Extract brewing help

[S.R.S]

Hi All,

I know this topic is covered a lot but having only brewed kits, I want to develop my skills with extract brewing.
With the MJ kits I normally do, I already mix the wort in a stockpot and pimp up the kits with additional dry hopping towards the end of fermentation. I don't use hops in the boil nor grains but I would like to.
So I have a few questions that may well evolve.

1. If only using hops in a boil and not steeping grains, will this still produce a decent beer? I like hoppy IPA's/APA's but ABV around 4%. I also love NEIPA styles and juicy IPA's. Does the addition of steeping grains make a significant improvement in the final product?

2. I have seen many recipes that are for 23l batches only. If I want to brew smaller batches, is it as simple as just halving all the ingredients in the recipe? I am not entirely clear on what the ratio of water to DME should be calculated if making smaller batches.

3. Due to the type of beer I like and the excessive hops used, when buying the ingredients from normal online home brew suppliers, this seems to be much more expensive than buying a MJ kit for example. Are there any bulk suppliers that can be recommended and if buying bulk (up to 25kgs), what are the ideal storage conditions for hops and grain?

4. Finally, I have the following ingredients ready to go - 100g Cascade, 100g Simcoe 100g Amarillo pellets, 3 kgs. DME and yeast but no steeping grains. Can anyone recommend a really nice recipe using the above or should I get hold of some steeping grains if this would make an enormous difference? I don't have protafloc or whirfloc tablets, are these essential and what is the difference between the two?

As always thanks for your help.

 

[Sandimas]

1. Yes, you don't need additional steeped grains, but it does help hop utilisation to have some sugars in the boil and most people recommend adding some of your malt extract at the start of the boil, with the rest at the end (e.g. 1kg at the start of the boi, add the other 2kg at the end). Steeped grains just add colour and different flavours.

2. Have a play with a recipe calculator like Brewers Friend online, you can use it to scale recipes with DME or even just make your own. I used to always size my recipes to use full packs of DME (1kg / 500g) as they do not store well once opened (clag up due to moisture in the air).

3. Hops can be expensive, I've just looked at some Galaxy nearly £10 for 100g! Opened hop packets can be stored in the freezer for use later.

4. Simple recipe: 3kg DME (1kg added at the start of the boil, 2kg at the end), 45g Cascade boiled for 60mins, 15g Cascade more added in 10mins from the end, turn off the heat and add the remaining 40g Cascade to steep for 30mins.

 

[S.R.S]

1. Yes, you don't need additional steeped grains, but it does help hop utilisation to have some sugars in the boil and most people recommend adding some of your malt extract at the start of the boil, with the rest at the end (e.g. 1kg at the start of the boi, add the other 2kg at the end). Steeped grains just add colour and different flavours.

2. Have a play with a recipe calculator like Brewers Friend online, you can use it to scale recipes with DME or even just make your own. I used to always size my recipes to use full packs of DME (1kg / 500g) as they do not store well once opened (clag up due to moisture in the air).

3. Hops can be expensive, I've just looked at some Galaxy nearly £10 for 100g! Opened hop packets can be stored in the freezer for use later.

4. Simple recipe: 3kg DME (1kg added at the start of the boil, 2kg at the end), 45g Cascade boiled for 60mins, 15g Cascade more added in 10mins from the end, turn off the heat and add the remaining 40g Cascade to steep for 30mins.

thanks very much darrellm,
so for the boil, if I want to ferment between15-20 litres, how much water should be used for the boil? If I ferment 15 litres will this be a problem in a 23l corny keg as I now brew all my batches in the corny?
And why does one not add all the DME at the start of the boil?
Last question was on the protafloc/whirlfloc tablets- how necessary are they?

 

[jof]

If you boil your DME, it turns a darker shade.
Not important if brewing bitter or darker ales, but can be disappointment if you are making a pale coloured beer using extra light DME & that's not what you get.

You could look at partial mash.
I'm brewing with about 1.5kg of grain in a stock pot & using 20l worth of hops.
I mix 1-2 kg with cold water in my fermenting bin & add my wort & top up to 20-23 litres.
I get most of the benefits of grain brewing & a decent volume batch using kitchen equipment.

 

[Sandimas]

The great beauty with Extract brewing is that you do not need to boil full-volume, you can boil say 12L then top up to volume with cold water in the FV. This saves you time as well, as you don't need to cool much.

You can add all the DME at the start of the boil, but it will darken the brew a bit.

You don't need protafloc/whirlfloc tablets with Extract brewing, only AG brewing.

 

[jof]

The only addition (other than hops) I make in my partial mash is a heaped teaspoon of Irish moss 15 mins before flameout.

 

[S.R.S]

thanks all

 

[labrewski]

I messed about with this for a year made some decent beer always used light or extra light dme try reading hop descriptions
Google hoplist very good description of hop uses and flavours
And I used 3kg ldme in a small ish pot and just topped up FV to 20 -23 liter

 

[acreid]

I do something like this for most brews now, easy to do and a big improvement over kits

 

[Jim Brewster]

For a NEIPA flaked oats at something like 50g/gallon would add even more body and mouthfeel, I have only ever added them to the mash so not sure if/how steeping would differ in the results. Presumably a NEIPA kit would already have oats in the concentrate anyway though?

If you like hoppy beers you might want to dry hop your beers, whether all grain or kit. I've done a couple of NEIPA like brews and added all the hops post boil, first addition for 20 mins at 80 degrees after flame out and then heavily dry hopped for the last week of fermentation. Technically NEIPAs are also dry hopped at high krausen as well (I think).

The great beauty with Extract brewing is that you do not need to boil full-volume, you can boil say 12L then top up to volume with cold water in the FV.

...As long as it's had the chlorine removed by pre boiling or treating of course. I once made the mistake of using unboiled tap water in a mead that ended up as TCP

 

[obscure]

For a NEIPA flaked oats at something like 50g/litre would add even more body and mouthfeel, I have only ever added them to the mash so not sure if/how steeping would differ in the results. Presumably a NEIPA kit would already have oats in the concentrate anyway though?

Sorry to divert the thread but when you say oats could you just use standard porridge oats or do you need to get a specific type?

 

[Jim Brewster]

Sorry to divert the thread but when you say oats could you just use standard porridge oats or do you need to get a specific type?

Yep regular breakfast porridge oats, flaked or rolled (if you're posh). I raid the cereal cupboard for a handful to put in a gallon batch.

I should have said 50g/gallon (Not litre)
About 5% of the grist for all grain