Darker than expected

[caneandabel]

I have been homebrewing for about year now and my batches continually come out darker than expected. I buy water from the store in 1 gallon jugs and have tried both spring and filtered water with the same results. I use kits that usually require steeping grains plus LME and sometimes DME. I follow the instructions completely but they always come out darker than expected. For example, I did a cream ale that came out almost brown and I was expecting blonde. Same as when I did an american lager. They also weren't as crisp as I was expecting. This has happened with the 8 kits I have done but these were the best examples. When using LME do I need to change when I add it to prevent darkening? Still just an amateur with a basic set up so any help would be awesome.

 

[Davefox15]

Lets look for at the steeping of the grains...do you steep them for the time stated and then lift the muslin bag tutor do ou leave it in longer or squish i around or even ring it out?

 

[Yooper]

That often happens, due to maillard reactions during the boil. It's the same browning reaction you get when you make toast, as an example.

The easy fix is to add the majority of the extract at the end of the boil, when you turn off the flame. That will reduce the maillard reactions, making a lighter colored beer with less of a thick "cooked extract" taste.

You can use a pound or so of extract per gallon of liquid in the boil to start, so say you've got a 2.5 gallon boil you could use 2 pounds of extract (more or less, don't sweat the actual amount), and then add the rest when you turn off the flame and stir it in well.

 

[secondbase]

I always do late additions when using extracts. Full boils with extracts lead to caramelization of the sugars in the wort, which darkens the finished beers. I always added all extracts at flameout and it drastically improved the color of my beers.

 

[catdaddy66]

I just did my first extract batch in a couple of years and it came out very dark (but is very good). I think I need to add the extract later in the boil. The last 15-30 minutes I guess... Any ideas on more specificity of when to add the fermentables?

 

[Yooper]

I just did my first extract batch in a couple of years and it came out very dark (but is very good). I think I need to add the extract later in the boil. The last 15-30 minutes I guess... Any ideas on more specificity of when to add the fermentables?

Add one pound or so for each gallon of liquid in the boil at the very beginning, and add the rest at flame out. If you add it with 15-30 minutes left in the boil, you'll stop the boil when you add it and have to bring it back up to a boil. That can mess with the hops additions and timing.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, I agree with that. I started doing flame out additions almost immediately thanks to folks on here. Way lighter colors & cleaner flavors. I do 3 1/2 to 4 gallon boils with 2-3lbs of extract with whatever steeping grains, depending on the amount of grains. When partial mashing, I use some 4-6lbs of grains with extract at flame out. Way easier to get light colored beers that way.

 

[carlk47]

Add one pound or so for each gallon of liquid in the boil at the very beginning, and add the rest at flame out. If you add it with 15-30 minutes left in the boil, you'll stop the boil when you add it and have to bring it back up to a boil. That can mess with the hops additions and timing.

Yooper would you recommend doing late additions with a full boil? The consensus seems to be that it is very beneficial for partial boils, but I typically do full boils and was curious if I should do it or not.

Does "diluting" the wort during a full boil have any negative effects?

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I do full boils (6 Gallons). I do extract only (DME is my preference). Most of my recipes call for 6lbs of DME so that is in line with what Yooper advised.

I will keep this in the back of my mind when I tackle the Barleywines or a Dubble..

 

[joshesmusica]

i'm not really sure if this is a good ratio to be going with, but i'm now usually only putting in about 30% of my grains (extract + steeping grains + sugar) into the full boil. the rest i add at flameout.

 

[unionrdr]

Grains should never go in the boil. Steep or mash first, then sparge, then boil.

 

[joshesmusica]

Guess I worded that wrong. Never have, never will put grains in the boil. Just meant 30% of my total sugars into the full boil. Not just 30% of my extracts, but 30% of anything that gives me sugars.

 

[Sailingeric]

Guess I worded that wrong. Never have, never will put grains in the boil. Just meant 30% of my total sugars into the full boil. Not just 30% of my extracts, but 30% of anything that gives me sugars.

I do what you do. My beers SRM from Brewer's Friend come out either spot on or a few points darker. The one exception is a stout I did that was suppose to be 40 SRM but came out a little lighter. Oh well, beer is still good!

 

[joshesmusica]

I do what you do. My beers SRM from Brewer's Friend come out either spot on or a few points darker. The one exception is a stout I did that was suppose to be 40 SRM but came out a little lighter. Oh well, beer is still good!

that is my one exception are my darker beers. go ahead and throw it all in the beginning. just did a black IPA, the only thing i added at the end (as far as sugars go) was the table sugar i added.