Extract Pale Ale Wins Gold

[HighVoltageMan!]

After brewing beers for years with all grain, I rediscovered extract brewing and found out the beer was really good. A year ago I showed my youngest how you could brew a decent beer at home with extract. So the two of us brewed a simple recipe with just dry malt extract and dry yeast. The beer turned out so good, I wondered how well it would do in a homebrew competition.

I changed it up a bit from last year's beer, but it was fundamentally the same. DME, RO water, a mini-mash with1 pound of Munich malt, a little bit of sugar to dry it and dry yeast. I added 1/2 teaspoon of 85% phosphoric acid to the boil to keep the pH in check. It scored a composite score of 40, one judge gave it a 43 and earned a gold in the Minnesota State Fair. This beer is really easy to make and it's delicious. You can brew this up super fast, boil to glass in about 10 days.

The recipe calls for dry malt extract (DME) because past beers using liquid malt extract (LME) tasted oxidized to me. You can drop the mini mash for an easier and faster brew day. Use all RO or distilled water and add 1/2 tsp either 88% lactic acid or 85% phosphoric acid to keep the pH and color in check.

This beer is so fun to brew because it's so easier and turns out so good.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1593393/nicholas-pale-ale

 

[Steve Ruch]

A few years ago an extract beer won it's brewer homebrewer of the year in the national competition.

 

[FrostyBeach]

earned a gold in the Minnesota State Fair

Congratulations HVM!

 

[dmtaylor]

I have medaled with extract peers several times. It can be done. They can be good. On average I’m sure extract brews are better today than they were historically.

 

[J A]

DME is definitely the way to go and can provide great flavor, The fact that it's predictable in terms of efficiency is a big plus for new brewers. I think that adding some fresh malt in the form of a mini mash is a pretty important step. It would be interesting to see a comparison of an all-extract version and a mini-mash version.
Congrats on the win!

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

DME is definitely the way to go and can provide great flavor, The fact that it's predictable in terms of efficiency is a big plus for new brewers. I think that adding some fresh malt in the form of a mini mash is a pretty important step. It would be interesting to see a comparison of an all-extract version and a mini-mash version.
Congrats on the win!

Thanks! That was was really hard to tell it was an extract, no twang and very malty. The head retention was very good as well. I brought to my homebrew club prior to the competition and most were surprised it was an extract. It’s a great way to get a beer brewed in a hurry.