question about this recipe?

[comer88888]

•1 lb. two-row pale malt
•1/2 lb. medium crystal malt
•1/2 lb. light crystal malt
•5 lbs. Munton's unhopped light dried malt extract (DME)
•4 AAU Cascade hops (1 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
•4 AAU Saaz hops (1 oz. of 4% alpha acid)
•1 tsp. Irish moss (last 15 minutes of the boil)
•German ale yeast slurry (Wyeast 1007, White Labs WLP-029 or equivalent)
•7/8 cups light DME for priming

I found this recipe for an extract alaskan amber clone that was from byo.com and thought I would give it a try. I have a couple questions about it first.
1. What is the point in steeping two-row pale malt?
2. what does cold condition do for your beer? (In the instructions it says to cold condition at 40 degrees for 15 days)
3. What is the difference with priming with DME instead of sugar?

 

[Gab1788]

Yeah, I don't understand the point of steeping the pale instead of mashing it. I think the cold conditioning would help with clearing the beer, if that's what you want. I can't remember the other question.

 

[Gab1788]

Oh yeah, I'd say there would be no difference priming with sugar instead of dme, IMO.

 

[Ogri]

Cane/table Sugar will ferment out 100%. Corn sugar is 9% water so you only get 91% of the fermentation that the same weight of cane/table sugar would produce and DME will ferment to somewhere around 80%, of the same weight, of cane/table sugar.
So, priming with DME, as opposed to cane sugar, you either have to increase the amount used by a factor of 1.25 or expect a slightly lower level of carbonation.

That is, if I'm understanding what I've read

 

[Frodo]

Mashing the 2-row with the crystal will make the crystal malts more fermentable, if it's more of a mash consistency (thicker than a steep, at more like 1/2 qt per pound of grain), so maybe that's why it's included.

 

[starrfish]

3/4 of a cup corn sugar = 1 1/4 cups DME.

I've found DME to make smaller bubbles in a side by side comparison.

no point in steeping the pale UNLESS you toast it for 20 min at about 200° then you may get a bisquity flavor (similar to victory malt in mash).

OR do a mini mash with all 2row & specialty grains which can be done like steeping in a paint strainer bag. Just hold grain & water temp @ 154ish for 60 min in a paint strainer bag in main brew pot with the volume you plan to boil Squeeze excess water out of bag (goes against what you've been told but do it you'll gain efficiency and not much tannins). add 2lbs DME (reserve 3lbs for last 15min of boil). bring to boil add first hop. and proceed as normal. last 15 ad final DME stir well and proceed as normal. Hop Utilization will be better by boiling thin, and it will not caramelize the malt like a thick 60 min boil. any questions let me know here or PM. YOU CAN PARTIAL MASH IN YOUR KITCHEN for $5 more in paint strainer bags from lowes or Home depot (3 for $5)!