using liquid extract..have a curiosity..

[bam]

Hello all! I am brewing my 4th batch. It's an IPA and it's an extract kit with steeping grains. My LHBS gives me liquid malt extract (which is all I have ever used) but a question popped in my head. As I add the malt extract, from the bag, I can't seem to get it allout. My question is, the last little bit remaining in the bag, is it enough to throw off the gravity/quality of the beer?? thanks in advance for all replies!!

 

[Ooompa Loompa]

If it's tiny amount it shouldn't affect it too much. But why not take some hot water and mix it in with the extract left in the bag so you get it all out?

 

[bam]

I didn't even think of doing that. I will hafta make a note of that to try that next time. thanks!!

 

[brewagentjay]

I used that route every time. I santize the bag of extract before adding it so I can dip the bag into wort to ensure I get it all out....

 

[Marsdude]

I used that route every time. I santize the bag of extract before adding it so I can dip the bag into wort to ensure I get it all out....

Not sure you need to sanitize it. The wort will be boiling for an hour. Couldn't hurt though.

Does your LHBS get your extract from a barrel and put it in a bag? If so, I would suggest that you get a plastic container with a tight fitting lid, take it in to your LHBS next time you need extract and ask them to put it in your container. It is WAY easier to get the last bit of extract out of a container like this. I take some of the hot wort and pour it into the container, swish it around a bit and then use a spatula to get the rest out. Works great!

 

[ChshreCat]

It also helps to throw your extract container in a sink full of hot water for a while before you need to open it. When it's hotter, it gets thinner and easier to get it all.

 

[152Sumo]

my liquid extract came in a little pail. i practically cleaned it in my kettle pre-boil to get every molecule of sweetness in the wort.

 

[bam]

i've only had a little bucket once. so i saved the bucket and last night I opened the bags of extract and poured them into the bucket then poured the bucket into the wort. I was able to get more outta the bag this way instead of just pouring the bag over into the wort, but there was still some that I couldn't squeeze outta the bag. I had never thought about rinsing it out into the wort to get it all out. My main concern was over whether or not it would affect gravity readings/quality of beer by not getting "all" of it out. The reason I had the concern was my last batch before this one, I missed my target OG by 10 points and was trying to think of how that could have happened. I have decided since then though, that I missed it by either adding too much "top off water" to the fermenter, or by the wort and water not mixing well enough before I took the sample. Last night, though, brewing the IPA, my target gravity was 1.063 and I ended up with 1.072.

Anyone have any insight to why I'm missing my targets?

 

[Ooompa Loompa]

i've only had a little bucket once. so i saved the bucket and last night I opened the bags of extract and poured them into the bucket then poured the bucket into the wort. I was able to get more outta the bag this way instead of just pouring the bag over into the wort, but there was still some that I couldn't squeeze outta the bag. I had never thought about rinsing it out into the wort to get it all out. My main concern was over whether or not it would affect gravity readings/quality of beer by not getting "all" of it out. The reason I had the concern was my last batch before this one, I missed my target OG by 10 points and was trying to think of how that could have happened. I have decided since then though, that I missed it by either adding too much "top off water" to the fermenter, or by the wort and water not mixing well enough before I took the sample. Last night, though, brewing the IPA, my target gravity was 1.063 and I ended up with 1.072.

Anyone have any insight to why I'm missing my targets?

Either you are adding too much or not enough water, or the wort isn't mixed enough when you take a gravity reading. It's pretty much impossible to miss your target gravity with extract unless you have too much or too little water. I still struggle to get accurate gravity readings when I extract brew even after shaking the heck out of the carboy for several minutes.

 

[bam]

That's what I thought was wrong last batch was too much water. My OG was 10 points lower than it should've been. SO this time I was extra diligent about the amount I added making extra sure not to add too much. Then I took a sanitized stirring spoon and stirred the wort up really well in the fermenter, and shook it like crazy for a timed 5 minutes - overkill ? lol - and my OG was ten points higher.. that's what's confusing me..I agree 100% that it's almost impossibe to miss the target gravity with extract kits. All my beers thus far have turned out very good and very drinkable, I'm just kinda overly newb anxious I guess lol.

 

[brewagentjay]

It's cool bam....I missed you on here. I do get the white plastic containers alot from LHBS sometimes get one bag and one bucket. Just depends on type and weight.

 

[bam]

I've missed being on here. It seems like lately I haven't had time to even think about getting on here much less spending any time chatting. I'm still hangin in there brewing though. Hopefully I can ramp up my brewing frequency soon. How's your brews turning out?