Colour not quite right

[OldSpeckledBadger]

I've noticed that my extract brews are paler than predicted. My Old Speckled Hen clone is noticeably paler than the real thing and the mild I've just kegged (very similar recipe to Holden's Black Country Mild) looks more like a bitter (tastes bostin though ). I'm wondering if my 30 minutes @ 65C steeping is extracting significantly less colouring from the black malt than a full mash would. Anybody got any thoughts?

[KevP]

Odd but I am finding my brews are coming out a little darker than I would like! I also steep at 65 for 30 mins so not sure whats up there.

[PureGuiness]

What malt extract are you using? I've been using light spraymalt rather than extra light but my last brew was slightly lighter than I expected too. I'm using a grain bag to steep with and am wondering if that might be the problem?

How much liquer do you steep the grain in? I've used 2 - 3 ltrs in the past. Maybe I should use more.

[OldSpeckledBadger]

Odd but I am finding my brews are coming out a little darker than I would like! I also steep at 65 for 30 mins so not sure whats up there.

Maybe there's a big variability in black malt? Beer Engine uses a value of 1300 EBC and the stuff that Barley Bottom sell is advertised at 1100 EBC

[quote=""PureGuiness"]What malt extract are you using? I've been using light spraymalt rather than extra light but my last brew was slightly lighter than I expected too. I'm using a grain bag to steep with and am wondering if that might be the problem?

How much liquer do you steep the grain in? I've used 2 - 3 ltrs in the past. Maybe I should use more.[/quote]

I'm using light spraymalt too and also have the grains in a grain bag., which I let drain thoroughly back into the wort after I've finished the steep. I steep in around 5 litres of water.

[PureGuiness]

The GW book gives black malt a range of 1200-1400 so I guess there could be a variation depending on where it fits in. I say if it tastes good and looks ok then it proper is good

[KevP]

I use light spraymalt, steep my grains in a muslin bag in about 15litres

[WishboneBrewery]

I utterly boil my grains and keep changing which extract I use and have not made a like for like comparison as yet... so I'm no use!