When to add dry malt extract

[mattne421]

Hey everyone, quick question as i prepare to brew my first homebrew tomorrow. Im brewing a pale ale, that calls for dry malt extract as well as liquid malt extract. The recipe says to add the dry malt extract at the start and then add the liquid during the last 5 mins. I've read that you should mix in the dry malt extract to your brew water and then start boiling, and i also read to boil your water and then add the malt extract. Does it make any difference? thanks for any responses.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

either way works. i stir it in before bringing it to a boil because i think it's easier, but it's just my preference.

 

[mattne421]

thanks bud

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

no prob. and congrats on discovering this great hobby, and site. you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of brewing and a lot of great advice and ideas here.

 

[downtown3641]

I'm not sure the amount of each you're working with, but my general suggestion would be to add the liquid in the last 15 minutes of the boil.

 

[Calder]

Add the LME sometime before adding the finishing hops (those are the ones added at 15 and less). That way you do not upset the hop times.

If you have no finishing hops, then 5 minutes is fine.

 

[mattne421]

another quick question im using 1.7 oz of liberty finishing hops. ive read i should add half of those 30 minutes prior to the end of my boil. and add the rest 15 minutes from the end. does this sound accurate?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

another quick question im using 1.7 oz of liberty finishing hops. ive read i should add half of those 30 minutes prior to the end of my boil. and add the rest 15 minutes from the end. does this sound accurate?

that's all a matter of recipe. but yes, your finishing hops will go in in the last half of the boil. but the timing will change from recipe to recipe.

 

[mattne421]

alright just making sure im not doing something radical and messing up. im hoping for my first brew to come out half decent.

 

[Calder]

another quick question im using 1.7 oz of liberty finishing hops. ive read i should add half of those 30 minutes prior to the end of my boil. and add the rest 15 minutes from the end. does this sound accurate?

I assume you have some other bittering hops. You should have some that need to be added at 60 minutes (from end of boil).

Assuming you have some bittering hops, and the Liberty is for finishing, I'd split it into 3 and add them at 15, 5, and 0 (minutes to go), unless you have directions saying otherwise. Pale ales have hop flavor and aroma. 30 minutes will not do much for flavor or aroma.

 

[mattne421]

yes i have northern brewer bittering and i plan on dry hopping about 1/3 oz of liberty after major fermentation has occured

 

[portdawg66]

I hate it when I add DME to my boil and it immediately starts to clump! To avoid this, I will put my DME in a sanitized mixing bowl, then slowly add some of my boiling (or warm) wort (if steeping grains), and stir it with a sanitized whisk until it's thoroughly mixed. I then add it SLOWLY back to the boil at the time called for in the recipe.

NOTE: I know the sanitizing isn't necessary because I'm still in my boil stage... but I'm really anal about cleanliness!

Would love to hear how others add their DME to avoid the clumpy lumps!!!

 

[rhys333]

I hate it when I add DME to my boil and it immediately starts to clump! To avoid this, I will put my DME in a sanitized mixing bowl, then slowly add some of my boiling (or warm) wort (if steeping grains), and stir it with a sanitized whisk until it's thoroughly mixed. I then add it SLOWLY back to the boil at the time called for in the recipe.

NOTE: I know the sanitizing isn't necessary because I'm still in my boil stage... but I'm really anal about cleanliness!

Would love to hear how others add their DME to avoid the clumpy lumps!!!

I just add it directly to the boil, sprinkling it in slowly as I stir like crazy. Seems to work fine.

 

[Trox]

I usually add my DME after I've steeped my grains and am now bringing it to a boil, I'll add my LME at knockout unless I'm wanting to go for a darker color then I'll add it with about 10-15 min left.

As for hops I've read in a few places now that you don't really get anything out of adding hops earlier than the 20 min mark (excluding your 60 min bittering hops of course). From what I remember is that you don't boil them long enough to get any really bittering out of them, but you are boiling them long enough to lose flavor and aroma. I usually do my flavoring hops around 15 min and aroma hops around 5-0 minutes.

 

[unionrdr]

I add the DME at the beginning of the boil,then bittering hops. I'd add the Liberty hops at 20 & 10 minutes left in the boil. I add all LME at flame out,since the wort is still boiling hot & pasteurisation happens between 142-160F. It goes faster at 160F ime. So flame out late extract additions are perfectly safe. You don't need to boil extract for a long time to sanitize them.

 

[Calder]

As for hops I've read in a few places now that you don't really get anything out of adding hops earlier than the 20 min mark (excluding your 60 min bittering hops of course). From what I remember is that you don't boil them long enough to get any really bittering out of them, but you are boiling them long enough to lose flavor and aroma.

To maximize the use of the hops you are correct. However some people feel the bittering with 30 minute hops is smoother. You need about 2X the hops at 30 mins to get the same bitterness as a 60 minute addition, however, it also adds some flavoring.

I occasionally use hopbursting for an IPA, where all the hops are added at 30 minutes or later, with a lot of the bitterness coming from the late hops.

 

[E_Marquez]

I hate it when I add DME to my boil and it immediately starts to clump! To avoid this, I will put my DME in a sanitized mixing bowl, then slowly add some of my boiling (or warm) wort (if steeping grains), and stir it with a sanitized whisk until it's thoroughly mixed. I then add it SLOWLY back to the boil at the time called for in the recipe.

NOTE: I know the sanitizing isn't necessary because I'm still in my boil stage... but I'm really anal about cleanliness!

Would love to hear how others add their DME to avoid the clumpy lumps!!!

I have two large 2 QT pryex glass measuring cups.. they each can hold 4lb of DME..

When it's time I pour DME into the boil... of 3lb about 2/3 makes it out of the cup and wisked into the boil.. the other 1/3 is stuck to the cup.. then dunk the cup in the boiling wart and rinse away remaining DME.. Repeat with second, third ect containers of DME.

I never worry about clumps and or DME getting left out of the wort due to steam making it stick to the bag or container your dumping from

 

[podz]

Powder dissolves easier into cold water than it does into hot water - it clumps up in hot water and makes a big, tall foam when you stir it enough to dissolve it.

You can do it either way.

 

[E_Marquez]

Powder dissolves easier into cold water than it does into hot water - it clumps up in hot water and makes a big, tall foam when you stir it enough to dissolve it.

You can do it either way.

DME, in boiling wort dissolves just fine ..

or at least it has in the last 22 batches I've brewed.... to include the one on my burner right now... just added 7lb of DME to 5gal of rolling boil wort that already had 3lb of DME dissolved in it.. No excessive foaming, few clumps that easily stirred out.

Not sure how you would dissolve 3~12 lb of DME in cold water... then add to boiling wort ... but hey if it works for you...thats all that matters.