Dark Wort...

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bigsilk

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Austin, TX
Hey, all-

This is my fourth batch. They've all been pretty different, so I don't have much to compare it to. I asked my supplier for ingredients to make a light, golden Mexican-style lager using the ale process (I don't have the gear to lager.) It's HOT here in TX and nothing goes down like a nice cold Tecate while burning meat in the backyard. And nothing washes down burned meat like one, either.

I digress. My wort's in the secondary and it's pretty dark. Now, curses, I only have an electric stove and there was some scalding. Would that make it remain dark? Or can only the lagering process make it gold?
 
First, welcome to the forum!

Beers always look pretty dark in the secondary. I just finished up a wit that I thought for sure was going to be as dark as a pale ale... but in the glass, it looks just like it should.

Caramelization can affect color, so that could be some reason for it being dark. Also, using extracts tends to make it darker that it would be if it were all-grain. Lagering will not affect the color.
 
My last lager-style ale looked like coffee with cream in 2ndary, but has a nice "yellow beer" coloring to it now.
 
dark
normal_100_0133.JPG

like
normal_100_0136.JPG

this??
normal_100_0140.JPG
 
I know digital images can't be considered true, but it seems my wort is considerably lighter than the final image you posted. Mine is more like a strong iced tea. Ok, then, no worries. Thanks for the visual aids.
 
You can delay your extract addition(s) to later in the boil, or spread them out across the duration of the boil. That'll help keep your color lighter.

Of course, always keep your extract off the bottom of your kettle by stirring it in.

Your fermentation process doesn't have any effect on the color....just clarity.
 
brewhead said:
dark

like

this?

It's tough to say. It will be quite a bit lighter in the glass. Also, you have a black backdrop. Beer in the carboy just looks darker than it should.
 
imho....

in order to get truely golden beer you need to use authentic pilsner malt, mash it, sparge it and boil it. even if you just use plain old two row malt you are gonna get a brown beer, light and translucent, but brown. then you gotta ferment it at the appropriate temps, rather low........ unfortunaetly, you will be rather hard pressed to reproduce a golden pils style beer with extract. that's not to say there are not kits out there that will do it, but your clearest will be with all grain and low low temps... :)
 
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