Using Malt vs Dextrose?

[reimana]

Hi,

I have been using dextrose or brew enhancer with my kits but now want to make a Mountmellick cream ale but use a can of amber malt. Do I need to boil the malt or do I just toss it in to the fermenter as I do the kit?

Thanks

 

[hughman666]

Boil the malt first, mixed with perhaps 5 litres of water, 15 minutes should be fine.

 

[ianh]

Why treat a can of malt any different from the kit.

I think with the malt instead of dextrose you will get a better beer.

my 2c

 

[Scottye]

What brand of Malt is it? I have been using malt for 2 years, from the LHBS and from Coopers and only ever boil enough to bring my hop boiling volume up to an SG of approximately 1.040. Never boiled a kit and as Ian suggests I can't see the difference. I do find that a lot of people boil their kits and malts, I thought it was an American tradition
B)

 

[bum]

I agree that boiling previously unopened extract is unnecessary but you must boil liquor from steeped/mash grain. Grain harbors lots of nasties and the liquor must be sanitised by boiling.

 

[peterlonz]

First; I also agree there is absolutely no point in boiling freshly opened LME.
In fact I believe boiling can adversely effect the malt, as well as drive off some of the subtle hop flavours (applies only if the LME is hopped).

I have another question which is sort of related:
Almost every time I go to use Coopers Enhancer 2, or Coppers Light Dry Malt, I find the pack contents have solidified.
You tend to discover this when its too late & you have started putting down the brew!
I find it very difficult to actually get the solidified stuff dissolved, it seems to require separate treatment involving a separate rolling boil in a boiling pot. Don't know if this is harmful?

Does anyone else have this problem & how do you deal with it?
BTW the Coopers packs are not date stamped or marked with a "use by date" which seems remarkable.

 

[Bribie G]

Liquid malt extract has had the crapper boiled out of it twice, first in the kettle when they boiled the wort (LME starts off as a standard beer wort, but unhopped) and then a second time under vacuum to reduce it to sticky extract, although that boil is at a lower temperature of course. How many times do you want to boil the poor sod?

 

[reimana]

I have 2 boxes of Coopers enhancer 2 and they still in powder form and I am in NZ so they have come a long way. I have been brewing heaps of Coopers as they cheap NZD 14-17 and always make a good beer. Have just made the Cerveza with dextrose and the missus even likes it! So I get to buy more kits on the grocery budget :chug:

 

[Scottye]

First; I also agree there is absolutely no point in boiling freshly opened LME.
In fact I believe boiling can adversely effect the malt, as well as drive off some of the subtle hop flavours (applies only if the LME is hopped).

I have another question which is sort of related:
Almost every time I go to use Coopers Enhancer 2, or Coppers Light Dry Malt, I find the pack contents have solidified.
You tend to discover this when its too late & you have started putting down the brew!
I find it very difficult to actually get the solidified stuff dissolved, it seems to require separate treatment involving a separate rolling boil in a boiling pot. Don't know if this is harmful?

Does anyone else have this problem & how do you deal with it?
BTW the Coopers packs are not date stamped or marked with a "use by date" which seems remarkable.

Hey Peter

I have had this happen a couple of times with LDM purchased from Woolworths. I haven't used a BE since my 3rd brew. I'm guessing that my local Woolworths doesn't move much LDM. Anyway I don't but Coopers LDM anymore due to that reason, I do however buy lots of Coopers canned LME. LDM is from LHBS or Craft Brewer.

As for boiling the LDM, there isn't an issue - I often use LDM in my hop boil because it is easy to measure out. When I'm adding LME to the hop boil it can end up anywhere between 1/4 and 2/3 of a can.