Beginner extract brewing howto
- Thread starter pompeiisneaks
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
I use blowoff tubes for bigger beers, however I've had a couple of 1.06 beers require it. Basically, watch it closely for the first 24-48 hours. If I'm going to need a blowoff tube I can always tell within the first couple of days.
OP
OP
Adding tap water is a chance for contamination. You should boil extra water ahead of time for top off if needed. You can even, if you know you're going to have about 3 gallons when done, put in about 2-2.5 gallons boiled ahead into your ferementer, but you can over or under shoot... best is to just have an extra 3-4 pre boiled and cooled waiting in say your bottling bucket etc to top off. That way you're sure its sanitary water.
hickaseer
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2011
- Messages
- 38
- Reaction score
- 2
Ok, copy that. Last question, after I boil the wort for ~60 minutes I need to bring it to pitching temp. What is the ideal pitching temp for a dark ale? I'm guessing 65-70 degrees? I'm in Minnesota so I figure I'm just going to set it outside in the snow (it's like 20 out) and watch the temp. Then I take that and pour it in the fermenter, add my water, and pitch my yeast
OP
OP
its dependent on the yeast strain, not the beer made, read the yeast packet. Usually that is between 62 and about 70 I usually like 64 unless the yeast specifies otherwise.... Belgian and hefe strains do like to be warmer though like 70-75
the snow works, as does an ice bath, but some like me like a chiller of some kind. Maybe your next piece of gear for summer
the snow works, as does an ice bath, but some like me like a chiller of some kind. Maybe your next piece of gear for summer
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
PassTheBeer
Well-Known Member
hey i had a quick question.....when you take your OG is that a sample of the straight wort or is that after you mixed with the water in your fermenter???????????
OP
OP
After you mixed your wort with water to get it to 5 gallons. You'll need to stir it well, to ensure consistent mixture or your gravity reading may be off. But you're also aerating it as well so it's great to do it anyway. Also don't ever mix the beer much post pitch, as this causes oxygenation after fermentation which is bad and adds off flavors
After repeating myself add infinitum with some things in my extract brewing trek,I thought I'd post them here finally.
* I found that re-hydrating any dry yeast not only proofs it,it cuts lag time down to 4-8 hours. Of course that depends on yeast type & amount. But I boil & cool 2C of water to re-hydrate in. I also (controversially) add 1tsp dextrose. The addition def seems to get the yeast going more vigorously. Lag time is shorter as well.
* I also found (duh! moment for me!),that when puting the BK in the sink for ice bath,fill the empty space with cold water to the top of the sink (BK covered) to take the initial high heat off it. Then drain it,& fill the empty space with ice to the top of the sink. Top that off with water,rather than water,then ice. It'll cool down to 65-70F in 20 minutes. Little or no chill haze during fridge time this way.
* Also found that putting a fine mesh strainer on top of my plastic FV's While pouring in chilled wort & top off water Gets the bigger grainy bits/hops out. But more importantly,aerates the wort/top off water quite well. I get 3-5 inches of thick foam this way.
* After that,stir with paddle or long spoon (I like the 24 inch paddle from Midwest) roughly for 5 solid minutes to aerate even more,& get top off water & wort mixed well. Makes for more accurate hydrometer readings. And the re-hydrated yest gets a reall good start.
I also started using a blow off rig the first few days during initial fermentation. It's def needed! Hope these things help some of you!
I also found that Midwest & Northern Brewer carry the large,15g packets of Cooper's ale yeast. They're def fresher than the little 7g packets in the false lid of the Cooper's LME cans. Thusly being able to work well in lower initial ferment temps. with this one,that's 64F.
* Keep darkening & extract twang to a minimum or non-existent by late extract additions. I use half a 3lb bag of plain DME in a 2.5-3 gallon boil for hop additions. It doesn't darken quickly like LME does. I add the remaining 1.5lb od plain DME & all the LME at flame out. Then cover & steep 15 minutes to pasteurize. The wort is usually 180F+ at this point,& pasteurization happens at about 162F. No need to boil the hell out of it to achieve this. This way,color will be lighter & no extract twang.
* I found that re-hydrating any dry yeast not only proofs it,it cuts lag time down to 4-8 hours. Of course that depends on yeast type & amount. But I boil & cool 2C of water to re-hydrate in. I also (controversially) add 1tsp dextrose. The addition def seems to get the yeast going more vigorously. Lag time is shorter as well.
* I also found (duh! moment for me!),that when puting the BK in the sink for ice bath,fill the empty space with cold water to the top of the sink (BK covered) to take the initial high heat off it. Then drain it,& fill the empty space with ice to the top of the sink. Top that off with water,rather than water,then ice. It'll cool down to 65-70F in 20 minutes. Little or no chill haze during fridge time this way.
* Also found that putting a fine mesh strainer on top of my plastic FV's While pouring in chilled wort & top off water Gets the bigger grainy bits/hops out. But more importantly,aerates the wort/top off water quite well. I get 3-5 inches of thick foam this way.
* After that,stir with paddle or long spoon (I like the 24 inch paddle from Midwest) roughly for 5 solid minutes to aerate even more,& get top off water & wort mixed well. Makes for more accurate hydrometer readings. And the re-hydrated yest gets a reall good start.
I also started using a blow off rig the first few days during initial fermentation. It's def needed! Hope these things help some of you!
I also found that Midwest & Northern Brewer carry the large,15g packets of Cooper's ale yeast. They're def fresher than the little 7g packets in the false lid of the Cooper's LME cans. Thusly being able to work well in lower initial ferment temps. with this one,that's 64F.
* Keep darkening & extract twang to a minimum or non-existent by late extract additions. I use half a 3lb bag of plain DME in a 2.5-3 gallon boil for hop additions. It doesn't darken quickly like LME does. I add the remaining 1.5lb od plain DME & all the LME at flame out. Then cover & steep 15 minutes to pasteurize. The wort is usually 180F+ at this point,& pasteurization happens at about 162F. No need to boil the hell out of it to achieve this. This way,color will be lighter & no extract twang.
mikabaker55623
New Member
I believe the text and image instructions were both reliable. thanks for posting the pictures, a lot of it for me was determining the right pot to heat it from, thanks for showing that picture.
@unionrdr, thanks for the technical stuff post. really helpful.
cheers!
@unionrdr, thanks for the technical stuff post. really helpful.
cheers!
OP
OP
Thanks, its been an effort that many have contributed to
Have been doing extract kits for abt 9 months now. IPA's and stouts. Some turned out OK (but not great), and some had that nasty homebrew "twang" to their taste. Believe I have gotten it down now. Nothing but success with the last efforts. Going back to the beginning of this thread, I agree, there are a few things the kit instructions don't tell you that are, in my mind, critical to success. In my experience, it came down to two major topics throughout the process: Temperature and Aeration. Again, this is my experience with ales and stouts.
Temp Control:
1) During steeping, keep the temp below 165. I now stay at 160.
2) Cool as rapidly as possible after the boil. A chiller is a great investment.
3) Don't pour out of the boiling pot much above 80F. At this stage you don't want to change the chemistry or molecular structure of the wort, and you risk doing so if you pour it out into the fermentor at higher temps.
4) After you pour your ~80F wort into the fermenting bucket and start adding water, stir to keep the temp constant, and don't let it get below 65F. Remember also that you're attempting to strike two objectives: temp (above 64F) and target OG. If you have to err on one side or the other, I've found that temp is the more critical. Don't drop below 65F in order to hit a target OG. In the end, taste is more important than the ABV.
5) Ales and stouts need to ferment in the upper 60's. Don't let the temp INSIDE the ferementor get above 72F. Just because you have your fermentor in a 68-degree basement doesn't mean that you're fermenting at the right temp. Remember that this is an exothermic reaction. I've seen it take the temp inside a 5 gal fermentor more than 6 or 7 degrees above ambient. I finally caved in and bought a ~$150 chest freezer and a Control Products dual HV controller ($68 from Amazon). Best investment I ever made in this hobby. If you can't do that, make sure you move your fermentor to a place where the temp of the liquid stays below 72.
6) After fermentation stops, and you rack to the secondary, they say that temp control is far less critical. True, but on the Low side only. OK to get down into the low 60's or even high 50's, but STILL don't let it climb above ~71 or you're inviting that nasty taste again.
7) After priming and bottling, keep the bottles between 68 and 71 degrees to carbonate. If you let them get much lower in temp, carbonation can take much longer. If you let them get up into the mid to upper 70's, you again risk adverse effects on your flavor.
Aeration:
1) After you've added your cooling water following the boil, hit your OG and are at about 66-67 or so, it is very important to aerate. I've seen references to using airstones. Never tried that approach but am sure it works. I simply make sure my bottling bucket is also sterilized, and I pour the wort back and forth between the fermenting bucket and bottling bucket twice (four pours) until there is a good froth on top. At this point, I pitch my yeast. Most often I simply sprikle dry S05 on top of the froth without mixing it in. Other techniqes (with liquid yeast, e.g.) are also fine.
2) When racking to secondary, and most important, when transferring to the bottling bucket prior to bottling, aeration is your enemy. Again, they don't tell you this in most kit instructions. Boil your priming sugar solution, let it cool a bit, pour it into the bottom of your bottling bucket and then siphon (do not pour) your beer into the bottling bucket with no splashing. Stir the priming solution in VERY slowly so as not to aerate at all. Then proceed with bottling ASAP.
I'm no expert, but since I made these adjustments, my brews have been top notch. Good Luck!
Temp Control:
1) During steeping, keep the temp below 165. I now stay at 160.
2) Cool as rapidly as possible after the boil. A chiller is a great investment.
3) Don't pour out of the boiling pot much above 80F. At this stage you don't want to change the chemistry or molecular structure of the wort, and you risk doing so if you pour it out into the fermentor at higher temps.
4) After you pour your ~80F wort into the fermenting bucket and start adding water, stir to keep the temp constant, and don't let it get below 65F. Remember also that you're attempting to strike two objectives: temp (above 64F) and target OG. If you have to err on one side or the other, I've found that temp is the more critical. Don't drop below 65F in order to hit a target OG. In the end, taste is more important than the ABV.
5) Ales and stouts need to ferment in the upper 60's. Don't let the temp INSIDE the ferementor get above 72F. Just because you have your fermentor in a 68-degree basement doesn't mean that you're fermenting at the right temp. Remember that this is an exothermic reaction. I've seen it take the temp inside a 5 gal fermentor more than 6 or 7 degrees above ambient. I finally caved in and bought a ~$150 chest freezer and a Control Products dual HV controller ($68 from Amazon). Best investment I ever made in this hobby. If you can't do that, make sure you move your fermentor to a place where the temp of the liquid stays below 72.
6) After fermentation stops, and you rack to the secondary, they say that temp control is far less critical. True, but on the Low side only. OK to get down into the low 60's or even high 50's, but STILL don't let it climb above ~71 or you're inviting that nasty taste again.
7) After priming and bottling, keep the bottles between 68 and 71 degrees to carbonate. If you let them get much lower in temp, carbonation can take much longer. If you let them get up into the mid to upper 70's, you again risk adverse effects on your flavor.
Aeration:
1) After you've added your cooling water following the boil, hit your OG and are at about 66-67 or so, it is very important to aerate. I've seen references to using airstones. Never tried that approach but am sure it works. I simply make sure my bottling bucket is also sterilized, and I pour the wort back and forth between the fermenting bucket and bottling bucket twice (four pours) until there is a good froth on top. At this point, I pitch my yeast. Most often I simply sprikle dry S05 on top of the froth without mixing it in. Other techniqes (with liquid yeast, e.g.) are also fine.
2) When racking to secondary, and most important, when transferring to the bottling bucket prior to bottling, aeration is your enemy. Again, they don't tell you this in most kit instructions. Boil your priming sugar solution, let it cool a bit, pour it into the bottom of your bottling bucket and then siphon (do not pour) your beer into the bottling bucket with no splashing. Stir the priming solution in VERY slowly so as not to aerate at all. Then proceed with bottling ASAP.
I'm no expert, but since I made these adjustments, my brews have been top notch. Good Luck!
If beginners are not sure on what kits to buy we are starting a review site for kits and craft beers. There is a homebrew section and content should be getting up rapidly! http://thebarflys.blogspot.com/2012/09/home-brew-review-belgian-ale.html?spref=tw
Everyone should check it out
Everyone should check it out
I just finished my first beer from an extract kit, Nut Brown Ale. I have to say that I am a bit disappointed at the flavor - it seems kinda weak. Is this because of using extracts, or did I need to leave it in the primary fermenter longer than the 2 days the brewing store guy recommended? (I have experience in several years of cider, mead and wine making.)
OP
OP
Casner, that's a hard one to answer, first off, though,mis that you almost always want to leave your beer in primary fermentation 10 days to 2 weeks. Even if the yeast is done in two days with the sugars, it still does a lot of work on the flavor, cleaning up the off flavors, among other things. Also, 2 days is a random choice, not based on any data. You should base the decision on if fermentation is done on hydro enter readings, not how many days. Yeast is a living thing, so variability is the norm. Now, why weak? There are too many variables to know for sure. In your boil did you boil over and lose some hops? That may diminish the bitterness a little. Did you accidentally put in too much water or too little extract? Maybe? To know for sure you need to take an initial gravity reading, to be sure the wort is the right gravity. To really know, you should always take detailed notes in each batch of every step you take to help you or others on this board determine what may be the culprit.
Thanks to all the contributors. This site has been invaluable in planning my first brew.
Regarding primary vs secondary fermenters, I was planning to use the bucket with lock for primary (10 days or so I think) and then transfer to the glass carboy with lock for secondary. Is there any disadvantage to this? Also, I read a lot of people saying they just shook their carboy before pitching for aeration. Can I shake up my wort in the bucket in the same manner?
btw, I'm going to be brewing from an extract kit using some specialty grains and dry yeast. Thanks in advance!
Regarding primary vs secondary fermenters, I was planning to use the bucket with lock for primary (10 days or so I think) and then transfer to the glass carboy with lock for secondary. Is there any disadvantage to this? Also, I read a lot of people saying they just shook their carboy before pitching for aeration. Can I shake up my wort in the bucket in the same manner?
btw, I'm going to be brewing from an extract kit using some specialty grains and dry yeast. Thanks in advance!
OP
OP
kennyg,
the primary vs secondary debate is a hot one. Basically there are two trains of thought.
1. always do it.
2. ONLY do it if you're putting some fruit/spices in the beer after fermentation or dry hopping. Otherwise never do it.
The reasons for 2 are:
1. you can end up getting an infection in the transfer, (not a serious issue if you're very fastidious about sanitation)
2. you should leave the beer on the yeast cake, so that the yeast can clean up really thoroughly.
At any rate its your call.
As far as shaking go to town, it works great for most people, just remember to cover that lock port so you don't spray wort all over yourself
the primary vs secondary debate is a hot one. Basically there are two trains of thought.
1. always do it.
2. ONLY do it if you're putting some fruit/spices in the beer after fermentation or dry hopping. Otherwise never do it.
The reasons for 2 are:
1. you can end up getting an infection in the transfer, (not a serious issue if you're very fastidious about sanitation)
2. you should leave the beer on the yeast cake, so that the yeast can clean up really thoroughly.
At any rate its your call.
As far as shaking go to town, it works great for most people, just remember to cover that lock port so you don't spray wort all over yourself
For my beers,3 weeks in primary are the norm. About two weeks or more to finish up,& 3-7 days to clean up & settle out clear or slightly misty. 2 days is maybe enough time to get through initial fermentation. It'll then slowly,uneventfully creep down to FG.
Went to a local shop and picked up ingredients for an Oktoberfest beer. Not new to brewing, but was told to only cook (full boil) extract for a total of 30 minutes. This was after grains steeped for 30 minutes... Slightly concerned that I only went 30 minutes instead of the normal 60.....
Whatcha think?
Thanks Dave
Whatcha think?
Thanks Dave
what's the hop profile on that sucker? if it's really low then that's not a big deal , the 60 minute boil is more for the hops than anything else. most of us add the extract a few minutes before flame out
At 30 minuts,you'll get a little bittering,but not much. 60,20,& 5 would've been better.
Check the beginner extract brewing link in my sig. There's a quick and easy method of aerating that I use and it may be helpful to you.
Lordthadicus
Member
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 0
Obviously new here and I had no idea you had to let your yeast soak for 15 minutes so I just pitched my yeast, that's a crappy term IMHO because you can pitch it when it's wet, but anyway is my beer going to be sh!t now because of this? It's my first batch rather hope it will be ok.
Pitching the yeast dry wil just have more lag time before visual fermentation begins. Rehydrating it gets them ready for the reproductive phase more quickly. They reproduce in suficient quantities for visual fermentation. That's the lag time referred to.
Lordthadicus
Member
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 0
Awesome thank you was a little worried. My brew was percolating nicely the next day, I got to bottle last night. Had about 3/4 of a bottle I had to drink, other then flat a warm it was amazing. I can't wait for it to mature in the bottle. I can tell it's going to be an amazing beer.
RagingBull
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2012
- Messages
- 90
- Reaction score
- 14
You will be ok, I've even forgot to stir the wort to aerate a few times and pitched the yeast and it still came out fine. Maybe a little slow to start but one thing I've learned about yeast is for the most part if it's healthy it's hungrya and if it's hungry it will find food and doesn't need much supervision.
kingofmalkier
Member
Lordthadicus
Member
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2013
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 0
Ha ha barm. I think it might turn people off to trying my beer if they find out I used scum in my beer. But then they will drink less, more for me....ok love that word thx.
CarnieBrew
Well-Known Member
Couldn't this sticky be updated to discuss, and encourage, late extract addition? I think point 4 is a little confusing.
4. Bring the water to a boil. Remove the boiling water from the stove, to avoid a boilover. Mix the malt extract into boiling water slowly and mix well (if you don't mix well you can get scorching of the extracts). Put back on heat and boil for the designated time (usually 60 minutes), watch closely to avoid a boilover so as to avoid a sticky mess. Also at this time add the bittering hops at the start of the boil w/ the malt(s).
Could be:
4. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling turn off the heat. Add enough malt extract to bring your boil gravity up to 1.040 (4oz DME or 4.5oz LME per quart of water). Mix very well (if you don't you can get scorching of the extracts). Put heat back on and bring back to the boil. Once the boil begins add the bittering hops, and start your boil timer (usually 60 minutes).
4. Bring the water to a boil. Remove the boiling water from the stove, to avoid a boilover. Mix the malt extract into boiling water slowly and mix well (if you don't mix well you can get scorching of the extracts). Put back on heat and boil for the designated time (usually 60 minutes), watch closely to avoid a boilover so as to avoid a sticky mess. Also at this time add the bittering hops at the start of the boil w/ the malt(s).
Could be:
4. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling turn off the heat. Add enough malt extract to bring your boil gravity up to 1.040 (4oz DME or 4.5oz LME per quart of water). Mix very well (if you don't you can get scorching of the extracts). Put heat back on and bring back to the boil. Once the boil begins add the bittering hops, and start your boil timer (usually 60 minutes).
I simply must ask... why?
OP
OP
Not sure I understand the distinction. Why is it confusing? You can and should boil the extract for the whole hour, why add some at the end. Maybe its a technique/process I've not heard of, but when I was doing extract I always boiled the entire amount of DME/LME for the whole hour. Maybe I'm misunderstanding?
OP
OP
I think you should post to threads about recipe creation, not those about how to do the basics of brewing. There are lots of people that will answer there, whereas a sticky like this gets a bit less activity.
CarnieBrew
Well-Known Member
You've never heard of late extract addition? It's pretty much the default method of brewing with extract these days, as people have realised that adding all your DME/LME at the start of the boil, especially when only doing a partial boil, means significant changes to hop additions to adjust for the high boil gravity....and further darkening of the end beer.
Why "should" you boil the extract for the whole hour? There isn't a reason...if you're concerned about bacteria that problem can be solved by boiling it for less than a minute.
For more info, read here: http://beersmith.com/blog/2008/02/20/better-beer-with-late-malt-extract-additions/
I think this sticky would benefit from the update.
I always did a late boil extract addition so the color of my beer was closer to the style it was supposed to be. If you boil all of the malt extract for the entire boil you caramelize it and the beer gets darker. Boiling some late in the boil leads to less caramelization and a lighter colored beer.
OP
OP
Oh okay, didn't know about that. But to be fair, I've been all grain for about 3 or so years, I did my last batch of extract maybe a few months after I wrote the sticky, I'll clarify a touch, let me know if you think it makes sense.
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
-
-
How are You Measuring Fermentation Temperature?- Latest: betarhoalphadelta
-
-
-
-
-
