LME addition timing?

[kagythings]

I've brewed a few kits in the past few years and only two of them were extract. I've been having great luck with all grain but want to get a couple friends into home brewing and extract is the easier method... or should be. I've done two extract kits and one turned out great and the other scorched with the maillard reaction for a caramelized pale ale. I've read conflicting methods to the addition timing of the LME. I'm brewing a Northern Brewer Witbier kit that the instructions state to add all of the 6.3 lbs of LME as soon as the water comes to a boil. Of course add the LME after taking the kettle off the burner but would you add all the LME at the beginning like the directions say or as I've read:
>some at the beginning and all the rest at flame out.
>all LME at flame out.
>another method I'm not aware of.

Thanks for your help and knowledge.

Chad

 

[Yooper]

My preference is about a pound of extract per gallon of water in the boil, and the rest at flame out. That seems to really reduce the maillard reactions, and have no "cooked extract" taste in the finished beer. It also keeps the color lighter in the finished beer.

 

[EDS2K]

If you steep grains first for half hour or so at 150°F, turn the flame off at that point and add all of the malt. Stir until dissolved. Put the heat back on and bring to a boil stirring all the while. Add your bittering hops once boiling begin the timed boil. If you don't steep grains (and really you should for a better beer) just warm up plain water to 150°F or so. That's enough to help melt and dissolve the LME. After that, switch to DME which keep better and use it in the same way (just use about 80% as much by weight).

 

[kagythings]

Thank you for the help. My friends came over to brew tonight and they both enjoyed brewing and the Rye Saison homebrew I made recently. I may have just help introduce two people to this awesome hobby tonight since they both want to brew again soon.

 

[unionrdr]

I use plain DME in the boil (half a 3lb bag) in 2.5-3 gallons of water for hop additions. Then add the LME at flame out,since it's still boiling hot. Cover & steep for at least a few minutes. Pasteurization happens about 162F & only takes a few seconds they claim. I give it a bit longer just to be sure. Not to mention,cool alittle before the ice bath.

 

[Apatride]

I have a similar question regarding DME: I currently add it just after steeping my speciality grain but the steam makes things complicated. I was thinking of adding it earlier (I know it means I will struggle more to dissolve it). Would this affect the taste or are there any issues that would appear if I do it that way? I usually have short-ish boils (45 minutes max)

 

[unionrdr]

The only way it'd matter to my thinking would be the steep. Def after steeping the grains.

 

[Apatride]

Thanks, I was hoping I could do it before the steeping but I can understand that this would affect the beer.