Franconian Beer Message Board

Extract versus all grain
Posted by barry on 2013-09-28 13:45:18
I think it is fully dehydrated in that the water is removed, leaving only the syrupy looking semi-liquid malt. Weyermann's website lists three extracts for brewing:

Bavarian poilsner type:
  • golden brown, unhopped extract with a high concentration, produced from Weyermann® Pilsner Malt and Weyermann® CARAPILS®
  • it is produced by a step infusion mashing process
  • the malt extract tastes very sweet with a well-balanced malt aroma
  • Weyermann® Bavarian Pilsner Extract produces typical Bavarian Style Pils and Helles Lager beers as well as Light Maerzen, Oktober Beers and Bock Beers

There are also malt extracts for Bavarian hefeweisen and Munich amber, which are produced by decoction. Like I said originally, Weyermann is just acting a the 'masher' - the other brewing process are carried out by the brewer, either at home or in the brewery. 

Note that there are many different types of brew kits available, from those that allow the home brewer to replicate fully mash brewing (but I think only obergärig method) to simple kits where you just add hot (not boiling) water. Others contain malt extract and separate hops, and all include concentrated yeast. I understand from my reading of the history of home brewing that the biggest advance has been in the yeast provided.

Re sterilisation: I think that the most important aspect of sterilisation is not with the water but the equipment. I repeated the old saw to Robert that brewing is mostly cleaning and waiting, and he agreed.

Re bottling before the end of primary fermentation: I think this is similar to the practice of some commercial brewers that our friend Gernot disliked and he said resulted in over carbonation. His explanation to me explained why I personally find many Franken (and Oberpfalzische) beers so gassy. It is because the lagering tanks are closed very early because brewers think that their customers like fizzy beer. This is made worse by using extraneous amounts of CO2 in the delivery. In Bamberg, I think Fassla is the worst - I didn't even bother to go in there this visit.

 
 
Followups:
               Extract versus all grain by Nick B. on  2013-09-29 03:58:40