How big a pan for extract brewing?

[crowcrow]

Hi guys,

Still relatively new to brewing, and finished nearly all the beer I brewed last year. Just put two kits in the fermentation buckets last night but fancy a new challenge for 2018.

How a big pot do you need for extract and adjunct brewing? I've got one that is about 6 litres max, so hoping I can make do. If not I'll have buy something I guess - roll on payday...

On the topic of extract, looking at The Complete Joy of Homebrewing - any one recommend that or any better suggestions? I see there is a newer version out but the sake of 6 quid I'll likely get the older one..
Link-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/

 

[terrym]

You dont have to boil all of the wort for an extract brew. You only use some of the extract to boil with the hops with some of the water , and the rest of the extract plus water goes into the FV just like a kit. I use a 3.5 and a 5 litre pot to make up 16 litre brews, so you could perhaps make up a 12 litre brew with your 6 litre pot.

PS Found this which might be useful; including a recipe
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/recommend-an-extract-recipe-plz.56403/

 

[crowcrow]

Many thanks, was hoping to do some of the 19litre recipes from a book I had but sure I could just halve them. Will give it a go when my buckets become free in a couple of weeks.

 

[Duxuk]

Terrym has it right. Just think though. Extract will save you money compared to kits so you can spend the savings on a big pan in the long run and have better beer. Look in the forum recipe section for ideas.

 

[crowcrow]

Indeed, I'm eyeing up a big pot as I'd ultimately like to try all grain, but will hit freecycle and local groups for a couple of weeks first. It's been a pricey Xmas

 

[Duxuk]

I do 23l of BIAB (of a kind) in my 32l pan. I include a sparging stage to do this. I've done 110 AG brews. Don't know who drank 4400 pints of beer but I think he enjoyed it!

 

[Brewed_Force]

I make 10L extract brews and find that a medium saucepan (about 5L) with a lid does the job just fine. I steep my speciality grains in 3L water, then boil the wort with the hops. Keeping the lid on ensures minimum losses.
The malt extract gets added to the FV at the end.
It's a simple system but it works and the beer tastes good too.

 

[Covrich]

If you want to try AG I would go for the biggest you can get although think about how much you can actually boil.

If you're happy with 10L AG brewing you could go for a 15L pot.. this will work well for Extract brewing and topping up (you will benefit from a larger boil with extract than a small concentrated and top up) and shoudl be adequate to make 10L AG with..

If you want to do a 23L AG you will want to consider how you will do it, BIAB for 23L needs ideally a 50L but you could get away with a little smaller.. If you are looking at mashing and sparging then you can use a 30L vessel. or you may want to have a mash tun ect.. Many options and I do not want to confuse you but just make you aware of a few things before buying something for the future.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
It sounds like my mother's advice: "If you're going to have one, have a biggun!" :)

 

[terrym]

@crowcrow
Posted this thread today. You may find it useful
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/a-simple-guide-to-extract-brewing.75501/

 

[dad_of_jon]

Hi guys,

Still relatively new to brewing, and finished nearly all the beer I brewed last year. Just put two kits in the fermentation buckets last night but fancy a new challenge for 2018.

How a big pot do you need for extract and adjunct brewing? I've got one that is about 6 litres max, so hoping I can make do. If not I'll have buy something I guess - roll on payday...

On the topic of extract, looking at The Complete Joy of Homebrewing - any one recommend that or any better suggestions? I see there is a newer version out but the sake of 6 quid I'll likely get the older one..
Link-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/

Hi, I use this

http://www.wilko.com/casserole-stoc...VSbftCh1-EghzEAQYASABEgJVP_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

and do no more than a 8 litres of a 21 litre brew in it. the rest as others have said go into the fv. if you use candi sugar rocks they go in the stock pot as they take awhile to dissolve. the beauty of a part boil is its easier to chill down to pitching temps. I shove a few bottles of water in the freezer and have no waiting at all really to get to pitching temp :-)

 

[crowcrow]

Many thanks a lot to take in. I have a huge ice box I was hoping to use as a mash tun when I get there but sure extract will be my focus for 2018. Lucky to have a big 5 ring gas burner in the kitchen with a wok ring in the middle. I've looked at a few 50l pots, but going g to get hassling friends and family for a shorter term loan of a big pot. Gutted that missed a 50l with tap on a local group a couple of weeks back - ho hum!

 

[dad_of_jon]

kwik extract wheat beer (a simple extract recipe)

3 kg muntons dried wheat extract(dwe)
50g tettnang hop pellets
mj's bavarian yeast (but you could swap for the mj's belgian wit for a different take on the beer)

put 5 liters of water with 1 kg of dwe bring to boil then add all the tettnang hops.

Boil for 15 mins.

Whilst the boil is underway mix up 10 litres of water(preferabley chilled) with the rest of the DWE in the FV.

strain the boiled wort into the fv.

stir it all up and check the temps. top up to 21 litres with water of the appropriate temp.

if temps a bit low boil some of the water before topping up. usually you will have enough chilled water to get the temp of the wort to pitching temp.