Extract Procedure

[ART]

Would appreciate advice about late addition of malt extract. Looking for ways to improve my results. Is this worth trying?
Thanks for any help.
Art

[Jensen]

Are you talking about adding extract to the kettle because the OG is coming in to low, or are you talking about adding some more malt to the boil kettle towards the end of an alloted time-- for flavor profile enhancement?

[ART]

OG coming in just right, but have read that a full hour boil of the extract might cause scorching or what the article called carmelization. Just getting a bad taste and looking for a cause. Steeping crystal and/or victory grain prior to boil. Trying for an ale like ESB. What I read suggested just boiling the hops and waiting until last 15 minutes to add any extract (just enough time to sterilize it). No visible evidence of burning on bottom of kettle.

[Glenn]

I've read about the late addition of extract as well. A method that was taught to me was to turn down or even kill your gas while you add the extract and stir a lot before bringing the gas back up. My understanding was that the real danger was from your extract going right down to the bottom of the kettle when added, making it easy to scorch if you're not stirring enough - which I've been guilty of. Heating the extract ahead of time to make it more viscous helps as well, as then it will more quickly dissolve into the wort. BUT...if the issue isn't one of scorching on the bottom but rather the sugars in the extract scorching while in a dissolved state, then I don't know. The person who taught me (Ken!!) never had a scorching problem and he adds the extract at the beginning of the boil.

[ART]

Thanks for the help. It is possible I might have caused the problem steeping the grain incorrectly. Have been waiting to start until temperature is above 155. Lately I have read that some people put the grain in cold water and remove it when temperature reaches that level. So maybe the problem is coming from the grain and not the extract.

[klickcue]

I think that you are referring to Partial Mashing before adding your extract. The link below gives you a good example:
http://www.beersmith.com/blog/2009/05/1 ... l-mashing/

[ART]

Yes, that sounds like what I remembered. Saved your link and will try it this weekend. Need to get this right. Beer consumption down about 50% and losing weight. Thanks for your help.
Art