LME addition at flame out, your thoughts appricated

[CBXBob]

I'm doing a simple wheat beer extract kit this afternoon, the kit is just 6 lbs Wheat LME , 1 oz. of Willamette hops @ 60 min., and 1 oz. of Cascade @ 15. I want this brew to be very light in color, and understand that adding the LME @ flame out will keep carmellization down. The LME is in a sealed jug, so I'm assuming will be fairly bug free, so I shouldn't need to boil it at all. I also understand from the knowledge here that hop utilization will be higher with out the LME. I was thinking of using 3/4 of the Willamette @ 60, then add the rest with the Cascade @ 15 min. along with my wort chiller. Your thoughts? Thanks in advance

 

[jCOSbrew]

The late LME add will effect color and carmelization, however, the gravity of the boil also effects hop utilization.
I would add half of the LME at start of boil and the rest during the last 10-15 minutes. Boiling the LME for a few minutes is a good idea for sterilization and hot break.

 

[jaytizzle]

I've been doing flameout extract additions lately and having great success. I say let it ride and do a full LME addition at flameout. Best way to learn this impact is to try it out yourself. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

[CBXBob]

Thanks jCOSbrew , from combing previous thread here, it's my understanding that my LME already went through it "hot Break" at manufacture, and is sterile at packaging. And that the temps at flame out till the 15 minute cooling will clean up any bad "bugs". I really want to try this no boil LME thing, any other thoughts?

 

[CBXBob]

Thanks jtizzle, any thoughts on hop additions?

 

[KISS Brew]

You really need to add some sugars to the boil to get proper hops utilization. I'd probably add half the extract at the beginning of the boil and the remaining half at flameout.

From BYO's Mr. Wizard:

When hops are added to wort and boiled the pH is around 5.2 and there is protein present to precipitate much of the polyphenols extracted from the hop leaf. Boiling time is important and most beers that have hop aroma use late additions. During the boil, hop acids undergo numerous chemical changes and the resultant mix has a profound influence on beer bitterness and the quality of bitterness. When the pH of wort boiling is increased by adding alkaline buffers, hop utilization increases but bitterness is reportedly unpleasant. If you boiled hops in water as opposed to wort, the pH would be higher and the flavor would lack.

 

[CBXBob]

Thanks KISS Brew, when you say hop utilization, do you mean bittering?

 

[smiller]

Hop utilization is basically the hop's efficiency at contributing to the overall IBU of the beer.

 

[wowbeeryum]

i've done flameout LME additions for my last 4 batches. 2 of them i split the lme additions (half at beginning, half at flameout), and the most recent 2 have been lme at flameout only (but was a partial mash so there was gravity at the beginning from the grains). the 2 that were split additions turned out great. the two that were at flameout only are still fermenting, but i see no cause for concern. personally, i would use enough sugar at the beginning of the boil to ensure proper hop utilization and add all the rest of the lme at flameout. i see no specific reason to boil it. i actually, and sort of accidentally, used moldy lme, some of which was added at flameout, with no negative effects.

 

[CBXBob]

Thanks smiller, and wowbeeryum. Because there are no steeping grains, and just hops @ 60, I'm going to add 1/4 of the LME @ 60 with 3/4 of the bittering hops, then the rest of the hops (cascade, and remaining Willemette ) at 15. Then the rest of the LME at flame out. I think it's going to be fine, I'll report back. Thanks everyone!

 

[remman4]

Good compromise!

 

[Toy4Rick]

So for your next brew, consider DME and still do a late addition. This is how my last Hef went and it took second place here in San Diego at the county fair. Now that I have that process down, I have now switched over to all grain, starting all over again

Toy4Rick

 

[billl]

Not any science behind it, but I do about 50% extract at 60 and the rest at about 5 min. That is with a full boil volume and it seems to be a decent color saver. If you are doing partial boil, the 25/75 sounds good.

 

[CBXBob]

A little over 2 years from my original post on LME at Flame out. I'm still an extract brewer. The simplicity of using extract, less equipment, less clean up, and really not that much more money, make extract brewing my preference. I doubt I'll ever do all grain, but ?? In the last 2 years I've done high gravity, low gravity, Ale's, porters, Hefe's, IPA's, and have pretty much gotten the process to "what works for me".
If there are steeping grains (usually) I bring to boil after steeping, add the bittering hops, and follow aroma/flavoring hop additions per instructions. Then add extract at flame out. Cool, top up with water, then pitch rehydrated dry yeast. I have not had one brew turn out less than really good, most are excellent. I'm sipping a Morebeer Pliney the Elder that I brewed that way, and it is, well, freakin awesome. Seriously better than the first time I brewed it, following directions to boil the extract for 60 minutes. I'm not saying this the "right" way to brew extract, just that it works for me

 

[rodwha]

I've wondered if just the wort from steeping grains would be enough for good hop utilization. I'm guessing it is then...

 

[CBXBob]

The only kit I've done that didn't have steeping grains was that one from 2 years ago. I did the 25/75 and it came out good.

 

[unionrdr]

It depends on how many pounds of steeping grains you're using. A pound or less in a couple gallons of water isn't really enough, in my opinion, to use just that for hop additions. I do partial mash with 4-6lbs+ of grains, about half the fermentables. After sparging, I can use that for hop additions, adding all the extract at flame out. Extracts don't need to be boiled to pasteurize. Pasteurization happens in seconds @ 160F. so I add the extract at flame out, while it's still boiling hot. Then cover & steep that a few minutes while I get the ice bath ready to chill the hot kettle of wort down to 75F or so. then strain into the fermenter & top off with chilled spring water to recipe volume. This gets the wort down to 65F or so. This gives the intended color & cuts "extract twang".

 

[rodwha]

I generally just do partial mashes myself these days, but I am working on several quick recipes that use extract and steeping grains that are lower ABV (4.8-5.3%) for those times when you find out there'll be a get together in a month. I'd just split the DME in half, but was curious...

 

[CBXBob]

I haven't had the "extract twang" since I began late, and now flame out additions. As far as hop utilization, Morebeer's Pliney the Elder Double IPA only has 6 oz of steeping grains. And just cracked the batch I bottled on 9-2, definitely not lacking in the hop flavor, and nose area. Delicious, with only one flaw, at 8.7% I can only drink 2