BeerBorg

Going to make a batch of Blue Moon with my son today (for him to bring back to grad school). Last year's Blue Moon lacked some things, so we're going with a combination of the recipes Kealia linked to.

Question - steeping, then LME and 30 min hop addition (plus 10 min additions). Never done anything that didn't require a 60 minute boil. So, in fact, there is no reason to boil for longer than 30 minutes overall, right?

THe recipe I used had a 45 min boil but I would think if the recipe calls for it 30 min should be fine. here is where I got my recipe it turned out great. http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/anyone- ... lone-4685/

Rick,

I have designed a number of Extract/Steep recipes that se a 30 minute boil.

The bitterness of the 30 minute addition tends to be a bit 'rounder' and the 10 minute addition(s) will bring the flavor and some aroma.

Often, I will drop in a bittering charge at 30, then burst in the flavor hops at 20/15/10 or 15/10/5...

For many styles, I add another aroma charge at flameout...

In any case, the style you are brewing has some reliance on the spices you are probably using so you should do well with a 30 minute boil.

Right - so no need to boil just the LME and steeped grain wort for 30 minutes, then add hops for 30 minutes - I can bring the LME / wort to a boil, add hops, then 30 minutes later be done, i.e. cutting the boil time in 1/2.

I did a hop burst pale ale like that and it worked perfectly! No need to boil it for the full hour if you don't have to

RickBeer wrote:Right - so no need to boil just the LME and steeped grain wort for 30 minutes, then add hops for 30 minutes - I can bring the LME / wort to a boil, add hops, then 30 minutes later be done, i.e. cutting the boil time in 1/2.

Yup, brew on!

Thanks guys.

Done. Enjoyed making a Blue Moon clone with my son - actually he did most of it since he's taking it back to school with him.

7.2 lbs of Wheat LME.
1 lb of Crystal 10.
1/2 lb of Carapils.
1 oz Hallertau at 30.
1/2 oz of sweet orange peel at 10.
1/2 oz of coriander at 10 (we pulverized it in the coffee grinder too long).
S-05.

Down to 10.19 cases of drinkable beer, with 12.33 cases including the end-of-month-ready Oatmeal Stout. He'll be taking most/all of the Blue Moon we just made, so have to get another on deck for beginning of July IF SWMBO agrees to let me make a controller for the extra freezer out at her folks that we may bring home (vs. lugging all my equipment - and water - out there).

I do 20 and 30 minute boils all the time with steep/extract batches. I'm all about saving time if I can still make good beer doing it.

If you want a more firm bitterness, I would suggest a 30 minute boil with a 30 minute hop addition though. I find that a 20 minute first hop addition although it will still produce a balanced beer has NO bite, the bitterness is very smooth (edit: and it mellows even more in the bottle much sooner). That is nice in a wheat or a Belgian, but NO bite at all doesn't seem as nice in say an APA/IPA. I like a little bit of bite in those.