My Beer Is Always Dark.

[SunDrifter]

As the topic title says, each brew i bottle up and drink ends up being darker then expected. My usual brew includes:

Beer Kit (pale ales usually)
Pale liquid malt extract
some crystal grain
hops
yeast

That's about it. My last batch, a drsmurto golden ale is probably better described as a amber ale, and an earlier batch could be confused as a porter!

I dunno what i'm doing wrong, at least the beer tastes good i guess...

 

[WSC]

As the topic title says, each brew i bottle up and drink ends up being darker then expected. My usual brew includes:

Beer Kit (pale ales usually)
Pale liquid malt extract
some crystal grain
hops
yeast

That's about it. My last batch, a drsmurto golden ale is probably better described as a amber ale, and an earlier batch could be confused as a porter!

I dunno what i'm doing wrong, at least the beer tastes good i guess...

What kit?
How much Crystal?
Is it Pale Crystal?

Is the water muddy...

 

[Pennywise]

What type of crystal malt?

 

[Bribie G]

Dark kits and liquid malt extracts are often a result of the tins being on the shelves for too long. If you want a lighter beer you could try using a very pale kit such as a Canadian and 'dress' it up with extra hops and maybe a touch of light crystal. And check the best before date. I try to support the LHBS but in my kits days I have noticed a difference in the colour between kits such as Cooper Lager bought from a LHBS as opposed to buying from BigW who have a quicker turnover. Even all grain beers can turn out well coloured using nothing but base pale malt so it can be a battle to get a light gold or straw beer.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Check the age of the extract cans. LME can get darker as it ages in the can, related to malliard reactions??? (caution friday brain trying to remember here!).

Try to use the freshest cans you can find, or shop at a HB store that has good turn over of stock.

Cheers SJ

edit: beaten to the punch by Bribie!

 

[Nick JD]

You could also try using dried malt extract and adding your own bittering hops. The dried extract doesn't get darker (I don't think it does...).

On that note I recently made a white beer with 25% rice and malted wheat and yes, it's pale. Ghostly pale.

EDIT: those kits are also kitted out for 1kg of colourless sugar being added - so when you double your malt it's gonna be a bit darker that way too. Tastes better though.

 

[Dazza_devil]

Boiling the extract will darken it, particularly if it gets scorched or caramalised.

 

[WSC]

Dark kits and liquid malt extracts are often a result of the tins being on the shelves for too long. If you want a lighter beer you could try using a very pale kit such as a Canadian and 'dress' it up with extra hops and maybe a touch of light crystal. And check the best before date. I try to support the LHBS but in my kits days I have noticed a difference in the colour between kits such as Cooper Lager bought from a LHBS as opposed to buying from BigW who have a quicker turnover. Even all grain beers can turn out well coloured using nothing but base pale malt so it can be a battle to get a light gold or straw beer.

+1 for using the lightest you can find and adjusting with steeped grain and hops to give you the style you want.

Using the kit spreadsheet is very good for this i find.

 

[SunDrifter]

Thanks guys, looks like I am doing a few things to darken my brew (boiling the LME with my hops etc..)

I usually pick out pale kits (current one is coopers pale ale), but after adding everything in I guess I expect the beer to be light like my fathers kit and kilo brews.

(current batch and metheod is as follows)
1x Kit Coopers Pale Ale
1x Tin Morgans extra pale LME
200gm Caramalt
45gm Summer Sazz (15gm @ 15m, 5m & dry hop)
US05 Yeast

No muddy water i swear!!

Steep caramalt for 30mins at 70 degrees, boil the sparge water(?) and about halve the LME with the hops, add the rest of the contents to the fermenter and make up to 23L.

I reckon next time I might forgo the hopped kit and just use LME with dex, caramalt, hops and US04.

Sidenote, does US04 make a clearer beer then US05?

 

[WSC]

Thanks guys, looks like I am doing a few things to darken my brew (boiling the LME with my hops etc..)

I usually pick out pale kits (current one is coopers pale ale), but after adding everything in I guess I expect the beer to be light like my fathers kit and kilo brews.

(current batch and metheod is as follows)
1x Kit Coopers Pale Ale
1x Tin Morgans extra pale LME
200gm Caramalt
45gm Summer Sazz (15gm @ 15m, 5m & dry hop)
US05 Yeast

No muddy water i swear!!

Steep caramalt for 30mins at 70 degrees, boil the sparge water(?) and about halve the LME with the hops, add the rest of the contents to the fermenter and make up to 23L.

I reckon next time I might forgo the hopped kit and just use LME with dex, caramalt, hops and US04.

Sidenote, does US04 make a clearer beer then US05?

Think both yeast are pretty clear after 4 weeks, go with US05 I reckon, cleaner and it sticks to the bottom of the bottle IMO

 

[MarkBastard]

US05 for shizzle

 

[Nick JD]

Sidenote, does US04 make a clearer beer then US05?

For me, 05 gets clearer, quicker. If you want it crystal clear in a week, do this.

 

[pyrobrewer]

Sidenote, does US04 make a clearer beer then US05?

Do you mean Safale S-04?

Properties for both below link is to a pdf on each

Safale S-04 A well known English ale strain noted for its fast fermentation and rapid settling. Used in the production of a wide range of ales including English ale styles

Safale US-05 Ready-to-pitch American ale yeast for well balanced beers with low diacetyl and a very crisp end palate.