13
votes
Accepted
To Squeeze or Not To Squeeze the speciality grain mesh bag?
Yes, it is OK squeeze. In fact, you want as much extract as possible from the specialty malts.
It is a common myth that squeezing the grain bag is a bad idea due to "tannins being extracted" or ...
- 663
9
votes
First time brewer. I'm afraid I've ruined my beer
Even if jsolarski's hunch is incorrect (that your extra DME is for priming the bottles), and it was actually meant for the boil, the beer won't be ruined at all. You just missed the original gravity ...
- 566
7
votes
Accepted
Why do all-grain when you can do BIAB?
Well BIAB is all grain brewing. Not to be confused with just steeping specialty grains in extract brewing.
If you have a kettle big enough to do a full mash, doing a partial mash and extract is ...
- 18.4k
6
votes
Accepted
When brewing from extract recipes should one assume dry or liquid extract if unspecified?
The only way to know is to look at the OG. LME has 36 ppg and DME has about 45. In the recipe you mention, the OG is 1.038 for 5 gal. and it calls for 6 lb. of extract. Assuming LME, 36*6=216. ...
- 33.3k
6
votes
Accepted
Using Extract kit yeast vs some external commercial dry yeast
Usually the quality is not greatly different but the quantity is usually too low in my experience. Over here in the UK a 25l or 5Gal kit tends to come with 6g of yeast, where as I would often pitch 11-...
- 6,993
5
votes
Step by Step homebrewing from extract - need verification and clarification
IMHO there is too much "all grain brewing tehcnique" being used in an extract brew process.
There is no particular need to steep the grains at 70C. They are providing some flavours and body to the ...
- 5,611
4
votes
Why do all-grain when you can do BIAB?
BIAB IS all grain brewing. But it's not traditional multi-vessel brewing. Some batch sparge with a cooler, others fly sparge with a sprinkler, some use a bag for the whole water amount (BIAB). All-...
- 366
3
votes
Shelf life of liquid malt extract?
It could possibly be OK, but is it worth your time to make a beer just to find out whether you've saved $9? Chuck it.
- 3,030
3
votes
First time brewer. I'm afraid I've ruined my beer
If you have missed adding it to the boil rather than as bottling primer, then there is a fourth option.
You could boil up the DME in about a pint of water, and then add it to the fermenter. The ...
- 6,993
3
votes
Fermentation Times in Extract vs. AG Brewing
There is no particular reason I am aware of that normal fermentations for extract vs. all-grain brews should be different. Perhaps some examples that you've noticed might help?
Fermentation time is ...
- 10.1k
3
votes
Accepted
Consequences of Warming Liquid Malt Extract?
I say that it's unnecessary - the malt extract does not need to go into the fridge, since it's sterile from the producer. Also nothing can grow in the malt extract due to the high sugar content, so I'...
- 27k
3
votes
Inconsistencies in fermentables' ppg calculation
I don't think you can calculate this number. They report a max extract using a standardized lab test obviously. But then the rest is subject to too many variables for there actually be something to ...
- 36.2k
3
votes
Accepted
Do you need to boil un-hopped extract?
All brewing extracts were boiled wort and achieved a hot break at some point and have been reduced to the extract by a couple methods. Generally like you would thicken a sauce by simmering.
That ...
- 18.4k
3
votes
Accepted
Not quite at FG with an extract batch after two and a half weeks... Safe to bottle?
0.004 difference is also 1 Blg difference, to say it in units I know. That's pretty big here. At the same time, it's also pretty possible your fermentation has finished.
If in doubt, I would try fast ...
- 3,718
3
votes
Accepted
Is this an okay recipe?
Without knowing the AA of the hops, it's pretty much impossible to tell you how much to use. You can get by without the specialty malts, but steeping maybe 1/2 lb. of C60 will add a bit of depth and ...
- 33.3k
3
votes
Using Extract kit yeast vs some external commercial dry yeast
In my experience, those yeast that come with kits are about the same quality as other dry yeasts, I did not notice any difference in attenuation or lag time etc. I think most of the kit suppliers use ...
- 671
3
votes
Accepted
Steeping flaked oat with Diastatic malt powder
Sounds like you want to use oats for fermentables. So I'll focus on the how's for that.
Quick answer: adding oats and enzymes as a steep in a full boil for the above purpose won't work well. Mainly ...
- 18.4k
2
votes
What is Extract Twang?
I saw a new answer on here- what the hell- I'll post.
In my experience- what you're describing is typically a byproduct of old (oxidized) liquid malt extract. It gets a really cloying flavor due to ...
- 1,431
2
votes
All-Grain to Extract and Steeping
So it looks like your source just took an all-grain recipe and converted by just taking the base grain and subbing in light DME, and then using ALL the flavor grains in a steep. Typically, one would ...
- 366
2
votes
2
votes
Consequences of Warming Liquid Malt Extract?
There is no fault with warming the extract. Some of the companies recommend it as it makes pouring the liquid easier.
Good Idea: Placing the can in a basin of hot water
Bad Idea: Heating the can on a ...
- 2,446
2
votes
To Squeeze or Not To Squeeze the speciality grain mesh bag?
I always put the grain bag in a strainer and pour 2-4 quarts of 155-160f water slowly through the bag to remove anything additional from grains. This is the extract brewer's sparge equivalent. I've ...
- 71
2
votes
Shelf life of liquid malt extract?
From what I've read, LME production has come a long way in the last 20-30 years (according to John Palmer of How to Brew), and extract back then wasn't very good to begin with. Even if it were still ...
- 223
2
votes
Shelf life of liquid malt extract?
Briess says 24 months.
So, you're talking about 10 times the recommended shelf life. I'd toss it.
- 223
2
votes
Accepted
All my beers taste heavy bodied
Considering that your problem is consistent, I would say it is the extract. Although you can make good beer form good extract, you can't control the fermentability, so you can't make different styles ...
- 3,030
2
votes
Do you need to boil un-hopped extract?
As far as I'm aware, there are two kinds of extracts. One, described by your source as "brewery grade", does not need to be boiled, because it was. Other kind does.
"Food grade plants often do not ...
- 3,718
2
votes
Accepted
Substituting Dark LME with Amber LME in a Stout
You can kick up a fuss you'd be justified as it is not what you ordered.
But, I'd just throw in some extra Dark Patent Malt and Roasted Barley, may be an extra .5lb of each to try and pull back the ...
- 6,993
2
votes
Effect of adding some malt extract to an all-grain brew
Do you mean "what effect will that amount have on the gravity"?
If that's what you mean, and if "a full brew" is about 20-23 litres, then it should raise the gravity by about 1.004.
- 2,819
2
votes
Accepted
How to clean a cotton grain bag for reuse
For the sake of convenience I would replace them with nylon bags either from your LHBS or nylon paint strainer bags from your hardware store.
The nylon bags clean very easily and have a very fine ...
- 18.4k
2
votes
Why do all-grain when you can do BIAB?
I have not had any issues with efficiency with my BIAB setup. But it does takes time to understand how your system works and I squeeze the hell out of my bag. (Without a single issue with astringent ...
- 101
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