Never done an extract brew

d_striker · 12-15-2011, 07:00 AM

Ive done about 7 all grain batches. I've never done an extract batch. I just got 3 True Brew kits as a Christmas gift.

Why don't you have to sterilize/boil the cold water that you mix the wort with?

Am I missing something. The instructions say to boil the wort. Add cold water to the carboy. Then pour wort into cold water. Isnt there a risk for infection by doing this?

el_jeffe · 12-15-2011, 07:19 AM

There is a risk, but i have done this a few times, and i have never had any issues, but i have started making a habit of boiling all my water

d_striker · 12-15-2011, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el_jeffe

There is a risk, but i have done this a few times, and i have never had any issues, but i have started making a habit of boiling all my water

Is that you Jeff C.?

Do you add all the water to the wort and boil the whole batch like an all grain batch or do you boil the water separately?

el_jeffe · 12-15-2011, 07:56 AM

No not Jeff C.

I have a 3 gal brew pot, so i pre boil 2 gallons and chill in the fridge then add it together in the carboy after using my wort chiller. For adding extract i boil my 3 gal and add the LME at boil.

Goblism · 12-15-2011, 11:40 AM

i have used tap water and store bought water in the past to top off extract, never had an issue
RDWHAHB

Kuhndog · 12-15-2011, 04:12 PM

I always wondered this as well. I've posted another thread out there regarding the extract kit instructions on why they don't have an option for those that want to perform full boils with an extract kit. Although how did you do all-grain batches - what size kettle?

I think most are okay if the water is doesn't have known contaminants or bacteria. If you have city water - it's chlorinated but that is a bad thing in terms of brewing beer. Well water alone can be safe without treatment but then again you have risk of something being present although many newer well water systems have UV, Osmosis...etc. There is a natural mountain spring close to where I live but it comes out of a iron rusted pipe. Haven't gotten a water test done on it. It's pure but that doesn't mean it's bacteria free either.

As to the 2-3 gal boil vs 6+....If I knew that the chances of contamination are almost nil....then I would do partial boils....but it just worries me - especially when you have to wait 20-30 days to find out if something went wrong. I would prefer to do 2-3 gal boils only because 99.9% of the extract kits out there have instrucitons based on that boil amount but now that I have a 8 gal kettle - I'll be doing full boils and I'll have to mess around with the hop utilization. I'm not a hop-head so I'm NOT going to add the hops per the instructions and make it hoppier than I want it because I used 6 gal or so for the boil. I guess it doesn't matter on the volume of water for the specialty grains? Making it too sweet because it steeped longer in 5 gal in getting the temp up to 170 vs getting 2-3 gal up to 170?

d_striker · 12-15-2011, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuhndog

I always wondered this as well. I've posted another thread out there regarding the extract kit instructions on why they don't have an option for those that want to perform full boils with an extract kit. Although how did you do all-grain batches - what size kettle?

I think most are okay if the water is doesn't have known contaminants or bacteria. If you have city water - it's chlorinated but that is a bad thing in terms of brewing beer. Well water alone can be safe without treatment but then again you have risk of something being present although many newer well water systems have UV, Osmosis...etc. There is a natural mountain spring close to where I live but it comes out of a iron rusted pipe. Haven't gotten a water test done on it. It's pure but that doesn't mean it's bacteria free either.

As to the 2-3 gal boil vs 6+....If I knew that the chances of contamination are almost nil....then I would do partial boils....but it just worries me - especially when you have to wait 20-30 days to find out if something went wrong. I would prefer to do 2-3 gal boils only because 99.9% of the extract kits out there have instrucitons based on that boil amount but now that I have a 8 gal kettle - I'll be doing full boils and I'll have to mess around with the hop utilization. I'm not a hop-head so I'm NOT going to add the hops per the instructions and make it hoppier than I want it because I used 6 gal or so for the boil. I guess it doesn't matter on the volume of water for the specialty grains? Making it too sweet because it steeped longer in 5 gal in getting the temp up to 170 vs getting 2-3 gal up to 170?

I have a 7 or 8 gallon kettle...I can't remember. It's big enough to do a 5 gallon batch though.

Steeping times depend on what kind of grains you're steeping. If you're steeping crystal or roasted malts, you're not really extracting sugars out of the grain and the water volume does not really matter.

If you're referring to doing a mini mash, the water to grain ratio does matter.

I like the idea of only having to cool down 2 gallons of wort as opposed to 5, though.

**scottland** · 12-15-2011, 06:11 PM

A. Don't follow the instructions that came with the kit.

B. Treat it just like you would an all-grain batch, post sparge. You'll make very good beer from extract if you do a full-batch boil, chill with your wort chiller, and do all the things you'd normally do. Your wort is just pre-made, that's all.

**unionrdr** · 12-15-2011, 06:14 PM

Some do full boils with extract kits,& claim it produces better beer. I've often wondered if it's just a better process for them to follow? Anyway,I have a 5G ss stock pot for a BK. So it's 2.5-3 gallon boils for me. But I use half a 3lb bag of plain DME in the boil for hop additions. I add the remainder of the DME & all the LME at flame out. Then put a lid on it to steep for 10-15 minutes. It's still plenty hot to sanitize what might be in the extract malts. It always works for me. Then chill in an ice water bath down to pitch temp in about 20 minutes.
I pour the chilled wort & top off water through a fine mesh strainer that also aerates it pretty well. Then stir roughly for 5 minutes straight.

**rhamilton** · 12-15-2011, 06:16 PM

I've topped off about 10 batches with tap water -- no issues but I do worry about chlorine effecting the taste. If it really concerns you, you can always go bottled water...