Extract Basics Please!

[markp]

First I would like to thank you guys for some very helpful information that I have gleaned from the site since re-emerging in to homwbrewing :thumb:

I would really like to do some AG brewing, but unfortunately I do not have the space for the equipment required....nor the practical skills to put something of that nature together.

So.....the next level down (or up, from a kit perspective) is extract brewing.
The first question I have is - what is the minimum kit that I need to get going? :wha:

From reading through the site it would appear that all I really need is an additional vessel to boil the wort (fitted with a hop strainer) and a cooling coil for when the boil is done to reduce the wort temperature quickly to 20 degrees. I'd be grateful if someone could clarify that for me and suggest any further kit that is necessary or helpful.

Secondly....the process itself, have I got my thinking right on this?
Malt extract is made up to the required volume of the brew length & heated to 70 degress.
Grain bags then steeped as per recepie and removed......wort then boiled for approx 1 hour (as per recepie).....hops added.......wort cooled. Wort strained to FV, yeast pitched.

Apologies for the basic questions, I just want to be sure I'm doing it right.

Thanks in advance.

 

[leondz]

Sounds like you have got most of it down pretty well. Brewwiki have a really, really good guide (I think), which might help you:

http://www.brewwiki.com/index.php/Extract_Brewing

I found that you'll want as big a pot as you can manage, and you'll want to have a good 3" spare at the top of it.

The kit you need is, aside from ingredients:

• Big pot[/*:m:2tpvqf0j]
• Big spoon[/*:m:2tpvqf0j]
• Big thermometer[/*:m:2tpvqf0j]
• Big hob[/*:m:2tpvqf0j]
• Big funnel[/*:m:2tpvqf0j]

Tada! You might want some muslin bags for putting grains in while they steep, and also for hops; or old tights, perhaps - something like that. The only bit that doesn't look right is that, as far as I know, it's usual to do the grain steep before adding extract and starting the boil. Also, if your pot's smaller than your brew length, you might just get some water in the FV and strain the finished wort straight onto that - which'll certainly provide a rapid temperature drop. Good luck!

 

[Aleman]

The pieces of additional equipment needed for extract brewing (from Kit) is a boiler with hop strainer, which should ideally be 1/3rd larger than the final brew length, and a wort cooler.

Process,

1 Heat water up to 80-90C
2) Turn heat off, Add Extract, and stir to dissolve
3) Turn Heat On, and raise to boiling
4) When foam has gone, add first batch of bittering hops
5) Near end of boil add flavour hops, and copper finings, and immersion chiller
6) at end of boil, turn element off, and allow to settle for 15 minutes, turn on coolant to chiller
7) when wort is 80C turn coolant off, add aroma hops, and allow to steep for 15-20 minutes
8) Turn coolant on and chill to 20C
9) Remove Chiller, and run off into FV Aerating well, Pitch yeast

 

[tubby_shaw]

Further to Alemans excellent post if you want to steep some roast grains contain them in a bag and suspend them in the water while it is heating.
Remove them when the water reaches 70C.
There is a guide HERE

 

[markp]

Thanks for the replies folks, that's a lot clearer now - appreciated

I've read through your guide a few times tubby, it has really been the base for my questions.
I had assumed for some reason that I would need more than a large boiler.....why I don't know :rofl:

So, what would be recommended for a boiling vessel?
The biggest stockpot I can find or the adapted FV's??

Many thanks again.

 

[corby_brewer]

So, what would be recommended for a boiling vessel?
The biggest stockpot I can find or the adapted FV's??

Many thanks again.

If you use a adapted FV then if you decide to move over to the DARKSIDE you already have you boiler.

DS

 

[commsbiff]

If space is your issue, you may want to consider Brew in a Bag (BIAB). Again, you only need the one boiler. Your grains are mashed by suspending them in a grain bag in your boiler at about 66 deg C. You can then rinse/sparge by increasing your temp (I forget to what temp - maybe about 75 deg C?). You would then drain and remove your grain and continue with the system as explained above - ie increase to boil for the hops. Hope this helps.

 

[jonewer]

From my experience, you can make do with some stock pots and dont really need a cooler... but they will certainly help. Will be ordering mine soon.....