Caramelisation vs. Fermentability

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Shambolic

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The wisdom seems to be (and I have begun doing this lately) to add a large portion of your extract late in the boil, to avoid caramelisation. The usual reason given for wanting to avoid this is to keep the beer as light in colour as possible.

I was wondering though - if boiling extract for too long (and in too small a volume) tends to darken/caramelise it, wouldn't this also decrease the fermentability of your wort? Does anyone know any details about this?
 
You are correct. Most caramel does not ferment, but I don't believe the amount of caramelisation that can occur in the boil (small) would have any impact on fermentability. Our eyes are very sensitive to color changes.

Unless you scorch it.
 
I have recently read to do something like what you are refering to here actually. But have never done that. I always dump everything I got right in and cant really say that I have seen any ill effects to give me a reason to change. Might try it someday, but when I read that here I started getting into AG so have not been able to try it yet.
 
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