Bulk extract

[periwinkle1239]

I bought a 33 lb jerrycan of gold LME and over the course of a few weeks I brewed three 5 gal IPAs. I followed the dead ringer recipe from NB http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/beerkits/DeadRingerIPA.pdf (I bought a pound of centennial hops as well). Each brew had about the same OG of about 1.065. And each one finished between 1.018 and 1.020. Fermented at 65 degrees.

I feel like each batch fermented exactly the same, and didn't get down to a low enough FG. I made healthy starters for all of them. Before buying the bulk, I had tried NB's dead ringer 'kit' and it finished at 1.010. It was so good which made me buy bulk extract and hops so I could repeat the deliciousness.

I'm wondering if the bulk LME had more unfermentables then the LME in the kit I had bought first. Does anyone have any opinions on this?

I'm always looking for ways to get my FG lower, I hate when I take a hydrometer reading after 2 weeks and see that it's the dreaded 1.020.

 

[RM-MN]

Sure I have an opinion. Each maltster puts out their variation based on what they want to achieve. That may not be the same as you want to achieve. If you bought LME from a different source you might well get different results.

 

[Calder]

What type of extract.

I buy Briess in 33 lb containers and have no issues. I generally do partial mash. I think I have only had 2 batches in the last 45 that have finished above 1.010; one of them was deliberate, the other was with an unusual yeast.

 

[periwinkle1239]

Both the kit and the bulk I bought from NB. It was their Northern Brewer Gold Malt Syrup.

I just think it's odd that I got a FG of 1.010 with the kit and then all 3 batches with the bulk order came in at 1.018-1.020.

Like I said, I used 1056 for each batch, made a starter for each one.

I read a post on here where someone implied that if your boil is too rigorous that that can affect the amount of fermentables. Is that true?

 

[ncbrewer]

I just brewed some Nut Brown Ale from the Northern Brewer kit - it was made with the same extract (Northern Brewer Gold Malt Syrup). It had an FG of 1.017 - a little high. I was happy with the beer. Might be a little inconsistency with the extract, or it could be just me.

 

[periwinkle1239]

I'll have to try the nut brown. I've made the caribou slobber and that was great!

I forgot to say that I'm not disappointed with the final product at all. Even with a slightly high gravity they are very tasty!

 

[Rev2010]

Did you do full boils or partial boils? Only other variance outside of the extract production I can think of is possible over-caramelization of the extract.


Rev.