Looking to brew my first IPA using malt extract. Tips on good extracts and priming tips?

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Thanks for leaving it herr, both for me to read later and useful for others most likely.
The IBU is a LIE! Kind of..... | Experimental Homebrewing is another "classic" article that may be worth a read.

Also, if one has a lot of extra hobby money, labs that measure various attributes of beer (ABV, IBUs, ...) can be found (sorry, no immediate links). It's a service that could be useful in "dialing in" estimated IBUs, tasted IBUs, and measured IBUs. When I saw this about 18 months ago, the price was almost good enough for me to send in a bottle or two.
 
The IBU is a LIE! Kind of..... | Experimental Homebrewing is another "classic" article that may be worth a read.

Also, if one has a lot of extra hobby money, labs that measure various attributes of beer (ABV, IBUs, ...) can be found (sorry, no immediate links). It's a service that could be useful in "dialing in" estimated IBUs, tasted IBUs, and measured IBUs. When I saw this about 18 months ago, the price was almost good enough for me to send in a bottle or two.
My personal solution for the IBU discrepancy between measured and calculated, is that I only use one calculator. If it gets me 30ibus on the paper, I know what I will get taste wise, as I tried a beer I brewed before with this number. Obviously the real measured value is probably far off, but what matters is that you got a point from where you can judge the final product. In my case, most of the time, calculated 30-35 ibus is the sweet spot for lower og beers for me. The lower the og, the lower the ibu. Around 1.04 to 1.045 I like the 30-35ibu range for most hoppy styles like APA, bitter and hoppy lagers. Below that, I will go even lower.
 
My personal solution for the IBU discrepancy between measured and calculated, is that I only use one calculator. If it gets me 30ibus on the paper, I know what I will get taste wise, as I tried a beer I brewed before with this number. Obviously the real measured value is probably far off, but what matters is that you got a point from where you can judge the final product. In my case, most of the time, calculated 30-35 ibus is the sweet spot for lower og beers for me. The lower the og, the lower the ibu. Around 1.04 to 1.045 I like the 30-35ibu range for most hoppy styles like APA, bitter and hoppy lagers. Below that, I will go even lower.

This is a good point. The real numbers don't really matter as long as you with experience know what calculator you use and stay consistent in using the same. Then you know from experience next time, what numbers to aim for according to your chosen calculator. Great point :thumbsup:
 
Okay now I have updated the recipe with some instructions and correct hop amounts. The IBU value is not to be trusted from the recipe, but the IBU calculator rates the hop tea at 35 IBU :)

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1118448/matheos-partial-boil-chinook-smash-ipa
Anything I got wrong?

Also, I tried using Brewferms Dry Malt Extract instead of Muntons, as I can get that a bit cheaper, but the tool did not have the numbers for it, though it had the entry... But would it be about the same? I had no idea what to put in PPG, °L and PTS... So I left Muntons in the recipe
 
Okay now I have updated the recipe with some instructions and correct hop amounts. The IBU value is not to be trusted from the recipe, but the IBU calculator rates the hop tea at 35 IBU :)

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1118448/matheos-partial-boil-chinook-smash-ipa
Anything I got wrong?

Also, I tried using Brewferms Dry Malt Extract instead of Muntons, as I can get that a bit cheaper, but the tool did not have the numbers for it, though it had the entry... But would it be about the same? I had no idea what to put in PPG, °L and PTS... So I left Muntons in the recipe
The important number for the calculation is the amount of sugar per amount of DME and these are almost the same for each brand.
 
And remember, you don't have to force the malt extract into solution completely... Time and yeast will do this for you anyway. If there are clumps, don't worry, they will dissolve on their own.
 
The important number for the calculation is the amount of sugar per amount of DME and these are almost the same for each brand.

Yea that is what I thought, but I could not even save my recipe with the brewferm malt in there lol.
1613753795561.png

I think it is because the PPG is 0 for some reason....

Also it seems to know 2.56 °L vs Muntons at 4.3 °L. What do these numbers even mean?

And remember, you don't have to force the malt extract into solution completely... Time and yeast will do this for you anyway. If there are clumps, don't worry, they will dissolve on their own.
Yes :) I figured I would just add room temp tap water until I manage to dissolve it fine enough in the fermenter. Then add the hop tea.
 

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Yea that is what I thought, but I could not even save my recipe with the brewferm malt in there lol. View attachment 719238
I think it is because the PPG is 0 for some reason....

Also it seems to know 2.56 °L vs Muntons at 4.3 °L. What do these numbers even mean?


Yes :) I figured I would just add room temp tap water until I manage to dissolve it fine enough in the fermenter. Then add the hop tea.
L stands for lovibond and is a value for the colour. The higher the number, the darker the colour. There is also another unit which describes the same thing. Just like Fahrenheit and Celsius.


Both of your numbers are fairly light in colour.
 
L stands for lovibond and is a value for the colour. The higher the number, the darker the colour. There is also another unit which describes the same thing. Just like Fahrenheit and Celsius.


Both of your numbers are fairly light in colour.
Okay thanks. That clears it up. I should get fairly similar results, not matter if I use brewferm or Muntons, bottom line?

Also, I had a question regarding waters. When is tap water OK and when should I opt for bottled water? For exampel for the hop tea, The IBU is calculated assuming bottled or 1.0 gravity water
 
Okay thanks. That clears it up. I should get fairly similar results, not matter if I use brewferm or Muntons, bottom line?

Also, I had a question regarding waters. When is tap water OK and when should I opt for bottled water? For exampel for the hop tea, The IBU is calculated assuming bottled or 1.0 gravity water
Theoretically, untreated tap water without chlorine or chloramine (don't know how it is in Finland, in Germany it is practically untreated) is ok to use for everything.

But as you are not boiling a big portion of the water, it would be safer to go for bottled water (the cheapest one with the lowest mineral content), as there's a tiny chance that your beer might catch an infection from your unheated water. This chance is not so high and I would probably just use the tap water anyway, but that's not best practice.
 
Theoretically, untreated tap water without chlorine or chloramine (don't know how it is in Finland, in Germany it is practically untreated) is ok to use for everything.

But as you are not boiling a big portion of the water, it would be safer to go for bottled water (the cheapest one with the lowest mineral content), as there's a tiny chance that your beer might catch an infection from your unheated water. This chance is not so high and I would probably just use the tap water anyway, but that's not best practice.

I am pretty sure ours is about the same. Untreated. :)

And in this case, do you mean bottled water for the boil, and tap for the top off, or everything bottled? Of course everything would be ideal but feels a bit silly to buy water when we have so clean drinking water from the tap.

For the last brew (Coopers Lager extract) We used 2L of boiled tap water and then about 20L of cold tap water without issues.
 
This is our water at 20C
1613757571952.png

Looks to my eye to be 0.998

I have never tried the hydrometer in guaranteed 1.000 water, so could be that it is not fully on point (calibrated).
 
This is our water at 20C
View attachment 719245
Looks to my eye to be 0.998

I have never tried the hydrometer in guaranteed 1.000 water, so could be that it is not fully on point (calibrated).
The water is 1.0 . You'll be fine with tap water. What I meant above is everything that is not boiled from the bottle, but as I said, chances of contamination are small, so just use the tap water.

The biggest risk is actually not the water but where is comes out from. There could be some bacteria or wild yeasts hiding, but of it worked before, it will probably work again.

For my little experiment, I will just use tap water, because I'm lazy.
 
The water is 1.0 . You'll be fine with tap water. What I meant above is everything that is not boiled from the bottle, but as I said, chances of contamination are small, so just use the tap water.

The biggest risk is actually not the water but where is comes out from. There could be some bacteria or wild yeasts hiding, but of it worked before, it will probably work again.

For my little experiment, I will just use tap water, because I'm lazy.
:mug: I'm lazy too :D Fingers crossed it's fine :)
 
Yet another clarification, since I am not boiling the malt extract, the OG will be off? But not too much? If I remember correctly? I will still be taking gravity readings as I am such a newbie, and I wanna know ofc. The stable SG should be fine either way though, to indicate fermentation has finished. My fermenter does not use an airlock but instead has a krausen collar which I believe allows the fermenter to "blow" out air if needed. I know the main feature of that useless collar is not that, but I think it also does that.
 
Yet another clarification, since I am not boiling the malt extract, the OG will be off? But not too much? If I remember correctly? I will still be taking gravity readings as I am such a newbie, and I wanna know ofc. The stable SG should be fine either way though, to indicate fermentation has finished. My fermenter does not use an airlock but instead has a krausen collar which I believe allows the fermenter to "blow" out air if needed. I know the main feature of that useless collar is not that, but I think it also does that.
I have no idea what type of fermenter you are talking about.... Do you have a link to it?

The amount of extract that's not in solution but still undissolved will not contribute to the og reading, so one cannot say how much off it is.
 
Doesn't look air tight to me.... If you can, buti yourself a speidel fermenter, made out of hd pe. There are other air tight fermenters as well. The more oxygen, the less flavour. Buckets in general are almost always leaky.

Got it. Yea I will keep that in mind for my next one. I will try working with this one for now though. I wish I would have been into this more "custom brewing" than just branded liquid extracts + fermenter before. I guess I would have gotten a better one then. But I hope it will be fine :)
 
Thanks for mentioning that buddy. I don't think that has been mentioned. Would it also be OK to simply mix the DME before turning the stove on? Maybe I would have to stir until I get it to a boil in that case, but would that technically be OK or are there any drawbacks to that approach?

@BrewnWKopperKat Thanks for the link :) Gotta check it out if its got Muppet show music 😂 No but really, thanks. Will be helpful
If you use reverse osmosis (RO) water the DME will mix in like a champ.
 
Interesting! Though I think I will stick to regular water this time, but that's good to know!
If you read the extract brewing threads here you find that most recommend using RO water for extract brewing. The extract has the salts and minerals from the extraction process and tap water has its own salts and minerals and can be too much for your beer. I hope when people are saying to add tap water to your wort they mean boiled water not straight from the tap.
 
If you read the extract brewing threads here you find that most recommend using RO water for extract brewing. The extract has the salts and minerals from the extraction process and tap water has its own salts and minerals and can be too much for your beer. I hope when people are saying to add tap water to your wort they mean boiled water not straight from the tap.

Hmm well this is certainly the first time I am hearing about this. I feel like I get contradicting information really. Some say one thing and some say another.
 
Hmm well this is certainly the first time I am hearing about this. I feel like I get contradicting information really. Some say one thing and some say another.
This is not important. If your water has not m extremly high mineral content, you won't taste much of a difference. Water chemistry is mainly just the cherry on the topping, unless you have extremly hard water for example. And even then, with extract not such a big issue.
 
@Miraculix Sorry to be bothering you once again buddy. I was just wondering what the "official explanation" is to why 13g of hops in my 45min hop tea boil is enough for my IBU and otherwise? My friend and his dad brew from time to time and he said that it sounded way too little, though he admit he has no experience of boiling hops without malt. Is that the soul reason this is OK, or are there any other reason, like tied to the fact that I am using extract instead of grains (they always use grains)? I believe this is fine like you have explained to me, I would just like a good explanation to give to him as to why :D
 
This is not important. If your water has not m extremly high mineral content, you won't taste much of a difference. Water chemistry is mainly just the cherry on the topping, unless you have extremly hard water for example. And even then, with extract not such a big issue.

Thanks. It's hard to know whose advice to go bye when people have different tips that don't always go hand in hand. I will this time opt for tap water only and see what my results are. I have some friends brewing here in the same city, I could just ask them for what water they use as they probably tap the same water as I do :)
 
@Miraculix Sorry to be bothering you once again buddy. I was just wondering what the "official explanation" is to why 13g of hops in my 45min hop tea boil is enough for my IBU and otherwise? My friend and his dad brew from time to time and he said that it sounded way too little, though he admit he has no experience of boiling hops without malt. Is that the soul reason this is OK, or are there any other reason, like tied to the fact that I am using extract instead of grains (they always use grains)? I believe this is fine like you have explained to me, I would just like a good explanation to give to him as to why :D
If the numbers are correct, then it is what it is. You got a high alpha hop there and the utilisation is boosted due to the absence of proteins and sugars in the water.
 
Thanks. It's hard to know whose advice to go bye when people have different tips that don't always go hand in hand. I will this time opt for tap water only and see what my results are. I have some friends brewing here in the same city, I could just ask them for what water they use as they probably tap the same water as I do :)
It's not technically wrong what he said, but it's just not as important as it might have sounded.

I brewed good and bad beer with and without way chemistry taken into account. And for extract brewing, is even less important.
 
If the numbers are correct, then it is what it is. You got a high alpha hop there and the utilisation is boosted due to the absence of proteins and sugars in the water.
Then it is basically what I thought :)

the utilisation is boosted due to the absence of proteins and sugars in the water.
This is because of the lack of malt/dextrose and what not in the boil right. :) And yea, I don't think he paid too much attention to the alpha content of my hops.
 
It's not technically wrong what he said, but it's just not as important as it might have sounded.

I brewed good and had beer with and without way chemistry taken into account. And for extract brewing, is even less important.
Got ya. I guess water is hard to give advice on, especially tap water as it is not really the same unless you live in the same area.
 
Got ya. I guess water is hard to give advice on, especially tap water as it is not really the same unless you live in the same area.
Yes, you need a proper water report from the supplier or get it tested. This is a whole new topic but I wouldn't open that book right now, if I were you. The takeaway for you is, add long as you are not mashing, lowest mineral content possible will do.
 
Yes, you need a proper water report from the supplier or get it tested. This is a whole new topic but I wouldn't open that book right now, if I were you. The takeaway for you is, add long as you are not mashing, lowest mineral content possible will do.

Yeah. I feel like we try to keep it as simple as possible but always get side tracked with the very details :p
 
Small overall update. Ordered my ingredients earlier today :)
1613833688923.png

I found a slightly cheaper site, saving me about 10€ which was nice. Though the chinook pellets are reported to have slightly lower AA (9-12), so I will have to tweak my recipe a bit. I got a 250g bag as they were out of stock for 100g lol. Apparently they are prepacked. I will just have to save the remainders.

For those wondering, the last thing on the list are hop bags. They were out of 10pack (of course) so I got 6 individual ones instead.
 
If you read the extract brewing threads here you find that most recommend using RO water for extract brewing. The extract has the salts and minerals from the extraction process and tap water has its own salts and minerals and can be too much for your beer. I hope when people are saying to add tap water to your wort they mean boiled water not straight from the tap.

Yes straight out of the tap no boiling. I even use ice from the store if I need to chill it quickly. City water is treated and fine for this. If it was well water I might think differently.

Matheos- you need to log off for a few days, like until your ingredients arrive.

You are obsessing too much about things right now like the water. You have the next 10 batches to start thinking about improving your process and make better beer. It sounds confusing now but it will all make more sense after you do it once.

Keep it simple and just follow the recipe your beer will be fine.

GL!
 
Yes straight out of the tap no boiling. I even use ice from the store if I need to chill it quickly. City water is treated and fine for this. If it was well water I might think differently.

Matheos- you need to log off for a few days, like until your ingredients arrive.

You are obsessing too much about things right now like the water. You have the next 10 batches to start thinking about improving your process and make better beer. It sounds confusing now but it will all make more sense after you do it once.

Keep it simple and just follow the recipe your beer will be fine.

GL!

You are absolutely correct sir. Need to take a breather here and await my ingredients. Also find myself a pot :p Thanks a lot to everyone for all the helpful tips and advice so far! You are making this journey so much more exciting for me :D

I will calm down now haha. Thanks again everybody!
 
Small overall update. Ordered my ingredients earlier today :)
View attachment 719367

I found a slightly cheaper site, saving me about 10€ which was nice. Though the chinook pellets are reported to have slightly lower AA (9-12), so I will have to tweak my recipe a bit. I got a 250g bag as they were out of stock for 100g lol. Apparently they are prepacked. I will just have to save the remainders.

For those wondering, the last thing on the list are hop bags. They were out of 10pack (of course) so I got 6 individual ones instead.

I was indeed wondering about the last mysterious item on the list :D

Try to seal the remaining hop bag with duct tape or womething similar and store it in the freezer. It keeps looong time this way.
 
Small overall update. Ordered my ingredients earlier today :)
View attachment 719367

I found a slightly cheaper site, saving me about 10€ which was nice. Though the chinook pellets are reported to have slightly lower AA (9-12), so I will have to tweak my recipe a bit. I got a 250g bag as they were out of stock for 100g lol. Apparently they are prepacked. I will just have to save the remainders.

For those wondering, the last thing on the list are hop bags. They were out of 10pack (of course) so I got 6 individual ones instead.
If this is all the malt extract you got, then you will end up with an og of 1.028 and an abv of roughly 2,7%.

You got more at home? Otherwise, this won´t be a 19 litre, but a 10 litre batch.
 
If this is all the malt extract you got, then you will end up with an og of 1.028 and an abv of roughly 2,7%.

You got more at home? Otherwise, this won´t be a 19 litre, but a 10 litre batch.
Ah crap you are right. Good spot. I am missing one KG.... ****, I have to email them and try to add it to my order. Thanks!
 
Ah crap you are right. Good spot. I am missing one KG.... ****, I have to email them and try to add it to my order. Thanks!
If the parcel is already on its way, no problem in scaling this recipe down to 10-12l. It just means that you will brew the next beer quicker. When I started brewing, I made smaller batches on purpose, so that I can really evaluate each single change quicker. For example, I would start extremely simple, just like you, one base malt and one hop. Next time, I would either add one more ingredient or change one ingredient or change one major thing in the process. ALways only one at a time, so that I can compare what this one factor did to the beer.

You could change the hop, or the yeast, or add one steaping grain like medium crystal for example. The more batches you brew this way, the quicker your knowledge builds up and that is done the quickest with smaller batches.
 
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