malt extract

[Bert]

Hi guys,

I was wondering would adding malt extract like this http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/ ... 50&cid=477 to a kit be the same as adding coopers malt extract?

Cheers

[Pinto]

Long discussions over using H&B malt have been had on this board - do a quick search to turn them up.

Generally, i think opinion is divided - personally i've had great success using H&B in my darker kit brews such as bitters and Stouts, but it is quite a dark extract so would darken IPAs and lagers too much IMO. Some would only use it as a base for yeast cultivation and some wouldn't feed it to the dog

End of the day, i'd say give it a whirl - you might like it and for the price its far, far cheaper than canned LME from the HBS (especially if you can find it on offer )

[Hanglow]

I use two jars in my recent brew, a coopers stout. It came out really fruity/cola tasting but I also added 450g of dark invert sugar made from demerara sugar, so it could also have been that .

it's a nice pint.

[Bert]

Nice one, I was planning to do a stout so think I might put two of those in with it. Is there any point putting DME in as well?

Cheers

[Hanglow]

I would, two is only 900g of LME which is why I added more sugar, otherwise you'll end up with a weak stout unless you brew it pretty short.

[Pinto]

Either that or use 3 jars- nowt wrong with a little extra

[St. Ailbhe's Brewery]

I use a kg of DME and of late I've taken to throwing in a 450g jar of this aswell. I could be talking through my hat here but I feel it gives the beer a bit more body, and of course a few percentage points more strength. Maybe it's a placebo, I dunno.

A big concern of mine is always the head. I don't know if it adds anything to the head formation/retention but every brew I've put it in has had a smashing head.