Late addition of Malt

[rgarry]

I have a question that maybe I just overthinking it. We cook our wort for a couple of reasons including sterilization but also to invert the sugars so that the yeast can use them to make alcohol. I know that is true in making spirits but maybe isn't true in making beer. If malt is added at flame out, and then cooled with a wort chiller, will the sugar still be able to be utilized to make alcohol. I understand that yeast can work on complex sugars but its not as desireable. With that said, is adding the malt with 20-30" better than doing it at flame out. Thanks for the help.

 

[Yooper]

I have a question that maybe I just overthinking it. We cook our wort for a couple of reasons including sterilization but also to invert the sugars so that the yeast can use them to make alcohol. I know that is true in making spirits but maybe isn't true in making beer. If malt is added at flame out, and then cooled with a wort chiller, will the sugar still be able to be utilized to make alcohol. I understand that yeast can work on complex sugars but its not as desireable. With that said, is adding the malt with 20-30" better than doing it at flame out. Thanks for the help.

You don't have to boil extract. Maltose and maltiose (primary sugars in wort) don't need to be "inverted" for the brewer's use to ferment the sugars.

Some of the prehopped LME kits are no-boil kits.

 

[rgarry]

Thanks, that makes perfect sense. Do you recommend late LME or DME? Obviously, all the extract recipes call for the early addition.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks, that makes perfect sense. Do you recommend late LME or DME? Obviously, all the extract recipes call for the early addition.

It doesn't really matter, but I'd probably tend to use the LME especially at flame out, and a couple of pounds of DME at the beginning, if you were using both LME and DME.

 

[edmanster]

You don't have to boil extract. Maltose and maltiose (primary sugars in wort) don't need to be "inverted" for the brewer's use to ferment the sugars.

Some of the prehopped LME kits are no-boil kits.

+1... I believe I've read somewhere that a large hop aa% addition with extract and only a 20 minute boil can do enough for bittering and flavor.. 2 birds 1 stone 20 minute boil

 

[unionrdr]

Exactly so. I've found that time & again,my using 1.5-2lbs plain DME in the partial boil works best for hop utilization,lighter colors,& cleaner flavor. I have no problems adding the remaining half of a 3lb bag of plain DME & all the LME at flame out. Covered & steeped for 2-10 minutes takes care of pasteurization,which happens at 162F. Besides allowing a little cool down right before the ice bath. Cool down to pitch temp in 20 minutes or less at that point gave little or no chill haze when the bottles get there fridge time.
As for the short bittering thing; I've noticed some little bit of bittering at 25 minutes using pellet hops,but better flavor & virtually no bittering at 20 minutes with whole leaf or "raw" hops.

 

[helibrewer]

The boil time is mainly for hop extraction. With all extract I've oftened wondered if you could just make a hop "tea" to boil then add all the extract at flameout....I might try it some day

 

[unionrdr]

In the beginning,before I started using plain DME in the partial boil for hop additions,I did that. Bring the water in the BK to a boil,then bag an ounce of hops & boil it for 15 minutes. Remove/drain the hop sack,& set aside. Remove the brew kettle & add the brew enhancer & cooper's can. Stir till no more of the LME/enhancer can be scraped off the bottom of the kettle. That actually did work pretty well.