Extract

extract. (ehk'-straekt)

    1. The total amount of dissolved materials in the sweet wort after mashing and lautering malted barley and sometimes adjuncts such as corn and rice. Typical composition: 80 percent carbohydrates (dextrins, fermentable sugars); 8 percent nitrogenous matter; 5 percent glycerin; 3–4 percent mineral substances, resins, and gums. These extracts in solution determine the starting gravity of the wort, which is expressed in many different ways. It is measured with a saccharometer and expressed in degrees Balling or Plato as the number of grams of extract per 100 grams of wort at 63.5 °F (17.5 °C). In the United Kingdom it is expressed in brewer’s pounds per quarter (336 pounds) of malt. See also: hot-water extract. 2. A concentrate of the essential elements of a substance in a dry or liquid form. See also: malt extract.