any styles uniquely suited to extract-only recipes?

[twd000]

I have an all-grain setup but I'm trying to find some quick recipes to build the pipeline without a 5-hour brew day each time. Are there any styles or recipes where you can honestly say (having done both AG and extract) that the extract brew was equal to or better than the AG version?

 

[MalFet]

I don't know that anything is _better_ in extract, but I also don't think that many styles are necessarily worse. I'd stay away from the light lagers and the heavy munich/vienna styles, I guess, but especially if you are willing to steep some grains I've had results I'm very happy with using extracts.

I just made the NB extract kit "Jamil's Evil Twin", and it was one of the best beers I've made (extract, AG, whatever...)

 

[bob1852]

I think IPAs are nicely suited to extract; where you're only needed to get some color and wee bit of body from steeping grains....

 

[twd000]

yeah, I've read the malt extracts can negatively affect the delicate flavors in a light lager

Let's say for argument's sake that I'm not even willing to soak any specialty grains for these short-on-time brews- just boil water, add extract and hops, and be done with it.

Does that change your answer?

 

[MalFet]

Hmm...I think that steeping grains widen your possibilities considerably on extract, so I'd do whatever I could to NOT throw those out. But, that said, IPAs sound like a good bet, like AZ_IPA said.

If you can be convinced to reconsider on the steeping grains, I don't think you'd be too limited.

Edit: depending on your fire-source, steeping grains shouldn't really even impact your total brew time much.

 

[dzlater]

hefeweizen

 

[PT Ray]

I'll throw together some Coopers kits that I pick up on sale. Depending on time I may make them using all extract up to doing a mini-mash. With half the fermentables coming from the mini-mash you would never know it was extract let alone a pre-hopped kit. But the mini-mash is almost as much work as an all grain. It's just a little easier working with smaller volumes.

 

[twd000]

yeah, most partial mash kits still have a one-hour "steep". If I'm waiting that long, I might as well do a one hour mash and sparge to get a full AG result

 

[MalFet]

yeah, most partial mash kits still have a one-hour "steep". If I'm waiting that long, I might as well do a one hour mash and sparge to get a full AG result

Are you talking about mini-mashes? If so, I completely agree it's similar in work to a full AG brew. But for steeped specialty grains all you really need to do is chuck the specialty grains into a mesh bag and chuck the bag into the water. Keep it in there as the water heats up, and pull it out before the temperature gets to 170F.

 

[twd000]

Are you talking about mini-mashes? If so, I completely agree it's similar in work to a full AG brew. But for steeped specialty grains all you really need to do is chuck the specialty grains into a mesh bag and chuck the bag into the water. Keep it in there as the water heats up, and pull it out before the temperature gets to 170F.

The book "Brewing Classic Styles" suggest 30 mins for steeping specialty grains - you're saying you only steep for 15 mins? What styles are you trying this technique on?

 

[Yooper]

The book "Brewing Classic Styles" suggest 30 mins for steeping specialty grains - you're saying you only steep for 15 mins? What styles are you trying this technique on?

You can steep for only 15-20 minutes- no need for any longer for steeping grains.

 

[MalFet]

The book "Brewing Classic Styles" suggest 30 mins for steeping specialty grains - you're saying you only steep for 15 mins? What styles are you trying this technique on?

Pretty much anything and everything, actually. All of Brewing Classic Styles, certainly. With steeping grains, your not doing any actual enzymatic conversion, but rather just pulling solids into solution (like making tea). In my experience, you get the bulk of your extraction in the first five minutes, so the difference between 15 and 30 minutes likely isn't huge. Like I said, I throw in my steeping grains when I start my burner and pull them out right before I hit 170F, so it literally costs me 60 extra seconds.

Steeping grains are great. Get the bulk of your gravity from light extract, then use the specialty grains to get some malt complexity.

 

[rayg]

I have an all-grain setup but I'm trying to find some quick recipes to build the pipeline without a 5-hour brew day each time. Are there any styles or recipes where you can honestly say (having done both AG and extract) that the extract brew was equal to or better than the AG version?

It's more the other way around. There are a few beer styles
that are uniquely un-suitable for extract-only. For instance,
to make an Irish stout, you need to use flaked barley in a
mash, because that's the only way to convert the barley
into sugars. Steeping it does nothing, so you need at least
a partial mash. But otherwise most beers, including light lagers,
can be made with extract.

Ray

 

[brettwasbtd]

I would say as long as you are using full boils, you should be able to make most styles using the quick steep method MalFet discusses, and they will taste pretty darn good!

 

[MalFet]

I would say as long as you are using full boils, you should be able to make most styles using the quick steep method MalFet discusses, and they will taste pretty darn good!

I do it even with partial boils, FWIW. The quantity of solids you're talking about with a pound or so of steeping is small enough that you shouldn't run into saturation problems. I swirl them around a bit in the water to aid extraction.

 

[Ace_Club]

They had a whole article about professional breweries that utilize extract only in BYO last year. They're opinion was that, as long as you are doing full boils, anything from Pale Ale on up is easy to make good beers with extract. The lighter beers are tougher due to trying to get the delicate flavors and coloring right.

 

[CrookedTail]

The book "Brewing Classic Styles" suggest 30 mins for steeping specialty grains - you're saying you only steep for 15 mins? What styles are you trying this technique on?

There are several opinions on how to steep grains.

Some use an approach that's similar to mashing, where you heat your water to a specific temperature, then add the grains and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Others use the "Papazian Method," where you add your grains to cold water, heat it, then remove the grains when the water reaches boiling temperature.

Some even cold steep, where they add the grains to cold water and let it sit overnight.

All of those methods work. It's a matter of preference.

P.S. - Pale Ales, Brown Ales and Wheat Beers are the easiest styles to brew with extract.

 

[CrookedTail]

yeah, most partial mash kits still have a one-hour "steep". If I'm waiting that long, I might as well do a one hour mash and sparge to get a full AG result

If I had the ability to do full boils I'd probably do the same. But since I'm doing partial boils, I use late extract additions. Basically I mash 5-6 lbs of grain, and boil that wort with hops for the majority of the boil. I add the extract in the final 15 minutes. When the boil is done I top the wort off with cold water in the fermenter. I make excellent beer this way.

 

[twd000]

OK, a 15 minute quick-steep sounds very convenient.

Given a pure extract recipe, which grains should be pulled out into a steeping bag? Anything besides the base malt?

 

[Shooter]

OK, a 15 minute quick-steep sounds very convenient.

Given a pure extract recipe, which grains should be pulled out into a steeping bag? Anything besides the base malt?

...and remember, if you do the put the bag in and remove at 170 method, you're not really adding 15 minutes. Either way, you're going to be heating the water up. So, you're really just adding the amount of time it takes for you to pour the grains in a sack and tie it off in the kettle.

Personally, I've always used the 30 minute method, but am thinking about switching over to the heat up and remove at 170 method. With two kids, anything I can do to shave a few minutes is worth it, as long as it's not adversely effecting the final product and, from what I've read, it really doesn't.


To answer the second question , in an extract batch, you normally would steep all of the non-fermentable/non-base grains and get your sugars from the extract. As far as extract ONLY batches. I think you can make a pretty decent hefeweizen that way, but it's probably the only style I'd be comfortable with. If you wanted to do an only extract kit, I think you'd be better off with a canned kit at that point.

 

[chezzesteak]

IPA>>>lots of hops and not alot of body

 

[MalFet]

OK, a 15 minute quick-steep sounds very convenient.

Given a pure extract recipe, which grains should be pulled out into a steeping bag? Anything besides the base malt?

You can steep most caramel and toasted/roasted malt, so anything but the base malt. There are a few things you'll have trouble with...vienna and munich malts need to be mashed, as do oats, etc.

 

[logan3825]

I quit using grain bags. I steep in a different pot while I heat up water in my brew pot. Then I pour my steep water and grains through a strainer into my brew pot. I then rinse the grains with some water. Not sure if I should be doing it that way but it seems to work out ok.

 

[yuanyelss]

I'd stay away from the light lagers and the heavy munich/vienna styles, I guess, but especially if you are willing to steep some grains I've had results I'm very happy with using extracts......

 

[Gavagai]

I quit using grain bags. I steep in a different pot while I heat up water in my brew pot. Then I pour my steep water and grains through a strainer into my brew pot. I then rinse the grains with some water. Not sure if I should be doing it that way but it seems to work out ok.

I did this once and the beer turned out good. Just make sure to stir a lot so the grains don't burn.

Also, Hefeweizens aren't necessarily better from extract, but they are incredibly easy.

 

[CrookedTail]

I quit using grain bags. I steep in a different pot while I heat up water in my brew pot. Then I pour my steep water and grains through a strainer into my brew pot. I then rinse the grains with some water. Not sure if I should be doing it that way but it seems to work out ok.

I don't see why that would be bad. In fact it might be better than using bags because the grains probably get more/better contact with the water.

How much water do you steep the grains in when you do it this way? I may try this with my next brew.

 

[logan3825]

I typically steep a pound of grains in half a gallon of water. Ends up sort of like runny oatmeal.

I did this once and the beer turned out good. Just make sure to stir a lot so the grains don't burn.

I stirred 3-4 times during a 45 minute steep.

I was using steeping grains in a bag but it seemed like the bag wasn't allowing the grains in the middle to come in much contact with water. I figured the only real use for the bag was to keep the chunks out of the boil. A strainer would work just as well.

 

[mpruett]

I don't know that anything is _better_ in extract, but I also don't think that many styles are necessarily worse. I'd stay away from the light lagers and the heavy munich/vienna styles, I guess.

Light lagers are doable using extract, if a bit exacting. I made a pretty good (if I say so myself) Helles-style lager with Briess Pilsen DME & about a half-pound of crystal 10, hallertau hops and wyeast pc-staro prague yeast.

The thing is, I did a full boil, cooled with my plate chiller, then pitched the settled yeast out of 2 gallons worth of starter fermented at 50 degrees. The wort was at 50 as well.

Fermented @ 50, lagered at 29 for 4-5 months. It was widely liked by everyone, including non-adventurous beer drinkers.

I'd say that generally speaking, unless you have the wherewithal for full boils, speedy cooling and fermentation temp control, extract brewers are better off sticking to styles where the base malt isn't the primary flavoring- IPAs, hefeweizens, stouts, etc...

 

[Rahjah]

I am currently enjoying an ESB made from all-extract recipe that I followed from John Palmer's online book, the Lord Crouchback ESB. It is delicious, dead simple to make, and made it from brew kettle to delicious tasting beer in about a month. Just enjoying my first taste of this batch which was cooked up on Feb 26 and bottled on Mar 18 (11 days in the bottle and it offers good carbonation, and a clean taste with mild bitterness)

I also have an ESB from extract recipe in Papazian's book, the Wise Ass Red ESB, which also is a delicious and easy brew to enjoy