Brewing with LME in strong beer

[ACBEV]

Now I've not often used LME in the past, but it's that time of year to brew my "Old Ale" so it'll be ready for Christmas.

Bit of background first. I limit my beer drinking and keep ABV to around 3 to 5 with my regular brews. But Christmas week I like to get a bit pickled supping my Old Ale, smoking cigars and chomping chocolate.

My problem is any time I brew big beers it's a pain in the bum with my kit. 5kg (11lb) or less seems to be fine and I get consistent results.

So, my original Old Ale Recipe requires 7kg (15.5lb) of grain. I'm thinking of replacing 2kg (4.4lb) of pale malt with 2.5kg (5.5lb) light liquid malt extract (Muntons).

So, what do you think, is the LME a good replacement in this case.

 

[oliver]

For my big beers, I like to mash the "normal" amount of grain I would always use, lauter, sparge, and then add in extracts pre-boil.

 

[Head First]

http://www.brewersfriend.com/allgrain-ogfg
http://www.brewersfriend.com/extract-ogfg
I think you have to much LME, it depends on your efficiency too.
These calculators on this site will help you zero it in.
Sounds like a tasty beer!!!

 

[ACBEV]

Yes your right. with the LME the beer hits 9 abv. Should I leave it at that

 

[ACBEV]

I put it in the recipe calc thingy to see!

It spat out this...

OG 1.095
FG 1.026
ABV 9.0
IBU 41.94
SRM 15.85

Mash 68c 60 mins - Mash out 76c - Sparge 77c
Boil 90 mins
Yeast Irish Ale 1084 @ 20c
Primary 1 week
Secondary 2/3 weeks
Bottle condition for 10 months

2500g LME
2300g Pale Ale Malt
2000g Mild Ale Malt
350g Crystal 100
50g Chocolate Malt
300g Wheat Malt

40g Fuggles 60 mins
35g Fuggles 30 mins
35g Fuggles 15 mins
10g Fuggles 0 mins

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

looks like a good sipper, I wouldn't want to drink it like mine, tried that before with a %11 and got the shakes the next day, toooooo much

 

[ACBEV]

Ha I know what you mean, can be a bit tricky! This is the only beer I put in small bottles 330ml as opposed to 500ml. I didn't drink strong beer at all till regularly visiting Belgium, have to be careful with some of that stuff.

 

[Head First]

Yes your right. with the LME the beer hits 9 abv. Should I leave it at that

Whatever goes best with your brand of cigar. I was just pointing out that it would be stronger than before so you could reduce the LME if you wanted to copy your old recipe.
I have a barleywine that's been in secondary for 4 weeks today. Will chill and keg this weekend and force carb, then bottle. It's 9.8 ABV.
Smaller bottles are a good thing for these beers.
Brew on!

 

[ACBEV]

My Guestimate at 2.5kg of LME was almost a kg over, in fact 1.5kg (1 tin) is almost right. with a little tweaking I'm back to 7.7%

2500g LME 1500g
2300g Pale Ale Malt 2400g
2000g Mild Ale Malt
350g Crystal 100
50g Chocolate Malt
300g Wheat Malt