simple version of extract brew

[Jimkd7]

i'm not brewing yet just getting info and this site is great

would the quik and simple description be:
steep
boil
crash cool
ferment
bottle
age
drink

be accurate?

thanks jim

 

[tme001]

Pretty much, yea. If you're looking to get into it, NB has an awesome sale right now where you can get an extract kit, starter kit, and kettle. Father's Day sale I do believe.

 

[Jimkd7]

Thanks for the heads up on the sale

Seems simple, right now i'm looking at the different processes and i'll probably start with extract and a one gal kit. Lot more styles of brewing than i thought.

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks for the heads up on the sale

Seems simple, right now i'm looking at the different processes and i'll probably start with extract and a one gal kit. Lot more styles of brewing than i thought.

I'm sorry, but I think the one gallon kit will be a mistake. Unless you really make a lot of errors in your brewing your beer will turn out pretty good and you'll soon want to upgrade to the 5 gallon batch size (makes 2 cases of 12 oz bottles) and you'll be buying equipment twice. It takes about the same amount of time to make a gallon as to make 5 gallons too.:rockin:

 

[unionrdr]

i'm not brewing yet just getting info and this site is great

would the quik and simple description be:
steep
boil
crash cool
ferment
bottle
age
drink

be accurate?

thanks jim

You got two of them backwards. it should be;
Steep
Boil
Chill wort
Ferment
Crash cool
Bottle
Carb/condition
Drink
Crash cooling is usually done after FG is reached to clear the beer. Some of us just give it another week or so in primary to clean up by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty then bottle.

 

[Jimkd7]

Is it necessary to take a reading during fermentation or just go by the air lock bubbles?
The cooling is to make sure the fermentation has ended before bottling correct?

Thanks for the correction

 

[DanH]

Is it necessary to take a reading during fermentation or just go by the air lock bubbles?
The cooling is to make sure the fermentation has ended before bottling correct?

Thanks for the correction

1. Take a reading. The bubbles will mislead you.

2. Cold crash is to get more yeast to settle to the bottom so that you can bottle/keg clearer beer.

 

[RM-MN]

Is it necessary to take a reading during fermentation or just go by the air lock bubbles?
The cooling is to make sure the fermentation has ended before bottling correct?

Thanks for the correction

No, you do not need to take hydrometer readings during the fermentation nor do you go by bubbles. You take hydrometer readings to determine the OG when you put the wort into the fermenter so you have a basis for determining the amount of alcohol your beer contains when it is finished and you take readings again when it is finished to make sure that it is finished and to calculate the alcohol from the difference in the first and last readings.

The beer has to be done fermenting before you crash cool or you will chance having bottles explode when the yeast eat the last of the sugars. You cannot stop the yeast by cooling unless you freeze the beer, only slow them down or make then go dormant. That crash cooling is to make the yeast that are suspended in the beer settle faster so you can bottle sooner. Given time in the fermenter, the yeast will settle anyway.

 

[Jimkd7]

Thanks

I gotta go visit the local shops and then start a shopping list

 

[flatlanderHQ]

If you want to read an excellent free resource try Palmer's How to Brew. It is indespensible to the new home brewer. And I definitely would not buy a 1 gallon kit. If you are going to do extract plus steep start with a 3 gallon pot at least. You won't regret it because you'll become a brewin fanatic like the rest of us here and soon you will want a 10 gallon pot!