Extract Question

[cheezemm]

I have a 4 gallon brewpot that I use for almost all of my brewing. Most of my extract kits have called for steeping grains in 1-2 gallons of water and then adding another 1-1.5 gallons of water to boil. This has always left me with .5-1 gallons of headspace to add the LME/DME. I recently picked up a kit that uses 2 gallons for steeping, instructs to then add 2 more gallons bring to a boil, then mix in LME/DME. I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ROOM!

Is there any harm in doing the steeping in the instructed amount, but using less water for the hopping and extract/60 min boil? Pretty expensive kit that I'd rather not screw the pooch on:cross:

 

[Yooper]

I have a 4 gallon brewpot that I use for almost all of my brewing. Most of my extract kits have called for steeping grains in 1-2 gallons of water and then adding another 1-1.5 gallons of water to boil. This has always left me with .5-1 gallons of headspace to add the LME/DME. I recently picked up a kit that uses 2 gallons for steeping, instructs to then add 2 more gallons bring to a boil, then mix in LME/DME. I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ROOM!

Is there any harm in doing the steeping in the instructed amount, but using less water for the hopping and extract/60 min boil? Pretty expensive kit that I'd rather not screw the pooch on:cross:

Sure you can do that. I'd prefer to boil with just the steeping grain liquor (after the grains are removed) and add the LME/DME at the end of the boil. That should give you a bigger boil, and keep the LME/DME from darkening and tasting "carmelly" or "extracty". Some people add half the LME/DME when it's called for in the recipe, and the other half near the end of the boil for that reason.

 

[cheezemm]

Ahhhh, the voice of reason to help the panic of a noob!

I didn't think about just boiling the "tea water" and adding hops and such (whirfloc). After the 60 minute boil I will have the following options:

1) Have enough headspace to add all my LME/DME to my single 4 gallon pot, then cool in the snow
2) Pour all into my primary, add LME/DME, top off to 5 gallons put outside in snow
3) Divide between a 4 gallon and a 2.5 gallon pot and add LME/DME to those and cool separately then combine in fermentor

Life is good again:rockin:

 

[mixedbrewer]

Just make sure you have enough boiling water/ wort to pasteurize your dme in case there is a pin hole in the bag.

 

[Yooper]

Just make sure you have enough boiling water/ wort to pasteurize your dme in case there is a pin hole in the bag.

right! Do number 1, or even add it near the end of the boil to make sure the LME/DME is sanitized/pasteurized. Top up with water after chilling the wort.

Or you can split the boil, but that's just more equipment to clean!

 

[Calder]

Turn the heat down/off when adding it late in the boil, otherwise it can burn on the bottom of the pot. Once dissolved, start the heat again.