Extract process review

[mosto]

Hi all,

I've just made the move from kit and bits to extract brewing. Simultaneously, I've moved from the standard fermenter to two 20L jerry's, as I can fit them in my brew fridge and ferment 40L at a time instead of 20-25L.

My previous process with kits and standard fermenter was steep grains for 20 min in hop sock, remove , boil for 20 min with any hop additions also in hop sock, tip in fermenter add other fermentables, top up to required volume, stirring the whole time.

Now my process, is usually steep grains for 20 min in hop sock, remove, boil for 60 min with hop additions, also in hop sock (usually 10L boil), tip into standard fermenter, then transfer to jerry fermenter. I do this as there's no tap on my pot so makes for less mess / waste using tap on fermeter to pour through the small jerry opening. I then top up to 20L with tap water, obviously not stirring as opening is too small for a spoon. Doing this, my OG have been VERY high, but I assume since I'm not stirrin g while topping up I'm getting a concentrated sample for the tap of the jerry. Does that sound right?

Also, given I oontain all grains and hops in hop socks, I don't whirlpool, but should I? Any other advice appreciated.

n.b. I'll be doing away with the transferring to standard fermenter then to jerry next brew as I've bought an easy siphon to transfer straight from the pot.

 

[Nibbo]

I would think that you would have a good mix after boiling and transferring twice into other vessels.
No need to whirlpool if your tipping the pot into another vessel as it'll just fall in any way but if your using a syphon then it wouldn't hurt. Depends really on how many soilds you have after the boil.

 

[carniebrew]

Mosto, if you're topping up in your jerry fermenter, then close it up after the top up and give it a bloody good shake to stir it all up, 'coz as you say, you're OG reading will be thrown way out as the top up water tends to sit on top of the more dense wort. I've been caught out by that before.

Take a look at the guide I wrote on extract w/ spec grain brewing a while back, I tweaked the process quite a few times following feedback from fellow extract brewers. You might find something in there you hadn't thought of....or if you've got something you do better, add it to the discussion.