Basic noob help: Ingredients/malt extract for recipie?

Hey all,
I've just done my first 'just add 1kg/2lb sugar and boiled water' beginner kit and for my next batch I'd like to have a go at actually brewing a recipe using malt extract.
Lacking experience I thought I'd do it by the book, Palmer's book to be exact, and do the American Pale Ale he suggests: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter7.html.

The only ingredient that's confusing me a little is the malt extract itself. Can any un-hopped extract (be it liquid or dry) be used in a boil?
I was looking at these two:
Liquid:
http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/ingredients/ingredientsmalts/coopers-malt-extract-light-1-5kg.html
Dry:
http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/ingre...muntons-foil-pack-spraymalt-light-500grm.html

I guess I wouldn't go for the dry stuff unless it's really worth it for my first brew: 500g ~ 1.1lb and 3 packs works out a bit pricey.

I guess what's confusing me is the fact they seem to be the same as the stuff you just add boiling water to in your first kit, minus the hops, so I'm not sure why you'd boil them for an hour in a recipe.

I was also going to get 3.5oz of 7% alpha Cascade hops and some Nottingham beer yeast. Am I missing anything?

Thanks, and sorry about my ignorance. It's a all a little confusing for a novice!

The recipe calls for the liquid extract (Palmer calls it syrup in his recipe). Your first link looks fine, although I'm unfamiliar with the brand Brupaks - probably an other-side-of-the-pond issue.

You boil it for 60 minutes to pull out all the hoppy-goodness and bitterness from your bittering hops. I note that Palmer's recipe also calls for finishing or aroma hops, which get added later in the boil.

You will make better beer using this method than the hopped extract method. The next step for you, which is not hard at all, is making "extract with steeping grains". Palmer describes that in the next section!

Good luck!

Pappers_ said:

The recipe calls for the liquid extract (Palmer calls it syrup in his recipe). Your first link looks fine, although I'm unfamiliar with the brand Brupaks - probably an other-side-of-the-pond issue.

You boil it for 60 minutes to pull out all the hoppy-goodness and bitterness from your bittering hops. I note that Palmer's recipe also calls for finishing or aroma hops, which get added later in the boil.

You will make better beer using this method than the hopped extract method. The next step for you, which is not hard at all, is making "extract with steeping grains". Palmer describes that in the next section!

Good luck!

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot! I actually changed the extract to Cooper's since it's actually a heard-of brand but I assume it's still fine.
I'll probably go ahead then! I assume British ale yeast is OK enough for an American ale?

Peppers16 said:

Thanks a lot! I actually changed the extract to Cooper's since it's actually a heard-of brand but I assume it's still fine.
I'll probably go ahead then! I assume British ale yeast is OK enough for an American ale?

Click to expand...

The Nottingham you mentioned will give a nice, clean flavor profile if you are able to ferment it in the low 60s (Fahrenheit). Generally, the difference between English and American ale yeast strains is that the American strains are more neutral and the English have the potential of giving more fruitiness or esters.

Coopers I've heard of, even here!