How Much DME to Add to Raise Gravity Calculator

Spending lots of money on beer ingredients and the brewing process only to end up with a low gravity reading, can be quite frustrating. Fortunately, it’s something you can fix yourself. In this guide, I am going to look at how much DME to add to raise gravity calculator.

Determining the DME You Should Add to Raise the Beer Gravity

The dry malt extract comes with a  potential of 1.046. This means it will contribute 46 points for every pound added. Following the Brad Smith mathematical formula will help you determine how much DME to add to raise the gravity calculator.

It is common for most brewers to end up with a low gravity reading at one point. The good thing is that you can fix the problem by raising the gravity calculator. This article details everything you need to raise the gravity calculator.

What Are the Causes of a Low Original Gravity Reading?

Before looking at how much dry malt extract to add to fix a low original gravity, let me look at some of the factors that might have contributed to the low gravity.

Grain Milling

The quantity of sugar you obtain from your grains has a huge effect on the whole brewing process. The grains need to be optimally crushed to maximize the sugar amounts. That means coarse crushing or too fine crushing could lead to low original gravity.

If you are unsure of how to mill the grains, you can seek help from your local homebrew shop and they will mill the grains for you.

Accurate Volumes

Brewing beer is less like cooking and more like baking. Instead of using estimations, you will need to make accurate measurements of all your ingredients. For instance, if you get an 8% larger volume in the final beer, it will translate to an 8% reduction in original gravity.

Understanding the Brewing Setup

No two brewing setups are similar, and so you should understand your brewing setup. For instance, using a wide pot means more water evaporation unlike when using the standard stockpot.

That means you should use more water when using a wide pot than when using a standard stockpot. It is therefore advisable to measure the volume after the mash and after the boil.

These measurements will help you determine the rate of evaporation, and you’ll be able to know how humidity, burner temperature, the width of the pot, and altitude affect your evaporation rate.

How to Calculate How Much DME to Add to Raise Gravity Calculator

Now that you understand what might have caused your original gravity to be too low, let me look at how you can correct it. Luckily, you can correct the original gravity pretty easily by adding the dry malt extract. Here is the Brad Smith basic mathematics formula for calculating the amount of DME to add.

• Start by calculating the difference between your expected original gravity and the original gravity you have ended up with.
• Multiply the result by 1000 to get a reading in points. For instance, if you expected an original gravity of 1.060 but you ended up with an original gravity of 1.035, it means you have a difference of 25 points.
• A difference of 25 points in original gravity means you will have to add 25 points of dry malt extract in one gallon.
• Assuming that you want a final yield of 1.3 gallons, it means you will need 25 x 1.3 points of dry malt extract, which is 32.5 points. 
• Considering the dry malt extract’s potential is 1.046, it means it will contribute 46 points for every pound added.
• Now that you need 32.5 points, it means 32.5 / 46 to obtain 0.71 pounds, which is the quantity of dry malt extract that you need to add to the wort.

When Do I Add the Dry Malt Extract?

You will have two opportunities during the brewing process to add the dry malt extract. Here are the opportunities:

Add the Dry Malt Extract at the End of the Boil

The formula that I have explained above assumes that you will be reading your original gravity at the end of the boil. Adding the dry malt extract at the end of the boil means you will need to extend the boil time by around 10 minutes to sanitize the dry malt extract that you have just added.

The downside of this method is that the added time will affect the IBUs, and you might end up with a bitter beer than you expected. To prevent this effect on the IBUs, it is advisable to take the gravity reading around 15 minutes before the boil.

This will allow you to add the dry malt extract during the last 10 minutes, which is the recommended sanitization time.

Add the Dry Malt Extract Before the Boil

In this method, you make gravity corrections before the boil, which means you will need to take the gravity reading after the mash. Here is how to do it:

1. Start by calculating the gravity points you are targeting. For instance, if your recipe has a target original gravity of 1.065 and a post-boil volume of 1.3 gallons, it means your beer will require 85 gravity points to be able to achieve the 1.3 x 65 mark.
2. If your gravity reading is 1.035 before the boil, multiply the 35 points by your kettle’s pre-boil volume. That way, you will be able to calculate the gravity in your kettle. For instance, if your kettle has 2.2 gallons, the total points are 2.2 x 35 = 77.
3. If you deduct your current gravity from your expected gravity, you will get 8 points (85 – 77 = 8).
4. Remember that the dry malt extract comes with a potential of 46 points, and so you will need to divide 8 by 46 to obtain the DME pounds you need. In this example, you will need to add 0.17 pounds of dry malt extract (8 / 46 = 0.17).

What Will I Do if I Have Added Too Much Dry Malt Extract and the Original Gravity Is Too High?

If you got your DME measurements wrong and have added too much dry malt extract making the original gravity too high, you can dilute with water. Thanks to Brad Smith, here is a formula that will help you calculate the amount of water to add.

• If you wanted an original gravity of 1.060 but you ended up with 1.065, take the points of your current original gravity and multiply them by the final volume.
• For instance, if the volume is 1.3 gallons and you have 84.5 points, divide 84.5 / 60 to get the amount in gallons. In my case, it is 84.5 / 60 = 1.41.
• Deduct the volume you were targeting from this volume to get how much water to add. In my case, it is 1.41 – 1.3 = 0.11 gallons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Between DME and LME, Which One Is Better?

DME gives a consistent color while LME gives a pleasant flavor. Also, DME can clump up when dissolved at boiling temperature while using burners, while LME can dissolve in boiling temperatures.

How Much Dry Malt Extract Do a 2l Starter Require?

You will need to make 1g of dry malt extract in every 10 ml of starter. That will translate into 200 grams of dry malt extract in 200 ml or 2 L of starter.

Final Thoughts

Have you invested money and time on ingredients only to end up with too low gravity? The above tips on how much DME to add to raise the gravity calculator will help you fix the low gravity issue on your own. You will also understand where you might have gone wrong.