Steeping grains with extract

[Ster]

Many of you have advised us to use light or XLight extract when brewing most styles.

I still have doubts.

Let's say I want a dark smoky porter.

Yes I can steep some 120L and chocolate malts. However, in my opinion, those steeped grains will have much more influence on color than taste. I have purchased several porter kits, and they all had dark liquid extracts. These extracts like have LOTs of extracted dark malts, that will affect the taste so much more than 6lbs extra light plus a muslin bag full of dark malts.

Agree.

I recently started using only light and Xlight extracts, but starting to think about winter brews and starting to reconsider this approach.

 

[twistr25]

Best thing is it's all about your preference! I'd say you get a more natural flavor by using the steeping grains and not the "processed" extract. But to each their own. I made a fantastic brown ale with a deep color with light extract and darker steeping grains. One of my favorites.

 

[Erbun]

Wait, question.

Still new so I apologize if this is a dumber question, but...

How is Malt Extract processed? From my understanding it's just regular wort that's been dehyrdrated to a point to provide ease of transport.

 

[evrose]

Many of you have advised us to use light or XLight extract when brewing most styles.

I still have doubts.

Let's say I want a dark smoky porter.

Yes I can steep some 120L and chocolate malts. However, in my opinion, those steeped grains will have much more influence on color than taste. I have purchased several porter kits, and they all had dark liquid extracts. These extracts like have LOTs of extracted dark malts, that will affect the taste so much more than 6lbs extra light plus a muslin bag full of dark malts.

Agree.

I recently started using only light and Xlight extracts, but starting to think about winter brews and starting to reconsider this approach.

The dark extract might have more of an effect, but do you know what those effects are? With light extract and dark grains, you have more control over what goes in to your beer. With dark extract, you don't really know what you're getting.

So yeah, I agree that dark extract will have an effect on taste... you just won't know what that effect might be.

Having said that, if you like the results you get from dark extract, by all means, brew with it.

 

[Ster]

So let me ask this....

I want a dark smoky tasting porter, extract.

How much grains and how long should they. Be steeped to achieve this?

 

[MuddyCreek]

With light extract and dark grains, you have more control over what goes in to your beer. With dark extract, you don't really know what you're getting.

Agree!

Frankly, if you're deciding to do partial mash or steeps with extract, you've already basically acknowledged you don't have specific control over the extract portion of your beer. You're using a finished ingredient that gives you a specific output.

If you prefer the dark extract output to the light extract output, go for it. However, you would have more control over subtle flavor/color/aroma nuances if you make greater use of steeping/mashing grains. Which I guess is pretty much an obvious given.

Captain Obvious, ensuring you realize you're smarter than even you thought since 1969!

 

[ACbrewer]

Wait, question.

Still new so I apologize if this is a dumber question, but...

How is Malt Extract processed? From my understanding it's just regular wort that's been dehyrdrated to a point to provide ease of transport.

Short answer - yes that is.

If you take a pale/extra pale wort and boil it down you have a pale/extra pale extract.

If you take an amber... same idea, the discussion here is does Mutons(or other malter) dark malt extract have the flavor profile you want, or would using some pale and then mixing your choice of say 1.5lb of crystal 120 or perhaps .5lb of chocolate (L350) be better? And to that I say, it's your beer make it any dang way you want!

 

[evrose]

So let me ask this....

I want a dark smoky tasting porter, extract.

How much grains and how long should they. Be steeped to achieve this?

(imperfect) Example: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f77/loon-lake-smoked-porter-award-winner-90531/

The problem with converting this recipe to extract is the munich malt, which you can't get in extract form. And that's the problem with extract (which I brew with from time to time)... control.

You could do that recipe in extract form by substituting the munich for light extract, and keep the rest of the grains as per the recipe. It wouldn't be quite the same, but similar in many ways.

Generally, steeping specialty grains for about 20 minutes in the 150-160F range is fine.

 

[ncbrewer]

I've had pretty good luck reading what specialty grains are included in an extract and selecting the one I think will give me the result I want. Sometimes it doesn't come out as desired, but it's good anyway. There are several styles I brew using only extract with no extra specialty grains - no left over grains to store, and no worry about grains getting stale. Williams Brewing has a good selection of extracts.