Can you mix your LME/DME is a small pot and then add it?

[demens]

I've done 2 late extract batches recently and they have been a pain in the ass cause i have a weak stove, it take half hour to get it boiling and once i take it off to add the rest of the extract half way through (or so) it takes like another 25 to get boiling again.

So why not pre-dissolve the LME/DME in a smaller pot with like .5 gal of water and then just pour that into the wort. I figure if its already half way dissolved it should clump or get scortched so i'd be able to leave the pot on the stove and keep boiling. Even if i have to take it off i think it'll be fast to pour the extract in there once its half dissolved then the slow as hell pour/mix i do now.

 

[jonmohno]

If it takes that long i would just pour it slowly and stir constantly while doing it during the boil.If it were to stop im shure it would be up in a few minutes back to boil. Sounds like you dont get a real hard boil?

 

[demens]

If it takes that long i would just pour it slowly and stir constantly while doing it during the boil.If it were to stop im shure it would be up in a few minutes back to boil. Sounds like you dont get a real hard boil?

No, pretty weak boil but the plus side i feel safe walking away knowing it wont boil over. I fill the pot to the max too since its only 2.5G. My last brew i actually split the recipe 65/35% and used a second pot (1.5G).

It takes me a long time to pour in the extract even off the stove. Not sure why, when i tried to pour it fast i just get the feeling its gonna take forever to dissolve so i REALLY take my time with it. Not sure if i can go any slower.

But i still dont get it though. Why would it be NOT a good idea to Pre-dissolve in a small pot prior to adding it to the WORT. When you're dumping into the Wort you're basically dissolving it in warm/hot water anyway. Only difference i see is that you steeped the grains in there as well. But then again, i add like 2G to 3G of water to the Wort anyway, so whats the big deal about adding water with half way dissolved extract.

P.S.
Not sure, maybe i'm not using the correct search terms but i can't find anything on this. Theres been dozens if not more topics on anything i've ever wanted to ask, i actually feel weird starting a thread sometimes knowing its already been discussed so many times. But cant find much on this.

 

[FancyRat]

As a firm believer of "boil the hops, not the extract," I don't see any problem with it and I think I'll try this myself next brew day. I use DME and the clumping in the bag from the steam, during its addition, is really obnoxious; this would easily solve that problem.

I figure as long as you get your wort boiling again long enough to kill any nasties it's a perfectly fine way to go. That and keeping track of how much water you're using to dissolve your LME/DME.

 

[demens]

How much water would you go with? I've got 6lbs for LME in a 1/2G (almost 2L) jug.

So lets say i split that in 2 for late extract. It'll leave about 1L of extract, say i mix it with another liter of water. So i'll have a sort of pre-mixed 1/2 Gallon of extract, so i guess i have to boil 2G of water rather then 2.5.

I still wanna get more feedback on the idea. Everybody always complains or warns about clums and scortching and having to waste time slowly mixing in extract and taking it off the flame. This seems like such an easy way to fix that. Would the pre-dissolved extract have a really dark color that would darken the rest of the Wort more so then adding it straight in would or something?

 

[Epiphanic]

I'm no expert on this hobby (finished brewing my first batch less than 12 hours ago), but I don't see any reason why your idea would be bad.

That and keeping track of how much water you're using to dissolve your LME/DME.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but why would that matter?

 

[pietro75]

New here too, I think you will be fine. You are chemically doing what you are supposed to do just not all in one pot at one time. Your results should be just fine.

 

[pietro75]

As a firm believer of "boil the hops, not the extract," I don't see any problem with it and I think I'll try this myself next brew day. I use DME and the clumping in the bag from the steam, during its addition, is really obnoxious; this would easily solve that problem.

I figure as long as you get your wort boiling again long enough to kill any nasties it's a perfectly fine way to go. That and keeping track of how much water you're using to dissolve your LME/DME.

nailed it! what else is there?

 

[Rockape66]

You need to research how this would effect your hops utilization. Changing volumes and gravities change the bittering effects of the hops.

 

[demens]

You need to research how this would effect your hops utilization. Changing volumes and gravities change the bittering effects of the hops.

I was thinking about that but i dont see how hop utilization would be any different with pre-dissolved extract. Doing the late addition is what changes the hop util but it shouldn't make a difference whether i add the extract in there by slowing pouring and mixing, or whether its pre-dissolved in some extra water. I guess there might be some minimal change in gravity but once everything is mixed together the gravity should be the same using either method.

I'm actually not sure what happens to the hops since i take a break in the boil and it takes another 30 min or more to get it boiling again, so its technically as if i'm sort of boiling it for and hour and a half, and the utilization is already higher i dont wanna end up with really bitter beer. Well maybe not boiling it for 1:30 technically its boiling for an hour and soaking in slightly less then boiling water for water 30 min.

What i've done is i actually take the hops out for the time it take to boil again. Not sure if thats the right.

Since we're on the subject sort of, do you guys take out the hop bags while cooling the wort?

 

[FancyRat]

How much water would you go with? I've got 6lbs for LME in a 1/2G (almost 2L) jug.

So lets say i split that in 2 for late extract. It'll leave about 1L of extract, say i mix it with another liter of water. So i'll have a sort of pre-mixed 1/2 Gallon of extract, so i guess i have to boil 2G of water rather then 2.5.

I still wanna get more feedback on the idea. Everybody always complains or warns about clums and scortching and having to waste time slowly mixing in extract and taking it off the flame. This seems like such an easy way to fix that. Would the pre-dissolved extract have a really dark color that would darken the rest of the Wort more so then adding it straight in would or something?

That seems like it should be fine, as long as you take into consideration the half gallon or so that evaporates in your main pot during the hour-long boil.

I think I would even have my pre-mix heating up (not quite boiling though) in a separate pot, just to help the total volume achieve a boil again faster. As I mentioned earlier, I do late additions but like to get the wort boiling again briefly to kill anything that might have hitched a ride in the LME/DME.

 

[unionrdr]

"Hop utilization" is much debated,but there's more than one way to skin a mule. If your LME or DME is pre-hopped,don't boil it or you'll kill some of the hop profile. Not to mention caramelizing the malts to some extent,giving darker beer. Even doing the half now,half later thing is questionable in my mind. Depends on the style you're brewing.
I used an ounce of hop pellets for 15 mins to make a "tea" to take off the heat to mix the DME,then the LME. Then top off,hit FG,dry hop with 1 oz of diff hop pellets for a week. I've gotten a amber colored brew close to a Salvator Doppel Bock. Without the DME,I've gotten a light golden with amber blush. & the hops are in the back,so to say,when you're drinking them. Try the Salvator doppel bock,or English,Scotish,Irish ales that are malt forward to see what I mean.
I'm basically saying,if you want it as light as the brew can be,don't boil the snot out of them. They've already been through all that the first time. I just take it off the heat,mix like it owes me money,& slap a lid on it while I sanitize the FV,etc. It's plenty hot enough to kill any nasties that might still be alive.

 

[Yooper]

That seems like it should be fine, as long as you take into consideration the half gallon or so that evaporates in your main pot during the hour-long boil.

I think I would even have my pre-mix heating up (not quite boiling though) in a separate pot, just to help the total volume achieve a boil again faster. As I mentioned earlier, I do late additions but like to get the wort boiling again briefly to kill anything that might have hitched a ride in the LME/DME.

That would be fine, I'd think. You could even add the extract at flame out, and not have to worry about stopping the boil. I pasteurize milk at 164, and I'd think extract would be easily pasteurized at flame-out temps.

 

[demens]

That would be fine, I'd think. You could even add the extract at flame out, and not have to worry about stopping the boil. I pasteurize milk at 164, and I'd think extract would be easily pasteurized at flame-out temps.

Do you keep the hops in there at flame out or take it out when adding the rest of the extract?

 

[Yooper]

Do you keep the hops in there at flame out or take it out when adding the rest of the extract?

I never take out my hops. I often have "flame out" hops anyway, since I brew many IPAs and APAs. They stay in for the entire chilling.

 

[logan3825]

No, pretty weak boil but the plus side i feel safe walking away knowing it wont boil over. I fill the pot to the max too since its only 2.5G. My last brew i actually split the recipe 65/35% and used a second pot (1.5G).

You are probably going to hate this response but, get a bigger pot. I made a starter of about 0.75 gallons in size in a 4 gallon pot and it boiled over. If you don't watch your pot it will boil over.