First crack at Extract

[BWT]

Gentlemen
I am new to this forum and indeed to extract brewing so please forgive what will sound to some off you questions from a widden heid!!!
Well today armed with the Dave Line book "Brewing Beers like those you buy" I went to the local Hopmebrew shop and bought the ingredents for his Newcastle Amber Ale what i need to know is how much hop extract to add as the recipe calls for equivalent of 1.5oz, the bottle i purchased states enough for 23lt
Any help much appreciated
Best regards
Brian T

[BWT]

What no one /

[Graham]

What no one /

It seems that you have hit on a subject that few people have much experience of - Hop Extract. It isn't used much.

Unfortunately, pioneer that Dave Line was, you have hit on one of his 'weird' recipes. As it happens, Scottish and Newcastle, in those days (early 1970s), was overfond of using hop extract, so the recipe probably was authentic in Dave Line's view.

I've just looked up the recipe. A couple of points about it. DMS malt extract is not necessary in that instance, ordinary malt extract would have been adequate and a better bet. If you have sufficient whole hops it would be a better idea to increase the hops and omit the hop extract. Regretfully, "enough for 23L" is not good enough, it is rather more complicated than that.

If you are committed to using the hop extract, I would just bung it all in and hope for the best.

[boingy]

I actually brewed that recipe in the mid 80's (would guess about 1986). I bet you would be impressed if I could remember the quantity of hop extract I used....unfortunately I can't remember what I did yesterday, never mind two decades ago.

However, I do have the recipe to hand, assuming it is the same in my edition of the book (12th impression 1985).
The only other hops in the 5 gallon batch is 1 oz of Fuggles so you probably need to use at least 3/4 of the bottle if the whole bottle is for 23 litres. If you like hoppy beer I'd put it all in and it will be fine. It won't be an exact copy of Amber but then neither would Dave Line's have been!

I can't actually remember what my brew tasted like which means it must have been middling - I remember the truly great and the truly not so great brews lol.
I do remember the Fullers ESB recipe in that book making a great beer (and it is extract-based). Maybe try it for your next brew (assuming the Amber does not put you off heheh).