The Battle with Extract and Steeping Grains

When I do brew demos, I tend to say that an extract beer can taste just as good as an all-grain brew. After three extra brews (with steeping grains) in the last year, I am having a hard time finding one that has been similar...as I haven't been able to brew one yet! I encourage you to contact me on Twitter at ihackbeer and I will provide a mailing address and accept all submissions! : >

My all-grain process (which I will write about in a later post) is locked in, I hit my marks with 80% efficiency every time, and I happily get malt character resembling my recipe...spicy rye notes, crystal sweetness, and even a little chocolate notes if I push the darker roasts. My steeping grains have not been that easy. We will see what happened with the brew demo I did at Pizza Boy Brewing on May 3rd, which is now on day nine of primary. Post later after I keg.

For extract with steeping,  I can get the starting and finishing gravities I want with an extract, and get the hop aroma or yeast spiciness and phenols that I pushed for...but the malt bill is always short of my expectations.  In fact, I would consider it muddy! The flavors of my steeping grains simply do not stand out! I always get the liquid malt extract flavor that takes control over the subtle nuisances of rye, wheat and other specialty grains.  Forget adding crystal malt, it just pushes the sweet malt character even further!

I am tempted to make an all liquid malt extract pale ale, with no steeping grains to see what I am really getting out of the gooey stuff! Keep the hops at a medium, and see what pulls through.