BeerBorg

OK, I got 2 more LBKs filled last night but in a novel way.

This is also why I like extract brewing, at least in this case, I was able to do 2 batches last night.

The recipes:

MB Octoberfest - 850G
BD Pale LME - 550G
1 MB Booster pack
4 oz Maltodextrin
1 cup honey
OG 1.076

MB Patriot 'Lager'
BD Pale LME
1 MB Booster pack
4oz Maltodextrin
OG 1.070

Anyway I like the BrewDemon LME cans at 550g, more than double what the MB LME packs have.
I've made both of these before with the smaller 250g MB lme packs, and it was good. These are going to be a little more potent, but hopefully still good with no BAT.

I half expected for there to be a big cooty war in the LBK, but no luck there.

Monty

Gonna need a good bit of time to condition cuz of the booster, but it shouldn't be too bad. Hope they turn out good!

To each their own, but after adding a pound of LME to either of those, I can't imagine why you'd want to add booster, and then honey to one of them. To me, and we all have our own tastes, a pound of LME added to Oktoberfest is nice. Adding honey right up front gets you no honey taste, and I think it's the same as adding the equivalent in booster. With all those additions, you're not close to the original profile and you've got a high amount of adjuncts. But again, if you like the result, nothing else matters.

Yeah probably too much of everything, and I respectfully disagree about honey. Yes all the sugars get eaten up, but honey is a very complex thing, and I think it does leave something smooth behind. Did I need it with the booster? no. Did I have it laying there begging to get used up? yes. Its the same with the booster, I have a bunch just laying around from a beginning misguided order, but I think if you keep it below the adjunct to malt ratio, it adds ABV and maltodextrin (which I am finding I like in a beer). And hey, its not like I'm not drinking beer when I do this, too.

As far as conditioning, I've been drinking these after 4 weeks and they seem fine to me. However, do NOT try this with the CAL, it is just too light to get away with this much sugar up front. CAL will take months to condition out, but Patriot and Octoberfest seem fine after 4 weeks.

And I know I am not staying within style, or making the most awesome beer ever, but they taste fine to me, get the job done, and no one yet has said anything other than: "You made this? Wow!" What I am finding is that basically most people do NOT like a bitter beer, and I am in the same boat. So I stick to lower IBU HME that are a little darker, and load them up.

I post this stuff, so others can know that you can get away with a lot of silly things making beer, like adding booster AND honey and fermenting in the low 70s using MB and BD extracts, and still get very satisfying drinkable beer. I mean I am making some pretty high gravity stuff here, and it turns out just fine.

I think the thing for beginners to really get a handle on is sanitation. Once you get your process working, you can mix all kinds of things up, get very drunk, and still enjoy that first few.

Monty

monsteroyd wrote: These are going to be a little more potent, but hopefully still good with no BAT.

I half expected for there to be a big cooty war in the LBK, but no luck there.
Monty

I hate to be that guy, but what is BAT?
Also, would you recommend 4 Oz. Maltodextrin for the average MB or BD refill?

I believe BAT means Bad After Taste.

Bill

Well I meant Bitter After Taste, but Bad works too sort of.

Monty

Gotcha. Were you concerned that the added lme weight would affect the aftertaste specifically?

No its just that adjuncts like honey and booster dry beer out

Monty

Love it......you make what you like. No Ned to follow a specific. In fact there ever craft breweries out there that throw out the rule books and make great tasting beer too.

IMHO, and contrary to a lot of folks here, I will state that with the amount of malt you have in these brews, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the booster and honey additions. But that's just MHO... I may not have personally done both in one brew, but I'm not as down on Booster as most. As long as it's not used at 50% of your bill (and closer to 15-20%), it is not a bad thing. I didn't run the numbers here, but I'm not inclined to think it's so terrible here.

Blax, Maltodextrine is an unfermentable sugar, so it will add body and some sweetness to beers. It's great for stouts and the like, but can be used for any beer you want to add more body to. 4oz is a decent starting level for a Mr. B batch IMHO.

I'm with Swen. Sugar/adjuncts are not evil, unless used for the wrong reasons. Big beers are a good place to use some.

I am with you guys on the sugar. I use it in a lot of my recipes. My family and I prefer dry beers. I do not know how you would brew most Beligiums & Saisons, without it. Sugar is a part of pretty much every recipe. I never used booster much. When I switched to PM & AG the need for it became unnecessary. Just keep your ratios correct so your beers do not become unbalanced.

Pretty much the only Belgians I brew without some sugar/candi syrup are patersbiers. (IE 1.04-1.05ish).