A Couple Basic Questions

[Quix0tic]

So, I'm pretty new to homebrewing, but I managed to whip up a basic kit from the local homebrew store, and it's currently fermenting away in the garage. I've been reading out of The Complete Joy of Home Brewing by Charlie Papazian, and it has a lot of good information, though it is from the '80s and a bit outdated.

The couple questions I had come from that book. First, a lot of the recipes call for specific types of malt extract, like Munton and Fisk's, Gold Medal, Edme, etc. Have any of these brands died out? And if they have, is it possible to substitute ie: plain ol' light amber instead of Munton and Fisk's light amber? Or will this affect the taste? The same question goes for hopped malt extract kits. Also, when recipes call for something like 2 lbs. of malt extract syrup, is that equitable to 2 lbs. of regular old malt extract powder?

As a side note, and a bit of an off the wall question, but are Crystal, Black Patent, Chocolate malts ever used as the primary malt in a beer? Or are they always as flavor, and Light/Amber/Dark are the only primaries? Sorry if that's beer blasphemy, but you've got to learn somewhere, right?

And one last thing - are there any current, up-to-date homebrewing books that you'd recommend?

Thanks for any advice you've got - these forums have already been incredibly helpful/inspiring!

 

[Brewsmith]

How to Brew by John Palmer

You can substute extract brands one for the other. Just make sure you substitute the correct color. Generally it is best to use the lightest you can find and use specialty grains to make the rest of the color. Some brands are more fermentable than others, which might leave your brew slightly drier or sweeter, depending on which one. Pale extract/malt always makes the bulk of the fermentables. Specialty grains often lack enzymes to convert starches to sugars, or contain many unfermentables that would leave a beer too sweet if used in excess, or both.

The John Plamer book is up to date and is the best resourse for current brewing techniques, extract all the way through all-grain.

 

[Brewsmith]

Liquid and Dry malt extract are not the same by weight. The dry is more concentrated because there is much less water in it.

 

[TexLaw]

As a side note, and a bit of an off the wall question, but are Crystal, Black Patent, Chocolate malts ever used as the primary malt in a beer? Or are they always as flavor, and Light/Amber/Dark are the only primaries? Sorry if that's beer blasphemy, but you've got to learn somewhere, right?

Nope. Those grains contain no active enzymes to convert starches or dextrines to sugars. They also contain very little, if any, fermentable sugars for the yeast to ferment. That is why they are called "specialty" malts, as distinguished from "base" malts.


TL

 

[JacktheKnife]

Nope. Those grains contain no active enzymes to convert starches or dextrines to sugars. They also contain very little, if any, fermentable sugars for the yeast to ferment. That is why they are called "specialty" malts, as distinguished from "base" malts.
TL

Quixotic,

Just this year, I have learned:
1. About the enzymes which convert starch to sugar.
{I was studying making ethanol}
2. And that L.M.E. & D.M.E. are both made with 'base grains',
3. Base grains produce 'alcohol' and speciality grains produce 'flavor'.
{You know, I thought my homebrew tasted kinda boring}


I have brewed LME for 14 years,
and have just gone over to DME the last few years.
I was trying to produce alcohol,
and wasn't that concerned with flavor.
I am disabled and live, but for 'my hound Sandymay',
{Over there asleep on my bed}
horse and mule, poultry and 'computer',
alone on my '25 acres'.
'Its a long way to the beer store'.
And I just wanted to produce alcohol which didn't taste bad.
Now admittedly, alcohol which tastes terrible
is better than no alcohol at all.
But my first goal was to produce alcohol which didn't taste bad.
I achieved that goal.
Last year my goal was to produce as much alcohol as I could,
ie. quantity.
I cooked down 300 Lbs of DME in 7, 7.5, & 8 Lb batches,
ie. 2,000 bottles of ale.
{Mission acomplished}

This year there was no place else to go but quality.
So Kelly, Chris, Brett and Andy at the 'Homebrew Headquarters'
'on Coit between Beltline and Arapaho in N. Dallas',
got several different bags of 'speciality grain' for me to 'steep' in
before I add my DME.
Octoberfest, Vienna, und Crystal Bisquet.
And I am brewing now!
This is what has been missing, from my ale.
It don't take much speciality grain to add flavor.

Now the next step in my zymerological education
would be partial mash and all grain.
Except I don't have room for all the gear
and like to brew in the house anyway.
I've had all grain and its good,
it is just not 'all that much better'
to justify the extra expense to get set up.

Hmmmm,
I think I'll go get me another homebrew???

J. Winters VonKnife
http://jacksknifeshop.tripod.com/

 

[Old_Brewer]

Just a few comments/ramblings. Please finish reading Charlie's book. There is a lot of good stuff in there. One of the old posts mentioned that illiterate people centuries ago made good beer. Please start out simple. You can add on later & spend a bunch of money if you want.
I picked up "The Home Brewer's Answer Book" (by Ashton Lewis) at the local library. Most libraries have books on brewing or can borrow them from another library for you.

 

[Cugel]

One of the old posts mentioned that illiterate people centuries ago made good beer.

There's hope for me yet!

 

[Donasay]

Yes, illiterate people have made good beer for centuries, but did you know our current understanding of thermodynamics or statistics would not be where it is today without brewers.

 

[NWernBrewer]

When you mix and substitute brands of ME - keep in mind the origin of the malt used. The English ME's are different in characteristic from the American and Australian varieties and will give the finished beer a different flavor. Along the lines of Briess vs. Maris Otter.

One of my LHBS's sells English and American in bulk and I have noticed a difference in the flavor of the beers that I have made. Maybe it is the power of suggestion, but...

 

[morrighu]

I would tell you not to be afraid of moving to all grain. If you do a decoction mash, it's not that much different than making iced tea. All grain looks much scarier than it is. A good brewing tool will help you. I like BeerTools Pro myself, but other people like other things.

HTH,

M.

 

[Cugel]

Yes, illiterate people have made good beer for centuries, but did you know our current understanding of thermodynamics or statistics would not be where it is today without brewers.

yup - "student" worked at the Guinness brewery in Dublin - Ireland's contribution to stats and science! The good old T test - where would we be without it?

/geekiness