Extract Brewing Systems

Brewing with extract systems is great fun. It's easy to get started. Most of the actual brewing will take place on your kitchen stove to begin with (with your spouse's permission of course). As you progress and gather more and more equipment, and begin making more complex beers, you may decide to move outdoors. Eventually all homebrewers get kicked out of the kitchen. Relax, it just means that you are growing as a homebrewer. This is the first step, and a peek at what the all grain brewers already know, "outside is good". It's easier to clean up your messes, no one bothers you, you can have all your buddies over to talk and drink homebrew, and you won't monopolize the kitchen for a good part of the day.

If you are starting from scratch as a novice homebrewer, here is how to begin. First of all you'll need to buy or gather your extract brewing system equipment. One great source for all your extract brewing equipment is MoreBeer.com, they will have everything you need and more. These are some of the items you will need: Adapted from John Palmer's How To Brew

• Two food grade plastic buckets (at least 5 gallons, preferably 7.5 gallons or larger)
• Lid for one bucket that fits tight (for the fermenter)
• Airlock
• Large kettle (20 quarts is best, either stainless or enameled steel)
• Long handled spoon for stirring
• Digital thermometer
• Racking cane
• 5/16" ID food grade vinyl hose for siphoning with the racking cane
• Clamp to fit on hose to stop flow
• 48 brown beer bottles (not twist off) with capper and bottle caps
• Small heat-proof measuring cup ie. pyrex
• No-rinse sanitizer such as StarSan

Here is some equipment that isn't mandatory but it makes extract brewing easier and much more enjoyable:

• Spring-loaded bottle filler
• Funnel
• Stainless strainer
• Bottle brush and carboy brush
• Hydrometer and hydrometer cylinder for SG measurements
• Muslin bag for grain and bag for hops
• Glass carboys 5 gallon and/or 6 gallon
• Auto siphon-it's all done manually in the beginning
• Propane tank and burner if you plan to extract brew outdoors

You can buy homebrewing equipment kits prepackaged from homebrew suppliers.

Go from Extract Systems to Homebrew Systems