Try this:
- Heat the water to 160 - 170 F. Add grains and steep for 30 minutes.
- Remove grains and heat water to boiling.
- Add the LME (do not add the DME at this point). If you remove from heat, you reduce the chance of scorching the extract.
- Bring back to the boil.
- Let the boil go thru the break (foam) before adding the hops.
- Add hops and start clock. I would boil the hops for 45 to 60 minutes. That's not a lot of hops for 5 gallons, so boiling longer would probably help the beer.
- With about 15 minutes to go, add the DME and Maltodextrin. Remove from heat to prevent scorching. Be careful, it will probably foam again as you bring it back to the boil.
- With about 10 minutes to go, add the extra hops if you want.
- Once boil is over, cool with lid on in water bath.
- Once cool, mix with cold water in fermenter.
- Add yeast and leave in primary fermenter for at least 2 weeks.
- Keep fermenter at yeast temp (generally mid 60s).
NOTE 1: If you mix hot wort with cold water in the fermenter, the temperature will still be too high to pitch the yeast. 2 gallons of 200 F wort + 3 gallons of 60 F water = 5 gallons of 110 F wort which is too high.
NOTE 2: Most kits say to remove from primary too soon. Leave at least 2 weeks.
NOTE 3: If fermentation temperature is too high, it will create off flavors and harsh alcohols.