Extract to AG help

[Mose]

I just switched to AG and am trying to convert the following extract recipe. I don't have a software program right now and did some research on methods and equations. Here is what I'm thinking:

Original Extract Recipe:
6lbs Amber LME
1 lb 2row
3/4 lb Brown
1 lb Special B
1/4 lb Chocolate
1/2 lb Carapils

1oz cascade at 45
1oz Fuggles at 10

The converted recipe as far as I can tell and figure would replace the 6lbs of LME with 9lbs of Amber Malt. Does this sound right and look right. I read that converting the darker malts is a little trickier than the light malts.

I'm thinking I want a little more creamy/thicker mouth feel so plan to add 1/2lb of flaked oats. Does that make sense, or sound good?

Thanks

 

[dcp27]

Definitely don't swap the amber extract for amber malt, two completely different things. amber extract is usually made up mostly of pale malt with about 5-10% crystal 60 and 5-10% munich malt. so I'd swap it for 6.5-7lbs 2-row and 0.5-0.75lbs C60 and 0.5-0.75lbs munihc malt.

In general 1lb grain = 0.75lb LME = 0.6lb DME

1/2lb oats should work well in this

 

[Egghead]

The problem is that amber malt extract usually isn't made from 100% amber malt. It's usually a blend of 2-row, Munich, and crystal malts. You'll need to find the extract's ingredients to accurately convert it. I'd check the extract's maker's website to see if they list the ingredients. Light extract is easier. It's usually all 2-row, or 2-row and CaraPils.

 

[Mose]

I have used different extracts when doing this recipe in the past and am finally trying to dial in some constants. I had read that LME is made up of different malts but thought the Amber malt would fit the bill. Thanks for the information. I'll substitute with the grain you recommend, which is good since I have 34lbs of 2row sitting there begging to be used.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Mose]

OK, I found Brewtarget to try and record my stuff and figure out what I'm doing. It says the recipe with the grain additions suggested above instead of the extract will be slightly malty, which doesn't bother me at all.

However, I would typically steep the grains in the original recipe for 30 min at 125-127 and then for 40min at 153, before going to boil and adding the extract.

Now that I'm in AG, I am guessing this is the step mash that people talk about to pull the goodness from the specialty grains then mash the base grains at 153. I run a no sparge Brutus 20 system with a HERMS coil that has PID control so I "should" be able to hit the temps. I'm still breaking in the system so I can't promise anything just yet.

Can I just continue with my SOP, or are there more technical changes I need to make?

 

[dcp27]

why would you be doing a protein rest when steeping? theres almost never a need for that step even in AG, unless you're using like >25% unmalted grain. I would just do the 153F step and theres no reason to separate specialty and base malts

 

[Mose]

why would you be doing a protein rest when steeping? theres almost never a need for that step even in AG, unless you're using like >25% unmalted grain. I would just do the 153F step and theres no reason to separate specialty and base malts

I don't really have an answer. My buddy who started working the recipe up said do it that way when I was brand new to brewing a couple years back and I never bothered to change it or figure out why it was there. Now that I'm doing AG I'm starting to learn some of those items and will be workign them out as I go I guess.

153 it is. Thanks.

 

[dcp27]

Weird, I wonder why he would have had you do that. Like I mentioned its only really useful when using unmalted grains and since you're not, its just kinda a waste of time.

If you haven't seen it yet, I'd give this chapter a read, it'll help clue you in on the different mash steps: http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter14.html