Caramelizing your wort

[Spauld]

I’ve now added in this extra process when brewing my Nut Brown Ale recipe. I basically boil down my first runnings into caramel, then add to the kettle. The idea is to provide a subtle increase in caramel notes. See attached video. I have a written summary too that l will turn into a PDF and try to post later.

[chasjs]

What are you doing up at 4 in the morning? Don’t see the video!

[colterw]

What are you doing up at 4 in the morning? Don’t see the video!

He is just getting ready to brew!

Jim your video is too big for the site. You can upload pics but videos are giant. You can always upload to youtube and post a link. Like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dQjA5ofWVs

Cheers

Serving: Brooks Irish Red 4.8% ABV
Serving: Robert's IPA
Fermenting: We Are The Dreamer of Dreams (NEIPA)

[colterw]

I basically boil down my first runnings into caramel, then add to the kettle. The idea is to provide a subtle increase in caramel notes.

Isn’t that just LME? Boiled to syrup wort?

Cheers

Serving: Brooks Irish Red 4.8% ABV
Serving: Robert's IPA
Fermenting: We Are The Dreamer of Dreams (NEIPA)

[Spauld]

Ok, thanks for the heads up on the video. See PDF document instead

Attachments:

1. Caramelizing-Wort-Runoff.pdf

[Spauld]

And Colter, to answer your question… supposedly it’s the actual carmelizing (boiling to the Candi stage) that develops those flavors.

[colterw]

And Colter, to answer your question… supposedly it’s the actual carmelizing (boiling to the Candi stage) that develops those flavors.

Yep, i was kidding about the extract. The real question is when is that but brown going to be ready?

Cheers

Serving: Brooks Irish Red 4.8% ABV
Serving: Robert's IPA
Fermenting: We Are The Dreamer of Dreams (NEIPA)

[Spauld]

Let’s see, bottled it yesterday, so in a couple weeks I think we can get a first taste. See if it’s worth the extra effort or not.

[evan.sherlock]

Amazing write up Jim! I will have to give this a try at some point.

[joverturf]

Awesome. I know this is a great technique for wee heavies and scotch ales. I did it once for a winter warmer and did not reduce it enough.

[coloradogremlinx]

Great read Jim! Especially informative in regards to technique, times, & temps. Save me a bottle of the finished product for the next time I roll into town. Sounds fantastic.

[chasjs]

I am trying to get my head around how to apply this to a BiaB situation since it is basically a FV mash. Maybe you have some thoughts on how to accomplish that.

[Spauld]

Chuck….I have thoughts on all sorts of things like this! LOL. That said, I’m not too familiar with the BIAB process. We should discuss over a bier!

[evan.sherlock]

Chuck, you could easily accomplish this in a separate pot on a stove or different burner. You could pull out a gallon or two before you pull your grain (now sure if you rinse your grain or not) and heat that on a different burner while you “mash out” and continue to boil then return to the kettle at the end of the boil.

[Spauld]

In fact I think the key is to NOT rinse your grain in collecting the wort you will reduce. Boiling down the high gravity stuff will produce the richest flavors…in theory.

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