adding malt extract later

[HIMcDunnough]

I'm a brewing newbie. All the recipes that I have done (only 3) have me adding the extract at the beginning of the boil. What's the purpose of adding some malt extract in the last 15 minutes of the boil?

 

[Yooper]

Adding the extract at the end of the boil does a couple of things- one, it keeps the wort from darkening as much as if you boiled the extract the whole time. And two, if you're doing a smaller boil than about 5.5 gallons to start, adding the extract near the end of the boil more closely approximates a full boil.

It works especially well when you want to do a lighter colored beer, especially with LME which is a bit darker anyway.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

It cuts down on carmelization of your wort, and improves the color/flavor of your beer. But...it also throws off hop utilization and makes your beer more bitter, so you have to watch that.

 

[HIMcDunnough]

Thanks for the info! Makes sense.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

Extracts from other countries and extracts from can (usually from other countries) are too dark and it helps to add them later. Briess Pilsen extract (sold by AHS and Northern Brewer to name a few) has a lovibond of 2. In comparison Muntons Pale extract has a lovibond of 5 and if it has been in that can for awhile maybe 10 (5 times darker). 2-row has a lovibond of 1.8 so for an extract to have a lovibond of 2 is amazing. With this extract you dont have to worry.

Forrest