces... not .99 or 1.01.  So I'm careful with some things. 

[jayb151]

 I'm strictly a "ballpark" kind of brewer when it comes to water. 

 

This from the guy who has started threads titled "One last water question."

 

Come'on!

[Big Nake]

This from the guy who has started threads titled "One last water question."

 

Come'on!

Okay, I'm a ballpark guy when it comes to amounts of water. 

[BarefootBrews]

Adding DME should cause your volume to increase.  I'm not a chemist, but logic tells me unless you are adding something that makes molecules in your solution go from this size O to this size o, volume increases by additions.  Regardless of volume, adding dried malt extract will increase specific gravity on the order of 36 to 40 points per lb per gallon.  1 lb of DME will increase SG by about 6-7 points in a 5 gal wort.

Edited by BarefootBrews, 23 August 2018 - 11:57 PM.