Boiling DME

[STLRAB]

I just brewed my first two batches of beer and noticed in both of them that there was a good layer of DME "sludge" in the bottom when I bottled. I didn't boil for very long, should I boil for a certain amount of time to dissolve the malt better or just stir more? Or is this just normal?

Thanks in advance!

 

[STLRAB]

I just brewed my first two batches of beer and noticed in both of them that there was a good layer of DME "sludge" in the bottom when I bottled. I didn't boil for very long, should I boil for a certain amount of time to dissolve the malt better or just stir more? Or is this just normal?

Thanks in advance!

 

[RM-MN]

LOL, that wasn't DME, it was yeast and hops, aka trub. The yeast would easily have found and eaten all the DME.

 

[chickypad]

Are you talking about the trub and yeast cake that is left at the bottom of the fermenter after racking to the bottling bucket? Or perhaps the yeast sediment in the bottles that is the result of bottle conditioning?

 

[chickypad]

Dude, the title says boiling DME but read the post - he/she's talking about sludge he/she is seeing at bottling time. This is why I am confused about the question.

Edited for gender neutrality (I do it too! )

 

[BansheeRider]

Dude, the title says boiling DME but read the post - he's talking about sludge he is seeing at bottling time. This is why I am confused about the question.

I removed the post after re-reading the question, sorry bro. The title of the post doesn't make sense along with the question. It sounds like the OP boiled and then went straight into bottling lol!

 

[chickypad]

I removed the post after re-reading the question, sorry bro. The title of the post doesn't make sense along with the question. It sounds like the OP boiled and then went straight into bottling lol!

No worries (but it's sis!)

 

[BansheeRider]

No worries (but it's sis!)

My bad...again Let me go get a home brew, been on this site too long today

 

[STLRAB]

Ha oops. It was like .5 in thick of what looked just like the DME so I just assumed that's what it was.

 

[STLRAB]

Sorry I have no fn clue what I'm doing lol. I only brewed a 2.5 gallon batch in both and the "sludge" was almost 1/2 inch thick and was the same color as the malt extract I used so I just assumed it was the extract in the bottom.

 

[chickypad]

Sorry I have no fn clue what I'm doing lol. I only brewed a 2.5 gallon batch in both and the "sludge" was almost 1/2 inch thick and was the same color as the malt extract I used so I just assumed it was the extract in the bottom.

Sounds like yeast cake. You're good!

 

[STLRAB]

Cool. Thanks all for the info

 

[lumpher]

op: to get it straight. you boil the extract, and put it in the fermenter. you let it ferment, then maybe ( or not ) secondary it. you then bottle it. what stage did you see this 1/2" cake at?

 

[beerinasippicup]

Sounds like yeast cake. You're good!

I agree. But just to be sure, you want to boil for long enough to allow your hop additions to make it into the flavor of the beer. Did you; heat the water, shut off the flame to stir in the DME, get the wort to a boil, then add hops for ruffly an hour long boil?

 

[STLRAB]

I let it ferment for about 2 weeks. I then bottled and that is when I saw the "cake" at the bottom of the fermenter.

 

[mike_in_ak]

It's a cake alright.

 

[lumpher]

ok. that's normal. it's called trub. it's a mixture of yeast and other sediment generated during fermentation. hint: you can use that layer to ferment your next beer that uses the same yeast

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah.check out the yeast washing sticky.

 

[unionrdr]

Also,letting the beer clean up & settle out clear or slightly misty before bottling will greatly reduce all that trub in the bottom of the bottles. Patience is a key factor in brewing.

 

[STLRAB]

Ok so I am under the understanding that boiling DME is not necessary and that makes sense, however I have a recipe that requires a 45 min boil. My question is do I just boil the hops and zest along with the crystal malt then add the DME at flame out? Probably a dumb question just want to make sure I am doing the process right.


1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)
3 lbs Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM)
3 lbs Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM)
2.0 oz Cascade [6.4%] - Boil 45 min
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15 min)
3.00 Lime Peel/Juice (Boil 10 min)
1.0 oz Cascade [6.4%] - Boil 5 min
1 pkgs Dry Ale Yeast (Nottingham #)

 

[STLRAB]

Ok so I am under the understanding that boiling DME is not necessary and that makes sense, however I have a recipe that requires a 45 min boil. My question is do I just boil the hops and zest along with the crystal malt then add the DME at flame out? Probably a dumb question just want to make sure I am doing the process right.


1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)
3 lbs Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM)
3 lbs Wheat Dry Extract (8.0 SRM)
2.0 oz Cascade [6.4%] - Boil 45 min
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 15 min)
3.00 Lime Peel/Juice (Boil 10 min)
1.0 oz Cascade [6.4%] - Boil 5 min
1 pkgs Dry Ale Yeast (Nottingham #)

 

[bleme]

The hops need some sugars in there to react right. I usually boil a third of my extract with my hops then add the rest at flame out.

You will get slightly better hop utilization this way, which can be good or bad, depending on your tastes.

 

[chickypad]

The brewing radio guys did an experiment boiling hops in just water and adding all the extract late, then compared to boiling with extract for the full time. They actually liked the batch with the hops boiled alone better, and it had good bittering. They also seemed to debunk the theory that it would add grassy off flavors.

That being said, it seems standard practice for most folks to add somewhere between 1/4 to 1/2 of their extract at the beginning on a partial boil.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

My question is do I just boil the hops and zest along with the crystal malt then add the DME at flame out? Probably a dumb question just want to make sure I am doing the process right.

1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)

You don't want to boil the crystal malts you will want to steep them and remove them before boiling. Some people will steep for around 30min at 150-160F some will toss the grains in and remove when the water comes up to boil. Boiling the grains can impart tannins and cause off flavors. You just need to steep specialty grains as they're already converted to sugars. You're just trying to leech the sugars out if the grains when steeping.

 

[STLRAB]

Thanks for the info!!!