Hello, I've recently started brewing and the RC Booze Handbook has been a really useful guide. All the recipes involve an infusion mash and some are all grain but some include large quantities of malt extract also. Wanting to be a purist, this seems a bit of a cop out! Can the extract be substituted for more grain in the mash or is there a benefit in using some grain and some extract?
River Cottage Booze Handbook Recipes
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MyQul
Chairman of the Bored
Bet that Fernley-Whittingstall doesn't call his recipe's home brew. Probably something like 'bespoke artisan craft beer'. Bleedin' sunday supplement hipster :lol::lol:
mook1979
Active Member
I have seen some of his recipes, since I started brewing and had to laugh at the approach they suggest. I'm sure they get decent results, so who am I to criticize.
I wasted my own time between using kits, wanting to be a purist like yourself and making the move to all grain. My wife got me a voucher from BrewUK for Christmas 2013 and I ordered this a few day later:
http://www.brewuk.co.uk/books/gift-ideas/beginners-beer/home-brew-beer.html
I should have used something like this from the start. I suggest you do the same if you do not have a book already. There are loads of amazing websites that provide you with everything you need to know, but I found that I hopped around from one source the other. Sticking to one source until you can comfortably recreate your favourite recipes helped me a lot.
I wasted my own time between using kits, wanting to be a purist like yourself and making the move to all grain. My wife got me a voucher from BrewUK for Christmas 2013 and I ordered this a few day later:
http://www.brewuk.co.uk/books/gift-ideas/beginners-beer/home-brew-beer.html
I should have used something like this from the start. I suggest you do the same if you do not have a book already. There are loads of amazing websites that provide you with everything you need to know, but I found that I hopped around from one source the other. Sticking to one source until you can comfortably recreate your favourite recipes helped me a lot.
I do all grain beers and beers that use both grain and malt extract. It's not a cop out in my opinion! It's just another way of making beer, and it saves time by reducing the grain bulk that you mash, sparge and boil. You still create a beer by creating a recipe, using different grains in a small steep or mini-mash, choosing and boiling the hops, choosing the yeast and managing the fermentation.
But yes, you can use more grain in place of extract. Extract is just grain that has been mashed and condensed.
But yes, you can use more grain in place of extract. Extract is just grain that has been mashed and condensed.
Thanks both. In response to Mook1979, I've found the River Cottage book good, I bought it for hedgerow infusions before moving onto beer. The Ordinary Bitter recipe worked well. The Black Pearl Porter less well but I suspect the medicinal taste was my fault - insufficient rinsing of sanitiser probably.... Just brewed the Special Bitter. All seems well - bubbling contentedly. I really enjoyed Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing and his Tire Biter Bitter worked well. Graham Wheeler's book was a good guide but the Adnams Explorer was no where near the real thing. Tasted good but far darker than than Explorer should be. I checked the recipe on a brewing calculator and it gave an output like I got. Currently reading Andy Hamilton's Beer book. Seems good but with a slightly different emphasise - good hop guide. The byo.com website has been really good. Their Dark Mild turned out really well. Next I'm going to try their oatmeal stout. John Palmer's how to brew website has been really useful, especially for water treatment. This forum and JBK has been really helpful. I'll take a look at the book you suggested Mook1979. Currently planning 3 SMaSH beers from 1 wort to compare East Kent Golding, Fuggles and Bramling Cross. Thirsty just thinking about them!
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