New to Forum and Homebrewing/Question

[Big-Ben-87]

This is my first time Homebrewing and I have a question regarding what I noticed. For my first time I used one of those pre-hopped malt kits. I picked out the light beer category for the kit because I was trying to make a light beer. After everything was done the beer had an almost brown/amber color to it. I was wondering what could cause the beer to not be that light golden color that I was looking for. Is there anything that I could have done to prevent this?

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Born Brewing Co.]

How long did you boil the extract? Typically, extracts added toward the end of the boil will stay lighter. Also, I think it is difficult to have a very light colored beer using extracts. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Big-Ben-87]

I boiled the extract for the entire hour. Since it was a kit that was already pre-hopped and everything I really didn't do anything else but sit there and let it boil for an hour while stirring it every couple of minutes. Maybe it is the extract that is the problem. I didn't know that.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[betch]

I also boiled a extract for some time and it also turned out darker than I wanted. The way to go is mini-mash or AG for the light color.

 

[Big-Ben-87]

Alright thanks. I guess I'll have to move to all-grains when I get a little more experience under my belt.

Thanks Everyone for the advice

 

[Exo]

I dunno, I have some pretty light extract ales.

You have to boil as much water as possible. Some electric stoves will scorch the sugars near the bottom of thin pots as well.

The other issue is that your beer will lighten once the fermentation stages are complete. And if your looking into your pot...yes it will look dark. And if your looking through your carboy or into your bucket...your looking "through" a lot of liquid...gonna look dark.

You'll know once you bottle it.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Age of the extract also affects the color of it. The older the darker...
I wouldn't say you need to go to AG to get lighter beers. It's true that you can brew lighter beers with AG, but you can brew pretty light ones with extract too. Besides, it's only color...

 

[Brewsmith]

First off, you will have beer, it's just darker than you wanted. That's fine. Relax.

If you use pre-hopped extract, boiling for a full hour will only darken the color and boil off some of the hop flavor and aroma. If you want to use pre-hopped extract again, that's fine, but you only need to boil it to kill any bacteria. 15 minutes would be fine. The hour is only necessary if you use hops (pellet or whole) during the boil. Next brew try using unhopped extract, liquid or dry, 8 lbs liquid or 6 lbs dry, and use the extra pale variety. Grab some hops, say Liberty pellets, and throw about an ounce in at the beginning of the boil, a half ounce after 45 minutes and turn it off after an hour total. You'll have a light blonde ale to be proud of. You'll often see the recipes written like this:

Blonde Liberty Ale
5 Gallons

6 lbs Extra Light Malt Extract (Dry)

1 oz. Liberty 4.0%AA 60 min
0.5 oz. Liberty 4.0%AA 15 min

OG: 1.054
SRM: 3
IBU: 24

I hope this is helpful. Keep brewing! The first brew is always a big learning experience. They get better, I promise.

 

[uwmgdman]

One other thing, the color might be darker than you hoped, but it will still taste 'light'. Just because it's dark doesn't mean it's going to tasted like roasted malts, if you bought a light kit, the taste will be light.

Like others have said, it will be much lighter when you pour a glass rather than looking at the entire volume and the liquid extract tends to darken with age. Keep at it, you'll be rewarded nicely for your patience.

 

[cweston]

Lots of good responses already...

One more thing about liquid malt extract (LME): it definitely darkens with age. (Meaning age before you brew with it.)

If you mail order from a super high-volume retailer like morebeer.com, Austin Home Brew Supply or Northern Brewer (to name just a few of the biggest), you'll get a very fresh LME, packed in a plastic jug instead of a can. This will tend to give you a fresher-tasting beer and be truer to color.

 

[SteveM]

One more item. I have made some spectacularly light colored ales with extract brewing when it mattered to me to do so by using very light steeping grains or none at all and sometimes substituting rice solids for malt extract. It is all about trade offs - you give up something but get the lighter color.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Or do a late boil as I do. Boil 1 lb extra light DME (and other ingredients) in 1.5 gal water for 45 mins then remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining DME 1 lb at a time and dissolve. Return to heat boil another 15 mins. Your brew will be lighter than it is now.

 

[Big-Ben-87]

Alright thanks everyone for the helpful hints. I think I will be trying that Blonde Ale next. That sounds good. Thanks everyone.

 

[G. Cretin]

Alright thanks everyone for the helpful hints. I think I will be trying that Blonde Ale next. That sounds good. Thanks everyone.

The only thing I can add at this point (everyone else covered it all) sanatize sanatize sanatize. Welcome to the world of brewing I hope you have deep pockets