First time LDME and a simple hydrometer question

So I am making http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/dead-guy-clone-extract-ag-see-note-25902/. Really excited since it's one of my favorites. My LHBS guy said to add the LDME to cold water first cause it likes to clump up. The LDME is a powder. I'm guessing that is normal. Do I add it to some water and then dump in while stirring the rest of the extract in?

Now for the stupid question. I am getting curious to see if I am uing my hydromeer correctly. I have a tube to drop it in but it always seems like the hydrometer is against the wall. Is that ok? The reading starts at 1.0000 and the just has hash marks for 20 30 40 etc. Im assuming tht is 1.2 1.3 or is it 1.02 1.03?

 

Picture? Easier to tell if we can see the markings

 

Heres the pics.



Bottled my second batch tonight. According to my notes. OG was 1.2 and tonight FG was 1.2..... Something is wrong. I had it in a swamp cooler for the first 2 weeks. Then I got a keezer converted to a ferm chamber. have a batch of Oatmeal stout sitting in there. OG was 1.5 on that. When I say 1.2 and 1.5 It was at the 20 and 50 lines. I will be bottling the Stout next weekend and will do a FG then. The first batch I bottled I had no bottle bombs. Some bottles were flat others were ok. They tasted great after about a month of carbing. It was a pale ale. Even the flat ones had flavor except you could taste the flatness.

 

the 10, 20, 30 ect... is really 1.010, 1.020, 1.030 ect... then the smaller ones go up by 2 and that would mean 1.012, 1.014, 1.016, ect...
you should have seen the number start higher (say around 1.050) and drop to, lets say1.010. i hope that answers this. also the ABV equation i use is OG-FG then multiply by 131.25
i would say keep going and let it ferment out 2 weeks or so then rack. when you rack taste it. it will be flat but if it tastes good then alright! but if your saying the OG and FG are the same of 1.020 then you got problems as fermintation was nil. (you may have meant starting 1.050 then its 1.020??)

hope that helps

 

See that is the funny thing. OG was 1.02 and FG is 1.02. At least that is what the notes say.

 

too much homebrew whilst recording??? happens to me all the time

 

DEFINATELY a possibility. The stout I KNOW was at 1.05. I have been obsessing over this because I believe I have a problem. When I bottle it next week I will take a reading and update. Plus doing another brew today will make sure to write it down.

Any suggestions on the LDME? Is adding it to cold water a good idea? What should I be expecting? Was told that it will clump up on me.

 

I've never added to cold water, so I can't comment on that. I've actually never heard of anyone doing that. My concern would be the DME not dissolving all the way, then sinking to the bottom and scorching.

I heat the water to boiling, remove from heat, add DME while stirring, then put back on heat and return to boil.

It does clump some, but you stir for a a minute and it all dissolves. The only pain is the steam from the water hits the bag and causes a small DME to clump on the edges of the bag. I just flick the bag though and it falls off. You can also quickly dip the bag in the water to get all the DME goodness in the beer.

 

If you are doing partial boils did you mix it up well after topping off. This could result in your OG being 1.02 (which is really low for an OG).
DME does clump up when added but just take pot off the heat when adding and stir well until it dissolves.

 

I probably didnt. This time it was mixed really well hit OG on the dot. Hoping it will be spot onas a FG.