Late Extract Addition Method

Hi,

I have searched and read about late extract adition as I want to try this with my next brew that I will be doing with LME. I think I got it all down; put in 1/3 or 1/4 of the extract during the first 60 min and then the rest during the last 15 min. However, I haven't heard a clear answer on how you should proceed when adding the extract during the last 15 minutes. Should I take the pot of the burner and then restart the boil and finish the last 15 min? (wont that interrupt the boil since many times you have to add hops during the last 15 min) or do you have to just be very carefull and add the LME slowly as you vigorously steer it in?

You can do either. I used to leave it on the boil, just make sure that it doesn't scorch, add it very slowly and stir, stir, stir.

The later you add it the less caramelization and extract 'twang' you'll get in your final product.

I do a 60 min boil, turn the fire off, then add the extract and let it sit for 10 mins. It should remain plenty hot to pasteurize it.

blacklab said:

You can do either. I used to leave it on the boil, just make sure that it doesn't scorch, add it very slowly and stir, stir, stir.

The later you add it the less caramelization and extract 'twang' you'll get in your final product.

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Every time I ever tried to add LME with the boil going, I scorched it -- not a great flavor component to add to your beer. If you're brewing on gas, I'd recommend turning off the gas, adding the LME, stir until you're SURE it's 100% incorporated, then stirring some more, then re-starting your boil.

If you're brewing on an electric stove, I'd recommend taking the kettle all the way off the element, just to make sure.

Not to hijack but doesn't late addition also lighten the color of the beer a little? I thought i heard this somewhere. And if it does, should i just add the extract in like normal if i'm intending to make a darker beer?

AHB directions state that you should steep your specialty grains (if you got them in the kit), remove, bring it up to a boil, then remove it from heat, stir the extract in, then proceed as normal, boiling for 60 minutes with hop additions. Of course their recipes were developed for this method, so I'd imagine that they'd take color and flavor into account.

If you add the malt in "like normal", do you mean all of it at the beginning of the boil?

If so, your hops will be underutilized and produce a sweeter brew than expected.

I've been doing 1.5 gal boils for almost 14 years. I only add 1 lb of malt to boil for 45 mins as well as my hops. If used, I add Irish Moss at 30 mins and boil another 15 mins.

Remove from heat and stir in the remaining malts. Let steep for another 15-20 mins.

All very simple.

Tip # 2 - switch to DME.

homebrewer_99 said:

If you add the malt in "like normal", do you mean all of it at the beginning of the boil?

If so, your hops will be underutilized and produce a sweeter brew than expected.

I've been doing 1.5 gal boils for almost 14 years. I only add 1 lb of malt to boil for 45 mins as well as my hops. If used, I add Irish Moss at 30 mins and boil another 15 mins.

Remove from heat and stir in the remaining malts. Let steep for another 15-20 mins.

All very simple.

Tip # 2 - switch to DME.

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I doubt that these recipes were formulated without knowledge of how the various components and times would affect the final outcome. By "proceed as normal,"
the context would imply that the LME (syrup) was added, and then the hops were added at the regular intervals. What maked DME better, and what's the conversion rate?

Ok, I think I kinda get it. There is some conflicting information, but from what I understand, it would be a good idea to do the 45 min. boil, then turn of gas, add rest of LME, start flame and immediately add my 15 min addition hops? or wait till it starts boiling again and then add the 15 min hops? The hop addition seems to conflict with the boil since the late adition calls to add the rest of the LME at the same time when I should add the hops...

I have a wimpy stove and a small brew pot, so I do this:
-stick fermenter in the bath tub with cold water
-put DME in a pot with cold water and cook it until it just barely boils and then dump it in the fermenter (keep on doing that more than once if its a big beer)
-refill pot with water and steep grains and boil hops with no DME.
-dump in the hoppy water into the fermenter and top off with cold water.

Very low tech but it works and I really hated dealing with DME getting all gummed up and/or boiling over when I added it late in the boil.

bluedragoon85 said:

Ok, I think I kinda get it. There is some conflicting information, but from what I understand, it would be a good idea to do the 45 min. boil, then turn of gas, add rest of LME, start flame and immediately add my 15 min addition hops? or wait till it starts boiling again and then add the 15 min hops? The hop addition seems to conflict with the boil since the late adition calls to add the rest of the LME at the same time when I should add the hops...

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In this scenario, when you turn off the heat and add the remaining malt and hops you do not need to bring it to a boil again.

Hops at 15 mins only adds flavor whether you steep it or boil it.

Since the wort was previously boiling the malt and hops will be pasteurized by the time it's dissolved.

Laurel said:

I doubt that these recipes were formulated without knowledge of how the various components and times would affect the final outcome. By "proceed as normal,"
the context would imply that the LME (syrup) was added, and then the hops were added at the regular intervals. What maked DME better, and what's the conversion rate?

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Let me try to understand your questions...

I understand your comment about the recipe formulation so there's nothing to comment on.

What makes DME better? It's lighter for one. It's always lighter (in color) than LME. I use Extra Light DME as my base malt. Boiling 1 lb in 1.5 gal of water brings the gravity to about 1.040-1.045 which is like a middle of the road gravity for hop bitterness extraction.

I don't understand the part about the conversion rate. Does DME have one?

I think he means from LME to DME. Since LME is 20% water, you use less DME. So use 20% less DME compared to LME.

In this scenario, when you turn off the heat and add the remaining malt and hops you do not need to bring it to a boil again.

Hops at 15 mins only adds flavor whether you steep it or boil it.

Since the wort was previously boiling the malt and hops will be pasteurized by the time it's dissolved.

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Thanks! this is primarily the kind of answer I was looking for my question . I will be brewing a AHS ESB today and I will try the late extract method as you and others have outlined. Wish me best of luck!

homebrewer_99 said:

Let me try to understand your questions...

I understand your comment about the recipe formulation so there's nothing to comment on.

What makes DME better? It's lighter for one. It's always lighter (in color) than LME. I use Extra Light DME as my base malt. Boiling 1 lb in 1.5 gal of water brings the gravity to about 1.040-1.045 which is like a middle of the road gravity for hop bitterness extraction.

I don't understand the part about the conversion rate. Does DME have one?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. Willy had it right, since LME has water in it, I knew there had to be a conversion of some sort. Suppose one doesn't care about the color of the beer. Is there a compelling reason to use DME besides color?

There is less chance of the extract "twang" taste since DME stores better than LME, unless of course you know the LME is fresh.

Laurel said:

Thanks for the input. Willy had it right, since LME has water in it, I knew there had to be a conversion of some sort. Suppose one doesn't care about the color of the beer. Is there a compelling reason to use DME besides color?

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Yeah, what Willy Boner said...LME has more twang to it. I use Extra Light DME as a base for all my brews.

That said, if you can I would recommend you switch to DME as soon as you are out of the LME.

Sorry about misunderstanding the conversion. In a nutshell it's:

1 lb of grain = .75 lb LME = .6 lb DME.

Bluedragoon85: Since I only boil 1.5 gals (base wort is: 1.5 gals water boiled with 1 lb of Extra Light DME) I place 4 gal of PUR filtered tap water in the freezer for 4-5 hours prior to brewing and use it to top off to 5.25 gals. I've been doing this for a very long time without any bad effects. I also have a nylon bucket net that I place on my primary bucket to catch the hops and then I sparge/rinse them with 1 gal of top off water then remove the net...and top off. Most of the time the wort drops below 70F, sometimes colder.

Keeping your base wort down to about 1.040 gravity allows you to use a little less hops in the boil. For my Weizens I only use 3AAs.