late addition

Adam's Apples · 02-17-2008, 09:20 AM

Since suffering what I think was the extract twang in a recent brew, I made the positive, but expensive, decision to use DME only in future brews.

My question is, does everybody here boil the DME for a full 60 mins, or is there a risk of a twang or burning if I do this with DME too? All the info I have found suggest the 60 min boil is really just to make sure the biterness is extracted from the hops. I'm not sure if I should just continue adding the extract in the last 15 mins of the boil as I had started doing with the LME.

My main priority isn't colour, but would be to avoid any twang or burnt flavour and my previous experience has always been with LME.

Wouldn't the late addition method also mean that you get better hop utilisation?

Right now, I can't see any negatives with the late addition method, but as I am very much a bginner at the moment I'm sure there are many other factors to consider.

Any pointers would be appreciated.

Cheers

**Catfish** · 02-17-2008, 11:43 AM

Late addition is good. You do get better hop utilization (you should put about 10% of your total extract in the water at the start of the 60 minutes by the way for hop alpha acids to bind to). You will notice a fresher malt flavor and reduced color. The late addition does reduce browning of the malt sugars and therefore some of the "twang" but a lot of that is also from the oxidation and poor handling of the extracts. Moving to DME will solve the age/ oxygen problems.
Hope it's helpful.

Adam's Apples · 02-17-2008, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catfish

Late addition is good. You do get better hop utilization (you should put about 10% of your total extract in the water at the start of the 60 minutes by the way for hop alpha acids to bind to). You will notice a fresher malt flavor and reduced color. The late addition does reduce browning of the malt sugars and therefore some of the "twang" but a lot of that is also from the oxidation and poor handling of the extracts. Moving to DME will solve the age/ oxygen problems.
Hope it's helpful.

Cheers Catfish, as I said, I hadn't heard of any negatives associated with the technique.

Didn't know you had to put any malt in at the start, but if you reckon 10% I may add at least that just to ensure there is enough malt in there for the hops to bind to. I guess if I have to put some DME in at the start, this could burn / brown just as easy as if I put it all in. Frequent stirring and a close eye on the temperature should help me avoid that though.

Sure is going to be more expensive from now on, but hopefully the brews will be better now I'm all DME.

Is late addition the standard technique pretty much, or do most people just put it all in at the start? I can't think of a good reason not to use this method from now on.

Cheers

**Yuri_Rage** · 02-17-2008, 05:31 PM

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/extract-addition-last-15min-boil-26151/
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/what-late-extract-method-50141/

Adam's Apples · 02-17-2008, 06:49 PM

Thanks Yuri, I had no idea that his topic had been covered in as much detail! It's certainly all there and more.

Now I'm gonna go away and work out what proportions of DME I need to add at the start and end (45 mins + steep) of the boil. Also I will work out the hop adjustment!

Thanks again.

Chello · 02-17-2008, 07:20 PM

I thought i'd also throw in here that you say your taking the "expensive" leap to use DME on all your batches.

From what i can tell its really not more than a couple more dollars total to use DME over LME. Its more expensive per pound, but you don't need as much DME as you would if you were using LME.

Just a thought.

GIusedtoBe · 02-17-2008, 07:48 PM

I'm with you on the DME. I only use DME now and the better beers I've brewed have been with DME. The three LME beers I've done have been average at best. I have a very unscientific approach but have done late additions like 2 lbs at the beginning of the boil and 4 w/ 15 minutes left, 3/3 and 4/2 and all of mine seem to be approaching the right color.(pale ale) You might want to look into your hop rates though since most of my PA's have been a bit on the hoppy side bordering on IPA's. Kind of like a cross between an IPA and an APA. Do a little research on here if you are interested in exact amounts to alter your hops. I'm more of a SWAG and taste kind of guy and most turn out pretty good.

Good Luck,
Al

Adam's Apples · 02-17-2008, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chello

I thought i'd also throw in here that you say your taking the "expensive" leap to use DME on all your batches.

From what i can tell its really not more than a couple more dollars total to use DME over LME. Its more expensive per pound, but you don't need as much DME as you would if you were using LME.

Just a thought.

I am based in the UK and, at my HBS, itg does seem to make quite a diifference. I can buy 1.6kg (3.5lb) of LME for £6.80 or 500g (1lb) of DME for £3.50. So 2.2lb of DME costs the equivalent of 3.5lb of LME, roughly.

I know 1lb of LME = 0.75 of DME (roughly), but that still doesn't account for the difference in price here.

My first priority is better beers though, so I will suffer the cost difference.

Cheers