Liquid Malt Extract Experiment

[dtrb]

I started this journey by running a bunch of store bought wine. Its been on medium toast French oak cubes for about six months and is starting to come around. I moved on to a few batches of TFFV, which became the base for SPD, Peach Cobbler, and Apple Pie. On to dual five generation batches of UJSSM (one batch with plain cane sugar and the other with dark brown sugar) all still on oak. Then several batches of Shadys Sugar Shine. I made quite a bit of rum from many different threads. I keep falling in the rabbit hole and while working on my first all grain (two five gallon batches of HBB) I stumbled on Shadylane's thread [/url]viewtopic.php?t=83594 for Single Malt Whiskey using LME.

I dug around for more information and came across an interesting deal from Williams Brewing. Basically it is a grab bag of 33 pounds of LME for about $65.00. These are listed as their LME overruns. I was able to get one and I also bought a 32 pound growler of American Red extract. The grab bag consisted of 20 pounds of Pale Ale malt. Their site's description "Pale Ale extract is mashed from the finest two row European pale ale malt, and is ideal for English and American style Pale Ale and Bitter. Compared with our German Pils extract, this one has a slightly darker color and a hint of caramel in the malt flavor." I also got 10 pounds of Baltic Black. Description, "Malt Extract has been formulated with Debittered Black Wheat Malt, Melanoidin Malt, Vienna, and Pilsner malt, for the color and body of a stout style without the roast, bitter aftertaste." Lastly, I received 9 pounds of Rye Malt Extract. I couldn't find a description on their site for this.

I was initially going to mix the rye in with the other extracts, but this past Saturday I decided to do all of them independent and experiment with blending the final products down the road.

Here are the bills for each of the three batches:

Rye
9 pounds of Rye Malt Extract
2 pounds of Dark Corn Syrup
5 gallons of water

Baltic Black
10 pounds of LME
1 pound of Dark Corn Syrup
5 gallons of water

Pale Ale
20 pounds of LME
2 pounds of Dark Corn Syrup
10 gallons of water

Oddly, the SG for all three batches was right at 1.06.

For each of the three batches, I heated 2 gallons of water to about 150. No specific reason for 150, I was just doing other things and that is where the water's temp reached before I mixed it with the extract. I then added 3 gallons of cold water to the Rye and Baltic Black and 8 gallons to the Pale Ale. All three batches ended up between 80 and 90 degrees. Before putting them in my fermentation box, I added some gluco enzymes and let them sit in the box at 84 degrees overnight. Sunday morning I pitched some rehydrated DADY. Tonight I checked their progress and they are all three starting to clear. I checked the gravity, the Pale Ale and Baltic Black are both sitting at 1.000 and the Rye is at 0.994.

So tomorrow they all go into carboys and outside in the brisk Pacific Northwestern air (we are still getting into the 30s at night) to continue clearing. I am thinking of starting to run them on Saturday or Sunday depending on how well they are settled out. I am going to use some butter and antifoamer because as I have read over and over, "Its gonna want to puke!" Should be an interesting weekend.

I will update after I run, hopefully, I can keep Vesuvius under control. Any thoughts or ideas on running this, or improving the bill, or future blending are appreciated. Have a great night!

RB