Extract kits – brew beer and cider at home without mashing

An extract kit is concentrated, hopped wort or concentrated fruit juice that you mix with water, ferment and bottle. Here you will find beer extract kits from Mangrove Jack's and Simply, and cider kits from the Mangrove Jack's Craft Series. Most kits make 20–23 litres, and there is no mashing, sparging or boiling.

What is an extract kit?

For beer, the extract is concentrated, hopped wort. The cider kits are made from fruit that is pressed, concentrated and cold-filled into a pouch to keep the flavour of the fruit. You add water, sugar or malt extract and yeast, and after fermentation you have your own brew. The Craft Series and Traditional Series beer kits include dried yeast, and some also include dry hops.

The advantage is that you skip mashing, sparging and boiling for beer, and pressing fruit for cider. A brew is quick to set up, and with good sanitation and a stable temperature you can make good beer and cider. The same equipment can be used if you later move on to all-grain brewing.

How to choose an extract kit

Beer style: The Craft Series includes American IPA, Hazy IPA, Juicy Session IPA, Pils, Bavarian Wheat, Irish Stout and Irish Red Ale. The Traditional Series includes Blonde Lager, Lucky Goat Pale Ale, Belgian Pale Ale and Abbey. Simply comes as Lager, Pale Ale, IPA, Bitter, Brown Ale, Export Stout and Ginger Beer.
What else you need: Craft Series and Traditional Series beer kits need 1.2 kg of liquid malt extract. For several Craft Series kits you can use 1.4 kg of Beer Enhancer instead. Simply kits need 1 kg of malt extract or dextrose, and the cider kits 1 kg of dextrose or Cider Enhancer. Priming sugar is not included.
Volume and strength: Craft Series kits make about 23 litres (Hazy IPA about 18 litres) at 4.5–6.8% ABV. Simply kits make about 20 litres at around 4–4.4%.
Beer Enhancer 1 or 2: Beer Enhancer 1 is made for pale beers such as lager, pilsner and wheat beer. Beer Enhancer 2 is made for darker beers such as IPA, amber and stout.

Cider extract kits

Mangrove Jack's Craft Series cider comes in 2.4 kg pouches that make about 23 litres at 4.7–5.2%. Flavours include Apple, Pear, Dry Hopped Apple, Mixed Berry, Raspberry & Lime, Strawberry & Pear, Elderflower & Lime, Passionfruit & Peach, Raspberry & Mango and Rose. See them all under cider extract kits.

Equipment to get started

If you have no equipment yet, the Basic Starter Kit covers what you need for extract kits, Fresh Wort Kits and hard seltzer. The Cider Starter Kit also includes Craft Series Apple Cider and Cider Enhancer, a 33-litre fermenter, airlock, tap with bottle filler and hydrometer. Read more about extract brewing on our blog.

Frequently asked questions about extract kits

What else do I need to buy with an extract kit?

For beer you need liquid malt extract, Beer Enhancer or dextrose, depending on the kit. For cider you need dextrose or Cider Enhancer. You also need priming sugar or carbonation drops for the bottles, and equipment such as a fermenter, airlock and bottles.

Can I use sugar instead of malt extract?

You can use dextrose with the Simply kits. Malt extract still gives better flavour, body and mouthfeel than sugar, and for the Mangrove Jack's beer kits we recommend malt extract or Beer Enhancer.

Is yeast included in the extract kit?

Yes, the Mangrove Jack's Craft Series and Traditional Series beer kits include dried yeast. Craft Series Pils comes with M54 Californian Lager, for example, and American IPA with M44 US West Coast.

What is the difference between an extract kit, a Fresh Wort Kit and an all-grain kit?

An extract kit is concentrated wort that you dilute with water. A Fresh Wort Kit is finished wort that only needs to be fermented. An all-grain kit contains malt and hops, and you mash and boil yourself.