First time trying extract.

Brewing Processes
1

I’m undertaking a a little bit of my own adventure. I’m going to brew each recipe in the Brewing Classics Styles book.

Im wanting to know if anyone has some pointers for extract brewing mainly.

Water and PH adjustments are they necessary?

Do you have any problems with things such as DMS or other off flavors you sometimes have to watch out for while All grain brewing?

What’s your best technique to getting the LME into the boil kettle?

I just picked up the ingredients to do the Irish red Ale yesterday to start out with.

Thank you in advance.

2

Extract alone or with specialty grains or with a mini-mash?

3

You’ll have better results with DME,  not LME. Because all minerals were included when the extract was made, use distilled water, but you can add sulfate of chloride for flavor if you want to… No pH worries unless you start steeping a lot of grain.

4

Partial mash with specialty grains.

Would like to follow the recipes as close as possible to build a knowledgeable foundation of styles and specialty grains.

I’ve been making my own beers for a few months but feel like I’m a little all over the place.

5

I think this is an awesome endeavor. You’re going to learn a lot thru this project.

6

Didn’t even think of using DME.

7

I think so too that’s why I’m going to do it. Short of a long story I’m s tradesman but my ankle won’t last the next 25 years of my career. I’m a pretty good cook, especially southern BBQ. I hope to open a small BBQ and beer shack. It’s something our small town is missing.

8

Here are some things I’ve picked up.

Water adjustments
Water for the boil should have alkalinity below 50 ppm. The need for adjustment depends on your water. Bru’n Water can help figure how much acid to use.
CaCl and gypsum might help, depending on your water and the extract manufacturer’s mash water chemistry. Making up dilute solutions and adding to a glass of beer can help you decide whether, and how much, to add.

DMS: It doesn’t seem to be a problem. I’ve never had a problem with it, even when doing covered hop stands.

Adding LME: Late extract addition has become popular. I add enough extract at the beginning to get about 1.040 SG in the boil. Then add the rest at flameout. Also, make sure the kettle bottom won’t scorch the extract - I wait one minute after taking it off the burner before adding extract.

I’ve gone to a 40 minute boil. This seems to be getting popular.

Good luck.

9

That’s what I did at my house. [emoji23]

10

Lol

11

Thank you

12

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Didn’t even think of using DME.

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Why not?

13

Denny is correct.  DME is almost always less oxidized than LME.

14

Didn’t even think of using DME.

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Why not?

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I usually brew AG and the book lists LME. But I’ll do a DME batch aswell

15

There is at least one LME you can’t get in DME form. That is Briess Munich. That one is 50/50 Munich/Pils malt. I think some of the recipes will benefit from Munich malt. If you see Munich in the book’s all grain version you might try to use it in the extract version.

Another place to consider LME is when you want to use continental malts. William’s brewing has several LME varieties based on European malts.

16

Actually, you can:
https://wineandhop.com/products/munich-dry-malt-extract-dme-3-lb-us-briess

17

I’d go further than almost…I have never experienced oxidized DME.  I don’t know if it’s even possible.

18

Awesome. Thanks. I had just looked and morebeer and they didn’t have it so I assumed no one did. That’s good for extract brewers.

19

Why is LME so common, then?  I see it all over the place, especially in recipe kits.  (I ask out of genuine curiosity, not contrarianism.)

20

If you keep a bag around long enough, extra pale malt extract turns into a light brown brick.