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Learn -
Tips & Tricks
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Written by Mark Emiley
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Tuesday, 15 July 2008 20:07 |
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Some people can tell an extract beer from an all-grain beer in a matter of seconds. Why is that? It is because of a unique carmelization taste that develops from a concentrated boil. So, what are the ways around that?
1. Do a full boil. Get a larger pot (7+ gallons) and a wort chiller and boil your full batch size. That way you won't have to deal with the over-caramelization of a high gravity boil.
2. Add 1/3-1/2 of your extract in right as you are coming up on boil, then VERY SLOWLY add the remainder during the last 15-20 minutes of the boil. This will reduce the net amount of time for caramelization which will reduce that "extracty" flavor. A couple of cautions: you need to add the extract slowly and stir well to prevent scortching of the extract as you add it, and also, adding it slowly will allow you to maintain a boil and continue your hop extraction. If you add too much extract quickly, the temperature drop will kill the boil.
While the first technique is recommended, the second is a little more practical for most people.
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