Maximum amount of extract before you can taste it?

[ekul]

I normally brew AG but it so cold at the moment that i want to go to the garage as little as possible. My biab rig really suffers when I try to do big beers so i've been thinking about dosing them up with some extract.

Whats the maximum amount of extract that I can chuck in before i taste it?


I've just started working at a homebrew store and tasted a few of the other guys extract beers. Surprisingly they've been pretty good. I think the extract I was using when i first started was a bit old (was living in a remote town).

Do you reckon i can get away with extract as 30% of my fermentables? With the rest being all grain? Really want to make an 8.5% IIPA. Two glasses for the price of one

 

[yum beer]

you can get away with extract as 100% of your fermentables.

 

[manticle]

Cold?
Move down here.
Beautiful but freezing.
Of course a Norwegian would scoff at me.

Too many variables - beer style, palate, brewing and fermentation process, freshness and type of extract.
Get some decent weyerman or briess and add to beef up an fwk.

 

[620rossco]

I recon you can use thirty comfortably. Occasionally I use a smaller electric rig and a cheat. There has only ever been natural variation.
That is a tin and enhanser in a 60litre wort.

 

[shacked]

I did about 25% DME in an export stout with no impact on flavor, however it didn't attenuate out as much as I wanted it to.

Not saying it was just the extract that caused the high FG but if it was me and for a IIPA I'd mash lowish and probably add some simple sugar (maybe 5%ish) to make sure it finishes dry.

Under a mountain of hops in your IIPA, I doubt you'd be able to pick 30% extract. A kolsch would probably be a different story.

 

[yankinoz]

I do all grain but for reasons similar to yours also do mostly mashes, usually with Briess wheat DME at 20-25% (on wheats and other brews). I've repeated recipes switching from one to the other and found no discernible difference. That includes beers that are not hop forward; if you're addicted to lupulin, for sure don't worry. If a brew uses a distinctive base malt, such as high-quality Maris Otter, extract might water down the contribution.

When I use extract, I always add it late.

 

[RdeVjun]

There's a thread of Bribie's about pimping a kit, may have a few pointers from a slightly different viewpoint. Here it is:
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/72607-pimping-a-coopers-kit-with-a-partial-mash/

 

[Bribie G]

During the Summer I had the opposite problem to the OP - plenty of wort but limited fermenter space.

I did a series of 2 keg batches in my 60L fermenter and to avoid having to do two brews end to end I did a strongish base brew then added a Coopers tin to end up with a 5% beer.
Best to use a bland tin such as Cerveza and cover with plenty of hops and crystal.
In an APA style you wouldn’t pick it.

 

[Matplat]

Yep, I used to do DME with spec grain beers, made some bloody good ones that way although FG was always a little high.

 

[michaeld16]

I agree with the 100% figure. If fresh good quality extract is used.