Here comes the Newbie Question!!!

[alanywiseman.]

So far I have manage to avoid asking to many newbie questions. Now is the time that I show how little knowledge I have and learn something from the more experienced brewers here.

I am currently brewing kits. These are straight forward and as a result have started experimenting a bit with dry hopping/flavourings. I have a few more planned kit brews with some additions for a bit of fun.

Now that I know what I am doing with kits I feel I should take a step closer to the dark side and try extract. Here is the problem, I dont understand the difference between extract, partial mash and AG!

I will explain what i understand about it all and look forward to being corrected.

AG: Boil the grains and some hops for 60-90mins, add to mash tun and hold a X temp for 60-90mins, run wort into FV and pitch yeast at right temp.

Partial mash: Same as above with the exception that you dont use a mash tun and strain the resutling wort from the boil into the FV and pitch yeast.

Extract: Boil hops and sugar/spray malt, strain and add to FV. Pitch yeast at correct temp.

The problem I have is some extract recipies use kits as a start and others appear to just use sugar/spray malt and hops. Enough rambling, plea help and educate the ignorant.

 

[WelshPaul]

Close.

AG: Heat the water to temperature and add this to the mashtun with the grains. Hold for 60-90 mins at between 65-68°C (heat strike water to around 78° and preheat the mashtun). Strain into the boiler and boil for another 60-90 minutes, adding hops when required. Chill, strain wort into fermenter and pitch yeast.

That's it in a nutshell: there are plenty of good resources on this forum for all grain methods.

 

[alanywiseman.]

Ah that makes more sense now that I have reread the First AG How To Guide. Am I accurate with the partial mash and the extract? I have a feeling that I am well off after you comment Welsh.

Thanks for the help though :thumb:

 

[Shrek]

I would recommend asking if there is anyone near you that would not mind showing how to do an AG brew or any of the other methods. If you are near Lincoln I will be brewing a few AG batches next week if my gear is not frozen.

A good video I watched on youtube was called 'from grain to glass' by a chap called Joe Polvino I think. He goes through all of the steps involved in for a AG brew without any RIMS or HERMS.

 

[pittsy]

hi alanywiseman ag is as above , partial is mostly same as extract but using a small amount of grain and soaked into your brew (pot/pan) at a certain temp usually for 30 mins etc then removed from pan/pot and continue on to boil using hops while extract is just using spray dried malt extract(or liquid extract) and also using hops in a 60 min boil , for now i would stick to extract for your next step up ,
you might add something like 2 to 3kg of extract (spray dried or liquid) and there are different type such as pale(light) medium or dark (even amber) you may stick to just 1 or have a mix of some add this to around 5L of water (warm) and stir well while increasing the heat to boiling (watch out for over boil , extract foams up ) then you would add some hops(bittering ones) for a 60 min boil depending on how bitter you want it you may have anywhere from 15g to 80g etc of hops , after around 45 mins of boil you may want to add aroma hops again depends what you want but usually a quarter of what you added for bittering hops . after all this is done you need to remove all hops and put brew into Fv and add water to make up 23L then same as kit check temp ,check og add yeast bingo , there are many recipes about so you can check how much extract you need and also you can use calculators at top left hand of forum to see how much hops to use , hops have an alpha acid (AA) such as 3.4 or 6.6 etc add this to calculator and your ibu (how bitter) from recipe and it will give you how many grammes of hops you need to use , hope this help :thumb:

 

[alanywiseman.]

Thanks for the invite Shreck but I'm based in Glasgow and my small flat doesnt have room for a AG set up.

That is a great help pittsy. I get it now, makes so much more sense. I will start experimenting soon and post any good recipes that I discover (that's saying I make any good ones).

Is the beer brewed by extract better in taste than kits? Or is it just you have more scope with what you can make?

 

[andyd]

Hi alanywiseman

If you've got the space to do extract brewing, you've got the space to do AG, just check out BIAB - Brew in a bag. It does take more time though.

I jumped straight from kits to AG so I can't comment on what extract brewing will give you over kits, certainly more control/versatility, probably better beer. Only one way to find out and sure to be a fun trip! My first few AG brews have been a revelation, there's no going back.

Good luck with it!

 

[artiums_enteri]

There are a couple really good books that explain each process in detail, and describe why each step is important. They are current books, so the information is up to date.

"How To Brew" and "Brewing Better Beer" by Gordon Strong. I'd recommend reading "How To Brew" first as it is geared toward the absolute beginner.

The above posts have given you solid answers, so now that you have a better understanding of what each process is you should read up on why we do this, and what happens at each stage.


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[jasea3632]

Is spraymalt the same as DME (not trying to hijack your thread just a newb who really wants to try this )

 

[pittsy]

spray malt is spray.... dried malt extract DME :thumb: and yes extract is about 10 times better than kits and so on and so on each method is much better once you go up you never go back :

 

[bobsbeer]

I was always under the impression that DME meant Diastatic Malt Extract,

 

[artiums_enteri]

DME is dry malt extract as opposed to liquid malt extract.


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[puravida]

If you can make soup, then you have the space in your kitchen and the ability to brew fantastic all grain beer using the brew in a bag method.

Here's one of mine using a stock pot from the kitchen.

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=20709

Plenty of scope for upgrading kit of course but the point is you need very little space, investment or equipment to move to all grain.

 

[alanywiseman.]

I will definetly have a look into getting thoughs books artimus. I will need to get swatting up :geek:

Thanks for the link to your BIAB recipe puravida :thumb: , your picture will be very helpful. I can see me moving onto that very quickly. One question, how did you strain your hops out of the big stock pot? does it have an attached tap with filter?