Steeping

[tgarland]

Have messed around with AG for a while but while I am building a new setup I am back on kit brewing.

Recently picked up two kits of LCPA copy from Brewcraft.

It comes with a Blackrock LME plus 15g Willamette and 15 cascade hops.

The recipe calls to steep both for 10 minutes then tip into the wort.

I purchased an additional 30g Cascade as I think the kit is lacking.

My questions is, how much bitterness, if any, can be imparted on the brew from a 10 minute steep. My guess is none.

LCPA requires a mild-medium bitterness to balance out the sweet flavours and aromas from all of the cascade hops they dry basket into it.

Can anyone tell me if bitter flavours can be developed from only a 10 minute steep?

I am thinking 15g Willamette/15g Cascade 10 min boil then 15g Willamette/15g Cascade 10 min steep, then 30g cascade dry hopped into the fermenter

Ideas?

 

[manticle]

I would seriously doubt you will get any discernible bitterness from anything less than a vigorous 10 minute boil and even then very little. If you want bitterness, I'd look at anything between 20 and 60 minutes, boiled in a wort of 1040 (rolling boil)

 

[bum]

More IBU will be extracted in plain water than in 1040 wort but, having never done it myself, I dunno if the resulting bitterness is less desirable or not. If you're thinking about bitterness only it might be worth an experiment(?). Just remember that the bloke who suggested doesn't know if it is a good idea or not and always does his own hop boils in min 1040 wort.

 

[manticle]

Maybe worth an experiment but the general thinking is that the bitetrness extracted will be greater but potentially harsher.

Worth a side by side with 500 mL of wort perhaps - then ferment in a juice bottle with the same yeast and see.

 

[bum]

This is just as a small addition to give a hopped extract a little more grunt, right? I know the first post doesn't mention a kit by name but looking at the process there'd have to be one right? I reckon if you'd ever get away with it then this is the time.

 

[manticle]

Maybe but 100g of dried malt extract doesn't seem like much compared to risking it. I know other people who've had some trouble with this kit due to bad instructions.

I'd make the wort, boil the hops and save wondering for another time.

 

[mwd]

Made the Brewcraft LCPA clone when I first started brewing.

It turned out really tasty but the Boonies recipe was also very popular.

Thread here LCPA old thread

 

[tavas]

IanH's spreadsheet (available on this forum) gives a good indication of what could be expected. You could use that as a basis. Experimentation is also a good idea. Between the two you should get an idea of timings.

 

[tgarland]

Thanks all, very good advise.

I am going to try a 40 litre, $114 experiment