Do you use an extractor?

I hope this is the right section to ask this question but here goes; would I need an extractor if I were to brew extracts assuming I don't have the available "extracts" as is therefore I'd need to extract it my self. What machines do you people prefer to use? I've read about a CO2 extractor but that's in the thousands of dollars. What are my options assuming I'd prefer to extract something my self and not buy those ready to use extracts?

Is extracting by boiling water enough? I've read that's the most basic form of extracting but it's really just that; BASIC. Also, I think boiling water extraction somewhat kills "nutrients"? Do I do a cold water extraction methods then?

Is a juice extractor any good something like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZDNKSS...&ascsubtag=83123e9238405a589863c88ee70eae96_S

For beer brewing, you would use grain and make your extract that way. If you soak malted grain in water at a prescribed temperature, that is make you make the wort for beer.

For wine, you would use fruit and squeeze/press/juice it. Most would not use a juice extractor for wine.

I don't know of any application (except for making fruit juice) where you would use a juice extractor.

i guess no one here uses an extractor?

The only use I could think of for such an extractor in brewing or winemaking would be to make a fruit pulp for flavor additions. As yooper said, for wine you use squeezed juice, for beer you steep grains.

difference between wine making vs. beer making, care to explain?

Beer uses hops? Wine uses fruits? Is that it?

foodgrade said:

difference between wine making vs. beer making, care to explain?

Beer uses hops? Wine uses fruits? Is that it?

Click to expand...

Beer uses grain, wine uses grapes (or fruit).
Grain needs to be mashed to get wort (that's the extract you are asking about).
Grapes are pressed to give juice (the must).
Hops are added to beer to offset the malty sweetness, and to prevent spoilage. Beer yeast is a different strain than wine yeast. Wine yeast can tolerate a higher alcohol environment, but may not produce nice tasting beer. Beer yeast in wine might stall early and give a greatly under attenuated wine.

In answer to your first question - can you use a juice presser/extractor to make wort - the answer is NO.

You need to mash the malted grain (barley or other adjuncts that may or may not be malted). The mash consists of letting the crushed barley kernels sit in 150 degreeish water for an hour while the enzymes in the barley break down the sugars in the barley. An extractor isn't going to cause an enzymatic reaction.

The extract you buy is the condensed (evaporated) wort that a company mashed and reduced. Trying that yourself, with out special equipment like having a vacuum sealed container, will result in a nasty Melanoiden laden extract that will probably be awful.

foodgrade said:

difference between wine making vs. beer making, care to explain?

Beer uses hops? Wine uses fruits? Is that it?

Click to expand...

Yup that's it.