Late Addition

[Hman1962]

Hello,

I have been looking at, and getting recipes from the recipe section on this site. I am looking at the extract recipes only. I notice that a lot of these recipes have fermentables that have the late addition box checked. What exactly is that? Usually it has Boil Kettle listed. I look in the description/notes or comments, but there isn't a specific time listed.

Thank You.

 

[Hman1962]

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/edit/1603296

This is a recipe that has a late addition.

 

[Craigerrr]

I would guess that a late addition would be steeping grains. A late "mash addition" would be when you add grains to the mash late, there are different reasons for doing this.
As you are brewing extract, steeping grains for flavor/color would be my guest.

 

[Dave Y]

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/edit/1603296

This is a recipe that has a late addition.

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Here's an example:

There are a few reasons to do late additions.

1) you want a smaller percentage of malt characteristics
2) you want to darken the color of the beer, but not make the beer overly 'roasty'
3) you want to increase the gravity of the wort, after the mash (boil kettle / adjunct additions)
4) you want to add something - like honey, or other adjuncts to the fermenter.

Why?
Raw honey, for example loses its flavor characteristics over about 110F. So, if you want any honey aroma or flavor beyond simple sweetness, any exposure to heat over 110F-ish for a significant length of time will mute and eventually eliminate them.

Another example, like the one I have in the picture would be black patent malt. It will darken the beer pretty easily, but, it is very bitter as compared to say midnight wheat, or blackprinz (debittered black malt). So adding it later in the mash can add a lot of color relatively, but won't overly bitter the wort.

This is not an exhaustive list or the final word on anything, it's some examples why you might choose a 'late addition'.

 

[Sunfire96]

I've found that the best extract recipes reserve about half of the extract to be added as a late addition. Sometime between 10-15 minutes before the end of your boil: pause your timer, kill your heat source/burner, stir in your late addition dry or liquid malt extract. Stir until dissolved, turn the burner back on, once a full boil is reached again resume your timer and finish the brew.

Extract is a lovely cheat code for time and equipment, but doesn't always handle a 60 minute boil well. Off flavors and darkening can occur, hence reserving some extract for the late addition. It will change the number of IBUs derived from any boil hops, so make sure to follow the recipe exactly or your beer may not be as bitter as expected.

 

[Hman1962]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I had thought there was an exact time for the late addition sorta like different times for adding Hops'

 

[Dave Y]

Some 'replica' recipes will provide tome time guidelines, like "with 15 minutes left, mash in the dark malts" or similar. It depends on what you're brewing and what you're adding. I did a late addition of darker malts on my last wee heavy, 20 minutes in the mash, and the sparge. I'd probably either add a little more darker malt or increase the time by about 10m next time.

 

[Craigerrr]

I brew a Black IPA sometimes and always "cap the mash" with the dark malts and circulate for about 10 minutes before mash out