Late Extract Addition

Just curious, but what is the benefit/drawbacks to adding malt extract late in the boil? From what I have read, it keeps the color lighter, but are there any other benefits? Does it change the flavor at all adding the extract later in the boil?

it is supposed to help reduce the "extract twang" flavor (which is kind of a catch-all term for various extract off flavors), as their is less sugar in the concentrated boil to carmelize, and having less sugar in the boil also increases hop utilization.

Yes, both the flavor/color and hops utilization improve.

The first time I tried it, I did my "Dead Guy" clone. To my taste, it was about twice as bitter but it aged out to a nice smooth beer. Once I got brewing software, I saw that I was right. Adding the extract late caused my IBUs to go from 15 to nearly 30! Still a great beer, but not exactly as planned!

Adding the extract late more closely approximates a full wort boil, so the hops utilization and color will be a little more like a full boil would.

Better hops utilization means you can use less hops. A lot less, actually, if Yoopers numbers are indicative of what most people see.

I wouldn't say a lot less- if you calculate it out, you can probably use 25% less bittering hops, but use the same amount of flavor and aroma hops. In a more bitter beer, it's less noticeable. Still, that's a significant difference.

I ran into the hop utilization problem on several batches. I was trying to make a super hoppy IPA and it had to be downgraded to just plain old Pale Ale. I never thought to add extract in later, I'll have to give it a try.

Not sure if anyone said it, but it'll also mean you only need to brew as long as your first hop addition. You can brew an extract lager in 15 minutes sometimes.

The only drawback in my opinion is that it makes it a little more difficult to calculate your hop bitterness. Small differences in wort density make for huge differences in hop utilization.

petep1980 said:

Not sure if anyone said it, but it'll also mean you only need to brew as long as your first hop addition. You can brew an extract lager in 15 minutes sometimes.

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Well, no. Because then you won't have any bitterness. You need to boil the hops 60 minutes, in order to maximum the bittering. Hops oils are only isomerized in boiling wort. If you boil the hops for 15 minutes, you won't extract much at all in the way of bitterness. That's why most people always do a 60 minute boil- only for the hops.

RBlagojevich said:

The only drawback in my opinion is that it makes it a little more difficult to calculate your hop bitterness. Small differences in wort density make for huge differences in hop utilization.

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If you use brewing software, it can really help! I use Beersmith, and it even has a "late extract addition" check box built right in.

YooperBrew said:

If you use brewing software, it can really help! I use Beersmith, and it even has a "late extract addition" check box built right in.

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Does beersmith allow you to specifiy exactly how much extract is in the boil, how much extract you're adding late, and for how long?

Currently I use the tastybrew calculators on their website. It helps, but a lot of thinking/estimating is required.

RBlagojevich said:

Does beersmith allow you to specifiy exactly how much extract is in the boil, how much extract you're adding late, and for how long?

Currently I use the tastybrew calculators on their website. It helps, but a lot of thinking/estimating is required.

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Yes, you can break it into several additions. Like:

2 pounds LME boil 60 minutes
4 pounds LME boil 5 minutes

and it will figure your hops utilization