Adding more malt during ferment?

[timmy]

Afternoon all,

I put down my first Berliner Weisse AG attempt over the weekend using BIAB. Using QBrew I calculated the OG of 1028 but when I measured the wort before pitching I got about 1025 which I assume means that my efficiency is up the shit.

To fix the problem I was going to boil up a bit of malt extract and add the cooled liquid to the fermenter to bump up the gravity a bit. Apart from infection issues, can anyone see a problem with doing this? FYI the original grist was 50/50 wheat/barley.

Cheers,

Tim

[warra48]

1025 is a really low OG.
What did you brew>
What quantities did you use of hops grains malt etc?
What volume are you aiming for?
What was your mash temperature?
I see no problem boiling up a kilo of dry extract to up your gravity. Do you have normal light extract and also wheat extract?
Alternatively, add a can of umhopped wheat extract.

[rwh]

Yep go for it. Alternatively, you can rack onto it. Just make sure you boil it, put the lid on, then let it cool in the pot. That should take care of any sanitation issues. Also, you can probably pour it it while it's still quite warm because as it dilutes it'll cool.

[timmy]

Hey fellas,

It was a 23L Berliner Weisse batch with 1.5Kg wheat malt and 1.2Kg ale malt. I was aiming at 1028 cos the style is low alc %. The mash was a stepped infusion starting at 40deg and ending at 76 for the mash out. I think I see the problem - looks like Qbrew assumes 100% efficiency for mashing.

I'll pop in 250g LDME boiled in 1L water and that should sort it out. I was aiming for 50/50 mix anyway but I didn't have enough barley. I think I will add at racking.

Thanks for the advice lads.

Cheers,

Tim

[warra48]

I don't have QBrew, as I use BeerSmith.
Is it not possible to reset your efficiency to a more reasonable 70 or 75%, as I can do in BeerSmith?
Anyway, hope your brew works out OK.

[KEG]

you can indeed change mash efficiency in QBrew. it defaults to 0.75.

Options -> Configure -> Calculations tab.