Extract brewing with grains

[gosolo]

My first brew is 2 weeks in the bottles, the second, is ready for bottling.

The directions from the HBS that supplied the “IPA kit”, were to include all the LME at the beginning of the boil.

On the Home Brewers Association website, the instructions for this type of brew, are to split the LME extract 50/50, adding 1/2 at the beginning of the boil and the other 1/2 after flame out.

What are the consequences of the 2 methods?

 

[Lefou]

What you might perceive is a possible difference in flavor and color between the two beers.
The second brew as done with AHA advice is boiled to reduce possible Maillard reactions and caramelization of your wort. A lot of homebrew kits are geared for beginning brewers who might not feel comfortable with variations early on in their brewing process so when they see something like this, they question it.

 

[Imhoppy]

1/2 of the LME added later reduces the boiling gravity and this will increase the hop utilization, given the timing of the hop additions remain unchanged.

 

[kh54s10]

There is a little hop utilization in the equation but using half at the end will mostly keep the color of the extract batch closer to what color an all grain batch would look like. It also lessens a scorched/cooked flavor.

 

[gosolo]

I will try another batch splitting the addition of the malt extract, to see what it is like.

I really want to just be able to produce decent beer, consistently.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

The directions from the HBS that supplied the “IPA kit”, were to include all the LME at the beginning of the boil.

On the Home Brewers Association website, the instructions for this type of brew, are to split the LME extract 50/50, adding 1/2 at the beginning of the boil and the other 1/2 after flame out.

With malt extract additions, water volume is also a factor. Two general approaches:

A full volume (5 gal) boil with all the extract at the start of the 60 minute boil works well if one can heat and cool that much liquid. Kits may choose to use this as the boil process is the same as "all-grain" brewing.

"stove top brewing" (or partial boil with late extract additions): A partial boil (2.5 gal) boil with roughly half the extract at the start of the boil and the rest (water, extract) at the end of the boil. This approach works well when heating / cooling five gallons of water isn't practical. How to Brew, 4e talks a lot about this approach (howtobrew.com doesn't). There are limitations to the amount of IBUs that can be put into water - so some high IBU recipes may not be possible with "stove top" brewing and pellet / whole hops.

 

[davidabcd]

What are the consequences of the 2 methods?

All the answers above are great.
But just starting out? It matters little to zero "when" and the vast majority wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It will be good beer.
LME is tricky for some. Using a long, restaurant spatula periodically during the boil keeps the bottom from collecting LME and it's been very effective for me.

 

[kh54s10]

With LME take the pot off the heat. And stir very well. This is when people have problems. With the pot on the heat, pouring in the LME, it sinks and scorches before it gets stirred and dissolved.

 

[gosolo]

I am doing a partial boil, 3 gallons. I did have some malt scorch and see how adding 1/2 would have reduced that. I also think pulling the pot off the burner for the mix will help. The bottles I’ve sampled (1 at 1 week, 1 at 2 weeks) exhibit good taste, aroma and mouth feel. Fruity at the start and nice hoppy finish. Very little head and small carbonation. Aging is in a Conex.
Temperatures avg from 30 to 60, I expected the low temperatures are slowing everything down.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I am doing a partial boil, 3 gallons. I did have some malt scorch and see how adding 1/2 would have reduced that.

If the kit instructions called for a partial (3.0 gal) boil for a 5.0 gal batch and added all the extract at the start of the boil, be aware that there are claims that this (concentrated boil of malt extract) may cause off flavors (for example, How To Brew, 4e, chapter 9). Concentrated boils will also reduce hop utilization - but the recipe should take this into account and not impact the bitterness of the beer.

 

[gosolo]

I’m not sure the local HBS knew that I was boiling in a 3 gal kettle when they were adding the notes to the generic recipe sheet they use.
And being a greenhorn, I didn’t know any better, till now.
I will continue to read and try things until I’ve got it right.
I appreciate the help from this forum

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Kits get us started, discussion moves us forward.