How to customize extract brewing?

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Kesigage

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Can't do any all-grain brewing because of space limitations, so I am sticking to extracts for now. Besides, I am still a noob and want to tinker with my process before I proceed to anything more labor intensive. But, my curiosity has me wondering about the the options I have when working with extract kits...

Are there any resources available that will help me create my own beer using extracts? What's available to help me make decisions on a particular flavor profile? As a loose example, if I wanted to take out a bit of sweetness in a Fat Tire clone, how could I do that?

I love to cook and have had years of experience working with ingredients. Experimenting was easy and cheap. Not so much with brewing beer. I guess I could bug the crap out of y'all all the time, but a reference manual would be ideal.
 
Taking the sweetness out of an extract brew is fairly simple. Maybe not all of it, but a couple things will take the edge off. First, Get light or extra light extract regardless of what the recipe calls for. This will take the 'molasses' sweetness out of it. If it's still too sweet for your liking try doing a partial mash. Same brew equipment, but less extract and good at getting used to some all grain techniques.
 
flars said:
There's no simple answer to your questions without some study, but these references have helped me modify recipes.
http://beersmith.com/grain-list/
http://www.beertools.com/html/ingredients.php?view=grains
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/calculator
Click to expand...

Thanks! Gonna dive into those sites.

Interested in your quote about "...some study,...". I don't mind digging-in. Any thoughts on specific materials I should read? I saw "Designing Great Beers" by Daniels, but didn't know if it was applicable?
 
I absolutely recommend Designing Great Beers. If you're looking to build your own recipes, that book is easily one of the best out there. Learn the general groups of ingredients, how to handle them, what they add, what they don't add, drawbacks, as well as solid strategy for how to build recipes/process to achieve a particular goal.
 
Lots of great extract including recipes on this forum. Also, if you post a recipe with your desired changes, you'd get a lot of reasonable suggestions.
I have brewed extract with partial mash for quite a while and make brews that are very good and simple to brew. I really like the simple part.
 
FloppyKnockers said:
Taking the sweetness out of an extract brew is fairly simple. Maybe not all of it, but a couple things will take the edge off. First, Get light or extra light extract regardless of what the recipe calls for. This will take the 'molasses' sweetness out of it. If it's still too sweet for your liking try doing a partial mash. Same brew equipment, but less extract and good at getting used to some all grain techniques.
Click to expand...

And there you go! Thanks! Along with what flars recommended, those are the types of answers I would love to see in the materials I am looking for.
 
Qhrumphf said:
I absolutely recommend Designing Great Beers. If you're looking to build your own recipes, that book is easily one of the best out there. Learn the general groups of ingredients, how to handle them, what they add, what they don't add, drawbacks, as well as solid strategy for how to build recipes/process to achieve a particular goal.
Click to expand...

Just bought it. Looking forward to diving in.
 
Kesigage said:
And there you go! Thanks! Along with what flars recommended, those are the types of answers I would love to see in the materials I am looking for.
Click to expand...

I read something new and informative every day on this website. What have you been reading here for almost 6 years? I am completely at a loss in regards to this OP's thread... :confused:





One thing that is helpful is to use Google instead of this website's search. The search here is so jacked up...
 
LAHammer said:
Lots of great extract including recipes on this forum. Also, if you post a recipe with your desired changes, you'd get a lot of reasonable suggestions.
I have brewed extract with partial mash for quite a while and make brews that are very good and simple to brew. I really like the simple part.
Click to expand...

Easy is good. I entertained the partial-mash idea and may have to revisit it. Also thought about BIAB too. After I get a few more extracts under my belt, I may give one of them a go. Thanks for the advice.
 
k1ngl1ves said:
I read something new and informative every day on this website. What have you reading here for almost 6 years? I am completely at a loss in regards to this OP's thread... :confused:





One thing that is helpful is to use Google instead of this website's search. The search here is so jacked up...
Click to expand...

Yes, homebrewing peaked my interest awhile back and I started gathering my gear and getting some info... That's when I joined this website. Then comes baby #1. And then, baby #2. Tried a few times between now and then to get going, but could never really get a full head of steam. Time was never a luxury. Still isn't with the kid's social/athletic schedule, but it's manageable. A good reason why I only had 14 or 15 posts prior to today.

In any case, not sure why I have to explain myself to ask a question. Even if I was active for the last 6yrs, I think it's a fair question.
 
once you're ready to move past the kits, start finding extract recipes here on HBT in the recipe section... Most have both an AG version and an Extract version. Or someone other than the OP will post an extract conversion in the comments.

Popular ones are BierMuncher's Centennial Blonde, BierMuncher's Cream of Crops, Yooper's Haus Ale... aw, heck, just look here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/homebrewtalk-top-homebrew-recipes-24-1.html :)

The only difference is that *you* assemble the ingredients into a "kit" instead of buying it pre-fab.
 
jtratcliff said:
once you're ready to move past the kits, start finding extract recipes here on HBT in the recipe section... Most have both an AG version and an Extract version. Or someone other than the OP will post an extract conversion in the comments.

Popular ones are BierMuncher's Centennial Blonde, BierMuncher's Cream of Crops, Yooper's Haus Ale... aw, heck, just look here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/homebrewtalk-top-homebrew-recipes-24-1.html :)

The only difference is that *you* assemble the ingredients into a "kit" instead of buying it pre-fab.
Click to expand...


The link posted returns a thread deleted page
 
Beersmith 2 is priceless to me, plus its only like $28.
I've not used it to build an extract recipe, but that is an option.
You could simply choose a style, plug in different amounts of extracts and hops and tweak it until you've got the characteristics you're looking for.
I've got recipes that have 3 official versions that are the result of countless revisions.
 
I have done one kit and after that I started using Brewer's Friend and have not looked back. I find a style I want or a hop(s) I want to try and then I research (HBT is a great resource) and then I put it all in Brewer's Friend and then hit the LHBS for the ingredients. I have not made a bad beer yet. Of course some I would not make again but still all been very drinkable :tank:
 
If you're looking for the next step without going all grain, I'd highly recommend trying partial mash brewing. It's amazing the difference even steeping a few pounds of grain can make to extract beers. It's also a great way to learn how to mash grains without worrying too much about your overall efficiency. I've slowly been dialing back on the DME I use for each batch and adding more grains so when the time comes to switch to all grain, I'll have a much higher confidence in my technique.
 
GilSwillBasementBrews said:
The link posted returns a thread deleted page
Click to expand...

The link worked for me too. More information would be helpful before anyone can help with your challenge.

Are you sure you clicked it right?

What hand are you using?

Is your mouse plugged in?

Did your mouse make a sound when you clicked?

Did you click in a swift motion or a soft delayed click?

Can you describe how the click felt?

How did you feel after the click?

How many clicks? Single? Double? Triple? The mythical quadruple?
 
FloppyKnockers said:
The link worked for me too. More information would be helpful before anyone can help with your challenge.



Are you sure you clicked it right?



What hand are you using?



Is your mouse plugged in?



Did your mouse make a sound when you clicked?



Did you click in a swift motion or a soft delayed click?



Can you describe how the click felt?



How did you feel after the click?



How many clicks? Single? Double? Triple? The mythical quadruple?
Click to expand...


Sorry doesn't work for me in the mobile app. And a click is a click on the mobile app. There is no mouse.
 
GilSwillBasementBrews said:
Sorry doesn't work for me in the mobile app. And a click is a click on the mobile app. There is no mouse.
Click to expand...

Okay. Now we're getting somewhere. Let's not dwell on the fact that a click on a mobile device is called a tap, but instead let's find out why your tap didn't work.

Are you sure you tapped it right?

What finger are you using?

Is your mobile device plugged in?

Did your mobile device make a sound when you tapped?

Did you tap in a swift motion or a soft delayed tap?

Can you describe how the tap felt?

How did you feel after the tap?

How many taps? Single? Double? Triple? The mythical quadruple?
 

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