First Extract Brew
- Thread starter wiggins
- Start date
Help Support Australia & New Zealand Homebrewing Forum:
wiggins said:
What style of beer do you want?
Have you steeped specialty grains b4?
How many litres will your boil pot/kettle hold?
Do you have liquid cultures or dry yeast?
Happy to offer help ,just tryin to define the parameters.
dickTed
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 28/11/04
- Messages
- 262
- Reaction score
- 0
Your basic brew should have about 3 kg of malt extract, or the equivalent in any sugars you add.
You don't have to boil all the malt for an hour, but you need to boil some of it - perhaps 1kg, because hops need to be boiled in wort, not plain water. Then you may want flavour hops. It's pretty much trial and error with hops. I use 40g Amarillos for bitterness, and at least as much again of other varieties in a combination of mash hopping, dry hopping and late additions. Some people are happy with 25g of lower bitterness hops.
Be careful boiling extract. It will flare up and boil over on you any chance it gets. Don't use the lid until cooling. It will flare when you add hops or more extract.
All the best. You'll find it's largely about getting the balance between malts and hops - sweet/bitter.
When you use crystal or other steeping grains - (make sure you get them crushed), then you can use the wort you've made to boil your hops in, and add the extract later.
You can't really pour and stir while it's boiling, so turn off, add extract, start stirring it in before turning on again. Bring to boil, and resume timing.
The alternative is to boil the lot for the whole hour. Apparently you don't get as much bitterness from the hops in a more concentrated wort, but you could always add more hops.
You don't have to boil all the malt for an hour, but you need to boil some of it - perhaps 1kg, because hops need to be boiled in wort, not plain water. Then you may want flavour hops. It's pretty much trial and error with hops. I use 40g Amarillos for bitterness, and at least as much again of other varieties in a combination of mash hopping, dry hopping and late additions. Some people are happy with 25g of lower bitterness hops.
Be careful boiling extract. It will flare up and boil over on you any chance it gets. Don't use the lid until cooling. It will flare when you add hops or more extract.
All the best. You'll find it's largely about getting the balance between malts and hops - sweet/bitter.
When you use crystal or other steeping grains - (make sure you get them crushed), then you can use the wort you've made to boil your hops in, and add the extract later.
You can't really pour and stir while it's boiling, so turn off, add extract, start stirring it in before turning on again. Bring to boil, and resume timing.
The alternative is to boil the lot for the whole hour. Apparently you don't get as much bitterness from the hops in a more concentrated wort, but you could always add more hops.
kc_ksom
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 22/9/05
- Messages
- 80
- Reaction score
- 0
G'day mate
Ive just done an all malt extract, it has turned out pretty good, it is completly different flavout to the traditional kit stuff, and you get to controll all flavours.
What i found is 2.5kg is just not enough for a full strength beer, I reckon you will need 3 to 3.5kg of LME to 22ltrs of wort.
I used the 2.5kg and gravity was around 1035, I had to add 900grm of liquid sugar to the mix wich brought the gravity up. (22ltr)
I used 20grms for aprox 1h 15m of Perle hop at 6%
10grms of hallertau? 3% for 1hr
and 15 of cascade at 5% for 15 min
This all fermented with safale 04.at 18d
Taste
this beer is the best so far, it is very hoppy, so I wouldnt recomend you use any more than 40grm all up. 20g - 30g for the main boil, seems to bitter plenty by my taste, the rest at different stages near the end of the boil for the taste and aroma.
(ps) I left all the hops in while it fermented too..
It has a nice creamy head, bubbles are tight, laces the glass the whole way through, colour is what I was looking for.
Hope this helps
Casey
Ive just done an all malt extract, it has turned out pretty good, it is completly different flavout to the traditional kit stuff, and you get to controll all flavours.
What i found is 2.5kg is just not enough for a full strength beer, I reckon you will need 3 to 3.5kg of LME to 22ltrs of wort.
I used the 2.5kg and gravity was around 1035, I had to add 900grm of liquid sugar to the mix wich brought the gravity up. (22ltr)
I used 20grms for aprox 1h 15m of Perle hop at 6%
10grms of hallertau? 3% for 1hr
and 15 of cascade at 5% for 15 min
This all fermented with safale 04.at 18d
Taste
this beer is the best so far, it is very hoppy, so I wouldnt recomend you use any more than 40grm all up. 20g - 30g for the main boil, seems to bitter plenty by my taste, the rest at different stages near the end of the boil for the taste and aroma.
(ps) I left all the hops in while it fermented too..
It has a nice creamy head, bubbles are tight, laces the glass the whole way through, colour is what I was looking for.
Hope this helps
Casey
I would really like to make an ale,not dark though,probably similar to coopers pale ale.
As far as steeping specialty grains,i have never done that before,but am ready to learn.My pot holds around 5 litres with a little space up the top for expected foam.And i will most probably use a dry yeast and rehydrate this before pitching.
As far as steeping specialty grains,i have never done that before,but am ready to learn.My pot holds around 5 litres with a little space up the top for expected foam.And i will most probably use a dry yeast and rehydrate this before pitching.
stephen
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 2/11/05
- Messages
- 366
- Reaction score
- 1
Wigginswiggins said:
You may want to go to Big W and see if they have either the 15l or the 19l stainless stock pots for sale. They retail for under $20 last I looked - about a fortnight ago. The extra volume in your boil will allow for better hop utilisation: In a five litre boil you wont get the bitterness you're expecting due the hops saturating the small volume before all the Alpha Acid has been extracted (this is an easy way to put it without going into great detail).
Steve
barneyhanway
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 14/12/05
- Messages
- 148
- Reaction score
- 4
I just started down the extract path, brewed a rather hoppy amber ale. The recipe and progress are all in this thread.
I second the 3kg of LME, I used 2 cans (3.2kg total) and 500gm dextrose for an OG of 1.046
FG was 1.011 so I'm looking at just over 5%abv. perfect for the style I wanted.
I have to say its the only way forward, got me thinking about all grain and craaaaaazy stuff like that.
if you just want a fairly standard ale, I would just use some light or amber LME - at least 3kg, if you want it darker maybe add some color with 500gm/1kg of dark DME, and go for it. leave out the specialty grains for now.
once you've done the big boil up the first time you will get a feel for how steeping specialty grains might fit into your regime.
I'll waiger once you've smelled the fresh hops boiling in your wort you won't do a standard kit recipe ever again.
edit: by "fairly standard ale" I meant style - the actual beer will be more "fantastic" than merely "standard".
I second the 3kg of LME, I used 2 cans (3.2kg total) and 500gm dextrose for an OG of 1.046
FG was 1.011 so I'm looking at just over 5%abv. perfect for the style I wanted.
I have to say its the only way forward, got me thinking about all grain and craaaaaazy stuff like that.
if you just want a fairly standard ale, I would just use some light or amber LME - at least 3kg, if you want it darker maybe add some color with 500gm/1kg of dark DME, and go for it. leave out the specialty grains for now.
once you've done the big boil up the first time you will get a feel for how steeping specialty grains might fit into your regime.
I'll waiger once you've smelled the fresh hops boiling in your wort you won't do a standard kit recipe ever again.
edit: by "fairly standard ale" I meant style - the actual beer will be more "fantastic" than merely "standard".
Ican see the most difficult part of doing an extract brew is the addition of the hops.Knowing how long to boil hops for and when to pitch themplus the style of hops needed to get the right flavour are thigs i'll have to learn.I will have to raid the local home brew shop to see what they have in stock before i make a decision as to what variety of hops to use.
barneyhanway
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 14/12/05
- Messages
- 148
- Reaction score
- 4
theres some pretty good hop profile descriptions and typical uses (beer styles) here.
Very basically, you use high alpha hops for bittering (boil for longer), and low alpha hops for flavour and aroma (boil for short time only).
Its pretty well explained on this page of howtobrew.com
Then its a matter of matching hops to beer style, or heck, even go out on a limb - read up on the hop's attributes and go with your instinct.
I chose NZ varieties for my first extract brew, even though it was based on an american amber. Green Bullet for bittering (typically used to bitter lagers, noteably NZ's steinlager) and Pacific Hallertau for aroma (again typically used in european lagers).
I'm not sure you can go too far wrong if you do the research and choose hops based on your desired outcome.
Very basically, you use high alpha hops for bittering (boil for longer), and low alpha hops for flavour and aroma (boil for short time only).
Its pretty well explained on this page of howtobrew.com
Then its a matter of matching hops to beer style, or heck, even go out on a limb - read up on the hop's attributes and go with your instinct.
I chose NZ varieties for my first extract brew, even though it was based on an american amber. Green Bullet for bittering (typically used to bitter lagers, noteably NZ's steinlager) and Pacific Hallertau for aroma (again typically used in european lagers).
I'm not sure you can go too far wrong if you do the research and choose hops based on your desired outcome.
I suppose i could ask the homebrew guy which hops would suit my brew as they are usually pretty knowledgable about things like this.I was thinking about using pride of ringwood hops for the bittering as it has a very high alpha acid content,from here i would be lost as to which hop to use.
breworganic.com has a few recipes for various styles from all extract to all grain. The site includes basic and details instructions. And don't forget howtobrew.com.
Like stephen said, you'll need a bigger brew pot.
Like stephen said, you'll need a bigger brew pot.
G'Day all
I have just bottled a german larger(Malt extract). Basicly just put every thing in the stock pot and boiled for an hour and steeped the finishing hops.
Cooled wort to 20C in about 40 mins and fermented with a saflarger and 12c for 3 week Bottled it last night after getting home from the long weekend.
The smell of hops and malt in the garage was terriffic( If only the wife could share the same feelings)
I am looking at doing a Wheat beer next.
1.5kgs LM extract
1.5kgs WM extract
50g Crystal grain (Not sure what this plays but the recipes said so)
2tsp Calcium carbonate(Not sure what this stuff does too)
2tsp Iris moss
15g Finishing hops Saaz Or Hersbrucker
Will use a Safelarger yeast and look at fermernting around the 12C Mark again
And then the next brew trying it with orange and coriander
I am thing this is a good place to start and try small veriation to a basic recipe to see the effects
Queastions?
Is this enough wheat?
Is the yeast OK?as my local HB supplier is only small operation
How important is it to cool wort as quickly as possible for the cold break?
Your help please
Regards Blue
I have just bottled a german larger(Malt extract). Basicly just put every thing in the stock pot and boiled for an hour and steeped the finishing hops.
Cooled wort to 20C in about 40 mins and fermented with a saflarger and 12c for 3 week Bottled it last night after getting home from the long weekend.
The smell of hops and malt in the garage was terriffic( If only the wife could share the same feelings)
I am looking at doing a Wheat beer next.
1.5kgs LM extract
1.5kgs WM extract
50g Crystal grain (Not sure what this plays but the recipes said so)
2tsp Calcium carbonate(Not sure what this stuff does too)
2tsp Iris moss
15g Finishing hops Saaz Or Hersbrucker
Will use a Safelarger yeast and look at fermernting around the 12C Mark again
And then the next brew trying it with orange and coriander
I am thing this is a good place to start and try small veriation to a basic recipe to see the effects
Queastions?
Is this enough wheat?
Is the yeast OK?as my local HB supplier is only small operation
How important is it to cool wort as quickly as possible for the cold break?
Your help please
Regards Blue
tangent
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 28/1/04
- Messages
- 3,826
- Reaction score
- 1
settle down there tiger
why are you boiling extract for an hour?
steep the crystal - great stuff this, try one brew with and one without
forget the irish moss
12C is good for saflager but wheat beers can do with some ale yeast flavours IMO
forget the cold break
you could basically do your recipe with 1 kettle of boiling water and a pot of hot water
finishing hops are good
maybe try steeping some hops with your crushed crystal grain and add the lot to dry hop
if you're keen on wheat beers, have a look through the safwheat yeast posts (can't remember the numbers K-97?)
good luck
why are you boiling extract for an hour?
steep the crystal - great stuff this, try one brew with and one without
forget the irish moss
12C is good for saflager but wheat beers can do with some ale yeast flavours IMO
forget the cold break
you could basically do your recipe with 1 kettle of boiling water and a pot of hot water
finishing hops are good
maybe try steeping some hops with your crushed crystal grain and add the lot to dry hop
if you're keen on wheat beers, have a look through the safwheat yeast posts (can't remember the numbers K-97?)
good luck
