How long did you extract brew before going to All Grain?

**Fadeux** · 01-02-2009, 01:53 AM

I assume most people on here do all-grain brewing. I am just curious as to how long you did extract brewing (if at all) before understanding the process enough to do all-grain. I have done two batchs, a hefe, currently in bottle stage, and a lager, still in secondary. Basically I am just reading and following instructions. I am wondering what really gets people to that next step of all-grain.

TeufelBrew · 01-02-2009, 01:55 AM

I think I went 8 months brewing extract and steeped grains before going AG. I just wanted to control the next step in the process after controlling fermentation temps. It's a personal thing and you can go AG or not as you choose. See what you like and what works for you.

Fingers · 01-02-2009, 01:57 AM

I think I went about 4 or 5 months. I started in the middle of winter so indoor brewing was most convenient. By summer I was all grain.

The Pol · 01-02-2009, 01:59 AM

Never brewed extract....

**Revvy** · 01-02-2009, 02:02 AM

I don't do any one type of brewing...I'm not elitist and believe that All grain is the Holy grail mecca of brewing...It's not the type of brewing you do that makes good beer...it's YOUR PROCESS...

I'm a homebrewer, not an extract brewer or an allgrain brewer...I make beer. And depending on the recipe or the mood, the ingredients I use are different for each batch...AND except for a couple of exceptions, they all have been either pretty good or freaking amazing..

Some of my recipes taste great as extract so there's no need to spend 6 hours brewing it as ag...

You might wanna consider reading this..

http://blogs.homebrewtalk.com/Revvy/Why_cant_we_all_get_along/

If you suck as an extract brewer, it doesn't mean you will "Magically" make great beers becasue you now became an All Grain Brewer...be the best damn brewer you can be, with whatever you have in front of you, whether it's a can of extract or 10 pounds of 2-row...

nowise · 01-02-2009, 02:02 AM

2 extract batches and I was done. AG is a lot easier than it appears, at least to get started. I'll never admit to being a master

**cuinrearview** · 01-02-2009, 02:15 AM

I'm a bit of copper away from going all-grain, but I've been collecting the stuff to go there for 4 months. I'm in no hurry. Since getting serious about the hobby, I've made 20 batches of extract with grains. The beer mostly tastes good, some really good. When I get my equipment together I'll try an all grain batch, but I'll probably still make some of my beers from extract as well. I've yet to taste a beer from an all-grain brewer (other than the micros) that has me stepping on myself to brew this way. I'd like to have the equipment to lager much more than than a MLT. Don't get me wrong, I know that the best beers are made this way, I just make stuff that's too close to "get after it". Hope this helps answer your question, even though I haven't done it yet.

**Yuri_Rage** · 01-02-2009, 02:15 AM

About a month.

The Pol · 01-02-2009, 02:17 AM

I am not an elitist... but my point is that going All Grain, isnt hard. There are a lot of people that do it and never do extract. It is talked up to be some big thing... it isnt. The toughest part, making sure you have the room to brew outdoors with a burner and a large pot.... that is about the hardest part for most ppl.

**BigKahuna** · 01-02-2009, 02:43 AM

8 years.....