Craft Beer

Beer in a Bag, Box or Can

This is a step-up from brewing an all in one package: extract and grain brings you a step closer to the almighty all grain brewing process. We will start by exploring the differences.

1. First time brewers normally begins with the All In One Kit, mainly as a form of hobby or to save money; a very small portion of them will keep on brewing the easy All In One method and sooner than later switch to the Extract and Grain adventure.
2. Extract and Grain can come as a kit which conventionally contains a Malt Extract, a mixture of grains, one to 5 different type of Hops and yeast. After exploring this type of kits, many brewers will build their own or add their own touch.

The extract is mainly the malt made from grains such as barley which may have been roasted to add colour and flavour and that needed extra long cooking time then the water is extracted saving you from a long process.

The grain bag may contain one to very many different grains typical for a given recipe. Make sure the grain is CRUSHED, unless you own a crusher, home brew stores normally crush the grains at no charge.

The hops will normally consist of 3  to 5 varieties or sometimes only 1 type: remember that in the process of boiling your wort each type of hop have to be added at a given time and it is important to follow the proper timing.

The yeast should not be substituted unless it was not included or lost: if needed head to your brew-store and get the proper yeast… Ale and Beer yeasts are very different and should not be substituted.

Equipment:

• 3 to 8 gallon pot (preferably 5 gallons stainless steel) used for preparing the mash which once completed will be called “Wort”. Specialty pots will have a ball valve at the bottom and some would be fitted to accept a thermometer
• 5 gallon plastic pail with a lid and a stick on thermometer and quantity scale to use as a fermenter or a Conical Fermenter
• Long handle Spoon or Spatula preferably metallic
• Grain sock for steeping grains. Inexpensive at brew store.
• Thermometer (cooking style) available at Walmat $13.00
• Bathtub if you do not have a chiller
• Ice if you do not have a chiller
• Love for BEER!

Method:

This in only a reference, we recommend that you follow the recipes recommended process. Extract and grain recipes will generally produce a mash of 19 or 23 liters.

• Preparing the wort: If using a 3 gallon pot add 2 gallons of tap water, if using a 5 to 8 gallon pot add a minimum of 3 gallons of tap water; at this stage bottle or tap water does not make a huge difference. Place it on the stove or propane burner or as we do an induction burner with the heat on High until the water temperature reaches the recipe recommended temperature commonly 65 c (150 f).
• While the water is heating up: use a large platter and standing over it pour the grain in the grain sock and tightly secure the grain sock (bag) and let it rest in the large platter. When closing the bag tightly, allow the grain to move freely inside, so it has to be tight near the bag’s collar/opening.
• When the right temperature is reached it is time to add the grain (it’s called STEEPING) Keep the temperature on high because the grain will cool it down quickly. Most recipes recommend steeping at 150-165 but don’t let it get any higher than 170, keep adjusting. The steeping period should be 25 to 35 minutes as per recipes. Then you would remove the grain bag making sure most liquid is extracted, compost the grain if you so wish then clean the bag as they are reusable.
• At this point and time you would likely be rising the temperature to the boiling point 100 c no matter how long it takes.
• While the  temperature is rising you should place your malt extract in a sink filled with hot water to make the next step much easier, if you don’t, next time you will! lol.
• Is it boiling? Yes, well this is where you would turn off the heat to prevent scorching the bottom of the pot. You are ready to add the malt extract, start slowly and keep stirring using the long handle instrument of your choice as you add more malt then you can add it more rapidly.
• Once the malt extract is incorporated it is now called a “WORT” though you still have to add flavour(s) consisting of yeast and sometimes other flavours.
• Following your recipe  you will now add some flavours by adding 1 to many different Hops at the given time. Follow carefully; 99 %or recipes will have a final addition of hops which will enhance your brew while into the fermentation process.
• Once the malt is fully added you will bring the temperature up to the recommended  setting and at the recommended time you will add the hops.

Cooling time:

To be completed soon