Kit advice NB winter warmer.

[Jloewe]

Last year I bought myself 3 kits from NB on sale for like $22 each and they were super expensive kits.

One of which (final surviving kit) is the winter warmer. Scottish ale I think. So it’s been sitting in the pantry since last November. Was going to make it right away but suffered a sprained ankle at the wrong time. Then I didn’t want a heavy ale in summer. Now I have the kit left. A little worried about tangy LME.

So the kit comes with 3 3lbs LME containers. 3 ounces of Willis kettle hops. And or course one lbs of whatever specially mix they gave me.

Now of days I’m doing partials and wondering would it be smart to split this into 2-3 batches or am I just giving myself a self included headache?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

With buying multiple kits at one time, consider putting the LME in the fridge, hops in the freezer, yeast in the fridge, DME and grains in a cool dry place.

... sitting in the pantry since last November. ... A little worried about tangy LME.

What is the typical temperature of the pantry?

wondering would it be smart to split this into 2-3 batches ...?

That seems like a reasonable approach. With malt forward styles, there's no place for "tangy" to hide.

 

[Jloewe]

Pantry is just in the kitchen. Probably got into the 80’s over the summer. The more I think about the more I think I should split it. Splitting it up not only gives me cheap ways of making multiple beers but can likely split up anything that’s gone awry with the LME making it virtually indictable. I’m still a somewhat new brewer after a year and 6 batches so I also want experience.

Styles that might be good? I do want to do a Scottish still. But I also want it to be dead ass awesome.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

[Pantry] Probably got into the 80’s over the summer.

...

Styles that might be good? I do want to do a Scottish still. But I also want it to be dead ass awesome.

I'll suggest buying fresh LME for the Scottish ale.

As for styles to consider, I will "stand aside" for a while for a so others can join in.

 

[RufusBrewer]

First of all: Why is a thread about what to do with 9 lbs of LME in the BIAB forum?

What is the concern about the LME? That it is old and will make lousy beer? So the solution is to split it up the (possibly) stale LME and make 2 or 3 batches of lousy beer?

I might invest in some hops and maybe some grains in the effort to mask the old LME. I would sacrifice the LME in a possible failed experiment to use up the LME before I burned my time brewing couple extra dubious brew sessions.

Cut your losses, order a new kit. Or try to get one batch out of the kit you have.

 

[Bramling Cross]

Your kit is less than a year old. It'll be fine, there's no need to panic--much less order a new kit. Harumph.

Back in the olden days of yore, some quite decent beers were made with dusty cans of John Bull extract. As I always do, I would suggest adding a 10% portion of simple table sugar to your extract kit as this helps to keep an extract beer light on the tongue and the finish dry. Given that you're dealing with, what I assume is, an especially large extract beer, I would be thinking more along the lines of 15%. It goes without saying in 2021, but pitch big and pitch active.

I've coached a fair few brewers through the extract to all grain transition, and I know for a fact that convincing them that adding 10% table sugar to their extract batches is one of those things that gets them hooked on the hobby. Suddenly, their beer tastes like actual beer!

Somewhere in Belgium, a brewer is smiling to himself.

 

[kartracer2]

I'd say go ahead and make the kit also. Sure it might have been better if it was made sooner but unless you have made the same kit before, how would you know?. Also +1 on the table sugar. 8-12 oz. will "clean" it up a little. Hell, give it a pound maybe.
I'm on the 6th version of an extract kit working different boil timings, adding more or less extract and such. and finally I got it pretty much like I want it. 12 oz of sugar really made a positive change. It made it a lot "crisper", they just seemed a little "muddy" before. YMMV.
Oh, and make sure your yeasties are ready to fight the good fight.
Good luck on what ever direction you choose to go !!
Cheers,
Joel B.

 

[Bramling Cross]

Hell, give it a pound maybe.

This isn't bad advice. A Scottish Ale shouldn't be cloying.

 

[Jloewe]

First of all: Why is a thread about what to do with 9 lbs of LME in the BIAB forum?

What is the concern about the LME? That it is old and will make lousy beer? So the solution is to split it up the (possibly) stale LME and make 2 or 3 batches of lousy beer?

I might invest in some hops and maybe some grains in the effort to mask the old LME. I would sacrifice the LME in a possible failed experiment to use up the LME before I burned my time brewing couple extra dubious brew sessions.

Cut your losses, order a new kit. Or try to get one batch out of the kit you have.

Sorry about the confusion but I also said I’ve been doing partial mash. Usually BIAB could have specified

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

@Jloewe : a couple of additional ideas

There is a short article titled "Brewing with Extract: Tips from the Pros" in BYO Dec 2020 that has some ideas on how to evaluate the current quality of LME.

Adding the older LME at the end of the boil is often stated to be helpful when brewing with extract. So your idea of using it with some partial mash batches is reasonable.

If you goal remains making a "dead ass awesome" beer with the kit (mentioned in #3 above), starting with known fresh LME is going to help.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

@Jloewe - here's one idea from the article that may be helpful. I haven't tried it (as I brew with DME when I brew with "extract"). If LME darkens with age, it may be practical to extend this technique to compare the color of the sample to the color of fresh LME (at a consistent OG).

Brewing with Extract: Tips from the Pros (BYO Magazine, Dec 2020)
...
Dan Bies, Technical Services Representative at Briess
...
If you have any concern about the freshness you should taste the extract (about two tablespoon in a cup of warm water) to make sure it meets your expectation before you invest more time and additional ingredients.