How to add liquid extract

[BrewinBotanist]

Hey

Sorry for the total newb question, but I cant find it anywhere on here, either no one has asked this question here before, or I cant find the right keywords to put in search.

My question relates to adding the liquid extract. The guy at my LHBS told me to add half of it in the beginning, and half of it with the 15min hops. I should have asked him WHY I dont just put it all in at once, but I didnt and now i'm wondering. A friend said it's so it wont 'taste like extract', but I dont know what that means.

I've recently received a couple kits from austin homebrew, and the instructions dont include splitting up the extract additions. I'm trying to decide if I should just put it all in at once, or split it into two.

Does anyone know what i'm talking about? how do you add your liquid extract, all at once or split into two?

 

[jbrookeiv]

I add all my extract at the 15 minute until Flameout mark. Supposedly, adding it later will keep the color lighter since the extract sugars won't caramelize during the boil. It also helps prevent boilovers, which is a plus.

 

[BryceL]

I have always done my extracts for the full 60 mins, which is what the instructions from MoreBeer say. Once you reach a boil, turn the flame out and stir in the extract so you do not burn it. Then turn the flame back on and boil for 60. That works for me.

 

[vinoterp]

I have always done my extracts for the full 60 mins, which is what the instructions from MoreBeer say. Once you reach a boil, turn the flame out and stir in the extract so you do not burn it. Then turn the flame back on and boil for 60. That works for me.

I second this.. at least that's what I do following the directions

 

[cervezarara]

Many new homebrewers do not have a brew kettle large enough to do a full boil, and therefore they do what is called a "partial boil," after which they add top off water to get five gallons, or whatever the desired volume of wort will be. If all the LME is added at the beginning of the boil, the 2.5 or 3 gallons of wort is very concentrated in the boil. There is a lot of discussion on these boards about the ability of the hops to fully isomerize in such a highly concentrated wort. Also, there are reactions that darken LME during the boil, which can be reduced if LME is boiled for a shorter duration.

Wort is only boiled for 60 or 90 minutes (even longer for all grain brewers with a big beer) in order to isomerize hops and evaporate water to hit the target OG. Extracts do not need to boil that long. They really only need a few minutes of boiling to have a hot break and sterilize the extract.

Therefore "late extract addition" is a technique many brewers use to get better hop utilization and keep beer as light as possible.

 

[jollytim]

Extract is wort. It's already been through a full boil. And in the case of hopped extract, it's already been through the hops schedule. You can boil extract, it's not wrong, but I always do the late extract addition. It keeps your SRM lighter, and really all you need to do to extract, liquid or dry, is pasteurize it.... keep it above 180F for 10 minutes (IIRC). I use 20 - 25% extract with steeping grains (if any) for full boil with hops schedule, then the remaining extract at flameout. My beers have increased in quality tremendously as a result.

 

[BrewinBotanist]

Many new homebrewers do not have a brew kettle large enough to do a full boil, and therefore they do what is called a "partial boil," after which they add top off water to get five gallons, or whatever the desired volume of wort will be. If all the LME is added at the beginning of the boil, the 2.5 or 3 gallons of wort is very concentrated in the boil. There is a lot of discussion on these boards about the ability of the hops to fully isomerize in such a highly concentrated wort. Also, there are reactions that darken LME during the boil, which can be reduced if LME is boiled for a shorter duration.

Wort is only boiled for 60 or 90 minutes (even longer for all grain brewers with a big beer) in order to isomerize hops and evaporate water to hit the target OG. Extracts do not need to boil that long. They really only need a few minutes of boiling to have a hot break and sterilize the extract.

Therefore "late extract addition" is a technique many brewers use to get better hop utilization and keep beer as light as possible.

Excellent, thank you so much for this answer, it's nice to be given a reason for this.

This makes me wonder about the 15 and 5 minutes hop additions though, are they perhaps being less utilized because i'm dumping in half my LME at 15min? Guess i've got more searching and experimenting to do.

 

[viking73]

The longer you boil your hops the more bitterness you extract from them, and less aroma. So to get more aroma in the beer you use a late hop addition.

 

[unionrdr]

I add all of my dry or liquid malts at the end. Last time,I made a 15 min hop tea with 1oz of Kent Golding. Took it off the heat,mixed it all up & let it steep for 15 min or so while I sanitized the FV,etc. Then dry hopped after FG was reached.
It looked & tasted a lot like Salvator doppel bock when I bottled it 2 weeks ago. But clearer.

 

[alexdagrate]

I do full boils and I've noticed a vast improvement in my beers since also incorporating late extract additions. By reducing the caramelization of the extract, my beers now taste like beer, and no longer taste "extracty."

 

[mcaple1]

So normally when I add my DME, the water temps drop a bit. If I am holding to a strict hop schedule, and I add my late extract addition and my aroma hops together, then it might take a while for the wort to get back to a boil again.

Isn't the DMS being let off the extract and needs to be boiled for the full 60 minutes? Also, does the extract need to have hot break, if so, then aren't you taking a gamble that it will happen before the 60 minute boil is up, as if it happens late, your aroma hops will lend a more bittering aspect to the wort correct?

Sorry for so many questions..I usually just dump all my extract in at once.

 

[cervezarara]

I have found that late extract addition has not given off any DMS in my beers. The hot break from extract occurs about ten minutes into the boil. There is also less hot break than in an all grain wort. I don't know all the science, but I suspect that the processing of the extract has something to do with both. A lot of the evaporation occurs in a vacuum process which really lowers the boiling temperature. It is not really boiled 60 minutes like we would do in the kettle, but I have never experienced any DMS flavors.

I also believe that doing what is most comfortable for you will yield the least stressful brewing session, and that you will still make great beer!
Cheers.

 

[unionrdr]

I do full boils and I've noticed a vast improvement in my beers since also incorporating late extract additions. By reducing the caramelization of the extract, my beers now taste like beer, and no longer taste "extracty."

the very reason I do the late extract addition. Good flavor,lighter color.

So normally when I add my DME, the water temps drop a bit. If I am holding to a strict hop schedule, and I add my late extract addition and my aroma hops together, then it might take a while for the wort to get back to a boil again.

Isn't the DMS being let off the extract and needs to be boiled for the full 60 minutes? Also, does the extract need to have hot break, if so, then aren't you taking a gamble that it will happen before the 60 minute boil is up, as if it happens late, your aroma hops will lend a more bittering aspect to the wort correct?

Sorry for so many questions..I usually just dump all my extract in at once.

The extract already had a hot break,etc before being processed into it's final form. You don't need to do it again,but some do. Half anyway.

I have found that late extract addition has not given off any DMS in my beers. The hot break from extract occurs about ten minutes into the boil. There is also less hot break than in an all grain wort. I don't know all the science, but I suspect that the processing of the extract has something to do with both. A lot of the evaporation occurs in a vacuum process which really lowers the boiling temperature. It is not really boiled 60 minutes like we would do in the kettle, but I have never experienced any DMS flavors.

I also believe that doing what is most comfortable for you will yield the least stressful brewing session, and that you will still make great beer!
Cheers.

I don't get any DMS either. With a good yeast starter,I've found the flavor is def better than pitching dry/without the starter. I think the two go hand in hand to make a better brew. But,once i get my extracts stirred in well with the boiling water,it does get a little foamy for a short time. I just put a lid on it to steep 15 mins or so while sanitizing the FV,etc.

 

[NorthRiverS]

So you are boiling the steeped grain liquid and flavoring hops for 45 minutes, and then adding the liquid malt extract and aroma hops for the last 15 minutes?

NRS

 

[cervezarara]

I recommend adding about half the LME to the steeping grain wort. This should bring the partial boil wort gravity to about what the the wort gravity will be (that is, partial boil + top off water.) There's a lot of discussion about isomerization from the hops, but suffice it to say that some sugars in the wort may improve utilization for bittering. Then add the flavor hops on schedule, and plan on boiling the late addition LME about 10-15 minutes.