Low Original Gravity IPA

Need some base malt there for some enzymes to convert the Victory (and itself)

 

victory can be steeped

http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Homebrewing/SteepingSpecialtyMalts.htm

 

Almost seems impossible with 2 lbs of lme per gallon. I would check your hydrometer. Something may have happened to it or your reading may have been wrong.

 

It must have been a steep and minimal sugar came from it to have the OG that low.

OP, how long was the mash or steep?

 

Yeah, good point. I think the LME alone should have produced an OG of 1.047 or something like that.

 

What temp did you check the OG at?

 

http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-1.html
Victory is technically LIGHT roasted, but if you want to gain more OG points from the malt then you need to mash it. If you just want the color and biscuit flavor it imparts (and maybe a little starch) then you can steep it...personally, I'd mash it

For the record, Briess also claims their Carapils is somehow different than other maltster's dextrin malts

 

Another piece of bad advice from a manufacturer! (Briess, not you.) Sure, you can steep victory if you want starches in your beer and don't want the fermentables you would have got from conversion.

 

6.6# of LME (even without the malts you used) would give a post-boil OG of about 1.048 in 5 gallons.
So there are several possibilities here, alone or in combination...

1) You didn't get all the extract into the kettle (LME stuck in the jug?)
2) You topped off with water to more than 5 gallons
3) You didn't mix the top-off water with the wort thoroughly before measuring the OG
4) You measured the OG while the wort (and top off water) was still hot, and didn't adjust the reading for temperature.
5) Some wort was left behind in the bottom of the kettle, so more water was use to top off to reach 5 gallons.
6) Your hydrometer is inaccurate (try checking it with plain water)
7) Operator error on the gravity reading.

 

My bet is on this one. It happens often.

 

Seems like a little too much caramel malt to me. Might be a little too sweet. .25 lbs would be good especially on a low gravity IPA. I only use .25 lbs in an imperial IPA. The victory will lend a nuttier flavor as well. Steeping victory should be fine. Agree with the group the top off water was probably not mixed as well.

 

If the issue was #3, 4, 6, or 7, there wouldn't be a real gravity problem. Otherwise, you made a hoppy, very low gravity pale ale. If the latter, I suppose you could add some DME boiled in just enough water to dissolve it, to the fermenter.

 

If it's #3 you can confirm or eliminate that one by giving the wort a gentle stir to make sure the top-off water is well mixed. But you might want to act on #6 first and check your hydrometer's calibration by checking it on a sample of water. Water will read 1.000 on the hydrometer when the liquid is at the temp recommended by your hydrometer's mfgr. The temp is usually 60 degrees. Double-check yourself to satisfy #7.