Goldings, SAAZ and PME - My First Full Extract Brew

[oneilldave]

Hi Folks,

I've made my first ever full extract brew, after many years of kit brewing. So, I thought I'd post up what I did and then update it as the brew continues. I hope it will taste okay so if anyone's got any tips and hints I appreciate it. One of these days I will go to full mash but for the time being I'm using this as a half-way house, if that makes any sense.

You'll notice that I've split the boil of the extract over two goes. This is only because I didn't have a big enough container to do it in one go. I bought, ages ago, one of those Lidl boilers but it only goes up to 95 degrees so I decided it's not good enough; if anyone knows how to modify it so that i can get a nice rolling boil I'd be grateful.


Dave's Extract Brew No. 1

3Kg Pale Malt Extract (Brupacks)
50g EKG
35g SAAZ
15g SAAZ
640g Jar of Honey
55g Root Ginger (chopped)
1 pk Muntons Gold Yeast

According to the Beer Engine v1.09 this will give me a beer at 5% abv with Bitterness of 32 EBU, colour of 15 EBC. The Starting gravity was 1.048

Method:

1. Boil 1.5Kg of Pale Malt Extract for 45 minutes with the 50g EKG
2. Sieve into fermentation vessel
3. Boil the remaining 1.5 PME for 15 minutes before adding 35g SAAZ, the chopped ginger and the honey.
4. Boil for a further 15 minutes.
5. Flame out and let cool to 80 degrees. Add last 15g of SAAZ for 60 minutes
6. Sieve into fermentation vessel. Top up to 25L with cold water.
7. Allow to cool to 20 degrees, pitch yeast.

I added the ginger to give the beer a delicate background taste, though at such a small amount for 25L I'm not sure it will be noticeable. Again, I'll let you know when it's bottled and clear enough to drink.

I'll be honest, I'm quite excited about this as it really feels like this is my beer that I'm making, and not just adding water and waiting!

Cheers!

Dave.

[DaveyT]

Alright Dave
The recipe looks good. I wouldn't bother with the ginger just yet; perhaps get to grips with the method before experimenting. Having said that, it's not a right lot so the risk is minimized. I couldn't tell you about your choice of hops; I don't know if they work well together. There's a very good recipe section to this forum that has a lot of good starting points in it.
How big's your boiling vessel? I use a pan on the stove that only holds 8l. I boil everything in that for as long as I need to then top it up with cold water afterwards. I only make 12l brews mind.
There are 101 ideas about this. I'm pretty happy with the results and, for various reasons, won't be able to change anytime soon. I would recommend you chuck it all in rather than do it in two stages.
Is there any reason why you're boiling things for 45 min and not longer? I only boil for 60 min and that's a mark down from the 90 min that many people/books recommend. A lot happens during the boil to the water, the malt and the hops. Again there are 101 ideas about it. Perhaps there have been/will be experiments to find a definitive time threshold.
Hope this helps.

DaveyT

[oneilldave]

Hi DaveyT,

Thanks for the comments.

I did the boil in two stages because I don't have a big enough pot, unfortunately. Why 45 minutes? Because I read that somewhere. If you think, and your comments seem to support it, that a longer boil is better then that's okay with me. I thought, and I'm open to guidance, that as the PME was already a boiled product I wouldn't need to boil it for so long? But if you are suggesting I'd get more from my hops then that sounds like a plan to me.

I have made an extract brew before when I tried to follow the Hoegaarden clone from this site. It mentioned the hops to use, hence why I had them spare. I thought I'd use them up and see how I got on, and the ginger was only because I like it.

I tried my first bottle last night (9th March 2011) and it was lovely! There was enough bitternes to remind me I was drinking beer, with a residual sweetness from the PME gently cutting through slightly afterwards. Then the ginger brings up the rear with the vaguest hint, right in the background. This is the best beer I have ever made and I am really happy with it. It's sitting at about 5% which is also fine for me.

So, next up I have two 1.8L tins of MME (Medium Malt Extract), some Fuggles hops and some Hallertauer hops. Any suggestions?

Thanks again,

Dave.

[soupdragon]

I bought, ages ago, one of those Lidl boilers but it only goes up to 95 degrees so I decided it's not good enough; if anyone knows how to modify it so that i can get a nice rolling boil I'd be grateful.

Hi oneilldave

I've not got one myself but I found a thread about them where they can be made to give a good rolling boil by turning the collar behind the thermostat dial.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=33287

On page 3, 6th post down. Hope it's of some help

Cheers Tom

[oneilldave]

Thanks, Tom. I'll have a go this weekend, then.

[soupdragon]

No problem. I hope it works for you, some people have said the collar can be quite hard to turn.
Best of luck

Cheers Tom

[Horatio]

I was lucky enough to be given a bottle of this beer last night. Dave, I have to say mate it was wonderful! Really lovely flavours and a perfect ginger hit that just leave s slight tingle on the tongue. Really clean, clear, crisp and tatsy pint! I shall be knocking up an AG version of this very soon.

[oneilldave]

I was lucky enough to be given a bottle of this beer last night. Dave, I have to say mate it was wonderful! Really lovely flavours and a perfect ginger hit that just leave s slight tingle on the tongue. Really clean, clear, crisp and tatsy pint! I shall be knocking up an AG version of this very soon.

I am honoured, thanks. Having had the good fortune to taste your AG brews on numerous occasions I know that I have a lot to learn, and a lot to achieve. My attempt to brew to a half way house by going to extracts will never match an AG brew, and I think all the AG brewers on this site will agree, but it is such a huge step up from being a kit brewer. Oh, the joys of experimenting with hops ... as I am finding out.