Peregris
Well-Known Member
These are probably basic questions that everyone knows the answer to, but I can't seem to find them anywhere I've looked -
I want to try my first AG batch soon and have made a cooler MLT and just scored a 30-qt pot and outdoor propane cooker deal off craigslist. I haven't made an immersion chiller yet, though, which brings me to my first question. Why can't you chill a covered brewkettle in a refrigerator? Does it take too long or is there too much of a chance of contamination? The fridge is only used for drinks - beer, soda, tonic, etc. and I have half of it all set up for when I lagered my last bucket.
My second question comes from my last extract batch. I was trying to do a Helles-style lager and didn't realize that to make a lighter wort you can add the extract late in the boil. Needless to say, my Helles - which was supposed to have an SRM of 3.5 according to the software - came out with an SRM of around 12. My question is this - is that darkening of the wort from a longer boil time and caramelization just in extract boils or does a full-volume AG wort darken during an hour-long boil as well?
Thanks in advance.
I want to try my first AG batch soon and have made a cooler MLT and just scored a 30-qt pot and outdoor propane cooker deal off craigslist. I haven't made an immersion chiller yet, though, which brings me to my first question. Why can't you chill a covered brewkettle in a refrigerator? Does it take too long or is there too much of a chance of contamination? The fridge is only used for drinks - beer, soda, tonic, etc. and I have half of it all set up for when I lagered my last bucket.
My second question comes from my last extract batch. I was trying to do a Helles-style lager and didn't realize that to make a lighter wort you can add the extract late in the boil. Needless to say, my Helles - which was supposed to have an SRM of 3.5 according to the software - came out with an SRM of around 12. My question is this - is that darkening of the wort from a longer boil time and caramelization just in extract boils or does a full-volume AG wort darken during an hour-long boil as well?
Thanks in advance.