question for the experts

[browndawg]

I'm fairly new the homebrewing world ( less then 10 batches under my belt). I have seen improvement with each batch and the beer is good but not great. So I'm thinking I wanna switch up my process a bit. I'm currently doing parial extract batches from northern brewer.

So what I'm wanting to do is go to full boils and a late extract addition probablly half at the beginning and half at the end. So my question to you guys is that gonna mess with hop utilization or cause me any undesirable effects.

 

[frankstoneline]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/late-extract-addition-full-boils-70890/

 

[dantheman13]

Well, according to Palmer, the gravity of the beer combined with time of boiling has a direct effect on hop utilization. so yes, I think it would effect your utilization. (http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter5-5.html).

I am interested in more responses on this. I see a lot of partial mash steps that involve adding DME around 15 minutes into the boil. I don't see the point of that. Wouldn't you get better utilization if you add all of your DME/LME at the beginning of the boil? You would also avoid having to deal with a second hotbreak.

 

[unionrdr]

Adding all the malts to the boil makes for darker colors,& caramelization. Thus less fermentables,& less clean flavor & darker colors. That's why many of us do late malt additions,& hop bursting.

 

[Yooper]

Well, according to Palmer, the gravity of the beer combined with time of boiling has a direct effect on hop utilization. so yes, I think it would effect your utilization. (http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter5-5.html).

I am interested in more responses on this. I see a lot of partial mash steps that involve adding DME around 15 minutes into the boil. I don't see the point of that. Wouldn't you get better utilization if you add all of your DME/LME at the beginning of the boil? You would also avoid having to deal with a second hotbreak.

Palmer has come out since he wrote the first edition of How To Brew and said that he was wrong about the SG of the wort impacting hops utilization. It really doesn't.

In any case, if you add all of your extract at the beginning of the boil in a partial boil, you can have a very thick carmelly wort that exhibits maillard reactions and there will be a flavor impact. It might be very good in a Scottish ale, where kettle caramelization is actually a bonus, but not in most beers.

For a full boil, though, you don't need to do a late addition of the extract as if you do a full boil that isn't an issue, and it'll be more like the all-grain version of the same beer as far as material in the boil.

 

[dantheman13]

For a full boil, though, you don't need to do a late addition of the extract as if you do a full boil that isn't an issue, and it'll be more like the all-grain version of the same beer as far as material in the boil.

Thanks for the clarification, Yooper. I was mainly wondering because I was considering brewing an all grain beer that has a small amount of DME to the recipe (Maharaja clone). So, I should be fine adding that to the beginning of the boil?

 

[Hang Glider]

Browndawg - there are many ways to "step up" your brewing.
What do you do about temperature control? At what temperature do you pitch your yeast, at what temp do you ferment? Are you measuring the fermenter or the air around it?

Temp control (if you're not doing it, or only "kinda" doing it) will be one giant leap upward in quality. You should strive to ferment at the low end of the yeast strain's profile. You can make some awesome extract/kit beers with good temp control.

Full boils, all grain, and patience (3 -4 weeks in fermenter, longer for big beers) are cerrtainly good things to consider as well.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks for the clarification, Yooper. I was mainly wondering because I was considering brewing an all grain beer that has a small amount of DME to the recipe (Maharaja clone). So, I should be fine adding that to the beginning of the boil?

Sure, unless the recipe states to add it to the end.

 

[browndawg]

Browndawg - there are many ways to "step up" your brewing.
What do you do about temperature control? At what temperature do you pitch your yeast, at what temp do you ferment? Are you measuring the fermenter or the air around it?

Temp control (if you're not doing it, or only "kinda" doing it) will be one giant leap upward in quality. You should strive to ferment at the low end of the yeast strain's profile. You can make some awesome extract/kit beers with good temp control.

Full boils, all grain, and patience (3 -4 weeks in fermenter, longer for big beers) are cerrtainly good things to consider as well.

I have good temp. control I always ferment at bottom temp and pitch my yeast @ 70 degrees and I let my beer ferment for atleast 4 weeks.

By no means is my beer bad it just has a slight twang to it. Maybe its just me being hyper critical of my beer. But nontheless thanks for the advice and all the responses guys.

 

[Hang Glider]

sounds like you're doing all the right things...