arborman

Recipes 

So, do you guys really notice a large difference in taste of the final product of an identical all grain kit vs. an extract kit? I brewed up a NB deadringer extract and was thinking of doing the same kit in all grain. Wonder if I'll taste the difference? I've only done 4 extract batches and one all grain, so there's plenty of room for error. But, if your a more experienced brewer? Whatcha think?

freisste

Recipes 

You should definitely try it. I don't have a particularly practiced palate, but I have heard a lot of people say that even adding steeping grains improves a beer.

kombat

Recipes 

Going all grain eliminated the "extract twang" for me, so it was totally worth it.

arborman

Recipes 

Ok, then..... I'm going for it. This is what I call sweet research!

Jeffinn

Recipes 

I agree with the comment on "extract twang". It may have been from the extract, maybe the fermentation temps, maybe something else. But it became a non issue once I switched to all grain.

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Primary 1: Werewolf Red Ale
Primary 2: American Pale Ale
Primary 3: Mo's Golden Ale
Primary 4: Porter
Primary 5: Jeff's Red

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder!

Cyclman

Recipes 

I never got the twang, did lots of extract kits- but my LHBS has high turnover, so LME was very fresh. I do think, however, that AG has greater depth of flavor / head retention. Moreover, AG enables you to brew anything and make it your own.

Buying equipment, I would prioritize fermentation temp control / oxygenation over AG equipment. Brewers cook wort, yeast in the right environment makes beer!

Hackwood

Recipes 

My favorite beer that I brewed for a long time was a Brewer's Best Summer Ale. UNTIL I brewed the same beer AG and I loved it even more. I may do extract from time to time in the future, but this AG stuff has me even more hooked than extract did. I LOVE THIS SCHTUFF!

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Fermenting - Summer Ale.
Lagering - Amber Bock Clone.
Secondary - Empty.
Bottle-aging - Lazy Day Super Bowl Amber, 2 English Bitters, Creme Ale and Chimay Grand Reserve.
In the Fridge - Xingu Black Lager, Saccharomyces - Irish Red, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Belgian Strong Ale.
Kegged - Milk Stout, Lazy Day Super Bowl Amber, Pale Ale and Chimay Grand Reserve.

Favorite Yooper quote: "The beer is done. It's not going to get "doner" by you messing with it." . . . . HAHAHA . . I LOVE IT!

tbel

Recipes 

I know many people prefer allgrain, but I've had extract beer that's superior to many of the Allgrains. A member of our local club brews almost exclusively extract. He creates/formulates his own recipes and makes some of the best home brew I've had. I haven't tasted the twang everybody talks about. As was suggested it may have as much to do with the freshness of the ingredients as anything. I guarantee you'll taste a difference between an extract and allgrain next to each other. You'd most likely taste a difference between the same allgrain kits brewed at different times. Unless you are meticulous about your methods there will always be differences.
In short, if you enjoy the process and product you get from extract don't feel pressured to do allgrain. If you like to be challenged allgrain can give you that.

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bottlebomber

Recipes 

I've never tasted the "twang" that people talk about. The main issue I had with brewing extract was under attenuation. All grain is almost always more fermentable. But I've made lots of great extract beers as well.

thielus_protar

Recipes 

A couple weeks ago I taught a friend to brew. We did an extract Irish red and then we did the same recipe all grain. They were Northern Brewer kits. Same yeast, fermented same temps and times, etc. Bottled and kegged on the same day. At kegging we tasted them side by side.

The extract beer was a bit less attenuated and definitely darker. The AG was a bit thinner but had a fresh grain flavor on the back side that was lacking in the extract. They were both good but we are gonna wait for his bottles to carb up to do another side by side.