HME? Do people really use it?

[safedude]

From my understanding, hopped malt extract is how crappy kits like Mr. Beer accomplish their fool-proof recipes. But do any serious home brewers ever use the stuff?

 

[Michigan_Wolfman]

There are plenty of hopped malt extracts that will produce a great brew. Coopers, Muntons, BrewFerm, or John Bull are just a few examples of companies that produce quality hopped malt extracts. Don't let the reputation of inferior products like MR. BEER turn you off from making beer using HMEs. Brew on!

 

[jrcrilly]

I doubt that there is any substantial difference between the HME that Coopers sells separately and the HME that Coopers sells in their Mr Beer kits. It works, and if you want to brew that particular beer it should be fine. Some folks even spend big bucks using the Williamswarn system and their HME. Most brewers prefer the flexibility of choosing their own hops schedule, though.

 

[safedude]

Thanks guys!

 

[Clavain46]

Check out the "Craig Tube" videos on you tube. He uses prehopped kits all the time and has lots of ideas for tweaking kits. I used coopers a long time ago and always got good brews out of them.

 

[unionrdr]

I have some Recipes using Cooper's cans in My Recipes drop down under my avatar. I do some PM/PB BIAB recipes with them as well. Pre-hopped LME's can be very versatile when DME's are used in the boil for hop additions with the pre-hopped LME added @ flame out.

 

[kombat]

I've never gotten a good result with those pre-hopped LME kits. They've all had that distinctive extract "twang" flavour.

 

[unionrdr]

That's why I add the Cooper's cans at flame out only. Ruins the hop profile to add to boil, besides maillard reactions.

 

[kombat]

What "flameout?" What are you boiling? Those pre-hopped LME kits aren't meant to be boiled at all.

 

[unionrdr]

I'm not...never did. I use a 3lb bag of Munton's plain DME & varying amounts of hops with a Cooper's can to make whatever I want outta them. I use half the bag in a 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 gallon boil for flavor hop additions of 15-20 minutes or so when doing AE brews. Then add the Cooper's can & remaining DME @ flame out (when heat is turned off). Since pasteurization happens in seconds @ 160F, & the wort's still boiling hot, Bob's your uncle.

 

[Hanglow]

As long as they are fresh you can make some tasty beers from them imo. Plus they get a lot of people started in brewing at which is a good thing imo, it can be a bit overwhelming otherwise.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, it can be overwhelming for the average newbie. Some can start right off with AG, but many can't or shouldn't. I still think AE is the best way to start, so one can concentrate on getting a good process down first.

 

[catdaddy66]

I used some hopped extract (Muntons) that I found on sale and was able to make a very good Cascadian wheat ale. The biggest issue I had was dialing in the IBU's. The cans said the malt was between 17-31 IBU's. That's quite a big range! But I was quite pleased with the finished product so try some and see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[DaNewf]

I started with Cooper's kits and would have no problem going back to them if, for some reason, I couldn't or wouldn't brew all grain any more.

I was amazed to find that I liked my home brewed Cooper's Original Series stout more than canned Guinness. The Cooper's Canadian Blonde Ale with 500gr DME and 700gr dextrose was a great summer beer.

Those were pretty basic recipes. There is plenty you can do to mod the kits: change the brew volume, swap the yeast, hop teas, dry hop, partial extract, mini-mash, add chocolate, add lactose, add spices, toucans...

 

[unionrdr]

Oh yeah, been there, done all that! Was fun to play around with various combos of Cooper's can with different DME's, hops & yeasts. I used the dark ale can with a small partial mash, hops & WLP029 yeast for a dark hybrid lager/ dark kolsch that was good. Me & the member with the pub in Ireland did the same one & compared notes. The OS Lager is good with the BE 2 & some Czech Saaz hops @ 15 minutes & the WLP029 yeast. More like a lager that way. I like partial mash these days, but Cooper's & the like can make great pipeline fillers!