TimothyTheGreat
New Member
I have made a few batches of extracts, I would like to transition to all-grain brewing. What would I need and about how much would it cost? I want to start making my own recipes and with extracts that is hard to do.
I know this is probably in here, how do I go from extract to all-grain brewing?
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You would need a mash tun with a false bottom and valve. I would also recommend a small 5 gallon pot for heating sparge water (this depends on how you are going to sparge). I'm sure I'm forgetting something little, but its early here
I've done four all-grain batches thus far and learned much of what I know from these forums. I posted recently about moving from extract to all-grain on a similar thread to this recently so I'll just quote some of that post here...
a good video that helped me decide on the brew-in-a-bag setup was
I think it gives a lot of flexibility with minimal investment and gets you to true all-grain brewing quickly. It also lets me stay inside!
One thing that has been invaluable though is brewing software. I got BeerSmith and it really helps me set up things to match my process and what I can do, or just what I'm comfortable doing at that time. I've done a 3 gallon batch of 1.072 OG, a 5 gallon batch of 1.045 OG, and two beers at about 4.25 gallons and 1.060 OG. Of course, all 4 recipes started as a standard 5 gallon batches. It really helped me get more comfortable with the process and handling a smaller grain bill for the first two batches helped me focus on all the new intricacies of all-grain brewing. Also all my carboys are 5 gallons because I bought my starting equipment from a wine maker haha.
a good video that helped me decide on the brew-in-a-bag setup was
I think it gives a lot of flexibility with minimal investment and gets you to true all-grain brewing quickly. It also lets me stay inside!
One thing that has been invaluable though is brewing software. I got BeerSmith and it really helps me set up things to match my process and what I can do, or just what I'm comfortable doing at that time. I've done a 3 gallon batch of 1.072 OG, a 5 gallon batch of 1.045 OG, and two beers at about 4.25 gallons and 1.060 OG. Of course, all 4 recipes started as a standard 5 gallon batches. It really helped me get more comfortable with the process and handling a smaller grain bill for the first two batches helped me focus on all the new intricacies of all-grain brewing. Also all my carboys are 5 gallons because I bought my starting equipment from a wine maker haha.
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There's no real answer for that, not a simple one anyway. You need to think about how much you have and how much you want to spend and then start reading about all the options and choose. You'll need a mash tun of some type, a way to separate your run-off from the grain and a pot big enough to boil off about 7-8 gallons for a full boil. You have the rest, for now. I got kegs and made keggles, got a 10 gal. igloo cooler for a mash tun, made myself a copper manifold for the tun, and made myself a 3 tier system. You just have to pick a path and start.
When I made the jump from extract to all grain, I spent about $3K and went directly to 220v all electric and 10gal batches... Not necessary but I followed the mantra, "Buy big or buy twice." I was sure I was into brewing for a long time and I wanted to skip several generations of gradual upgrading, losing money at each step. I also wanted to establish a brewing process that eliminated as many variables as possible.
Then again, the wife want happy about it and the last 1K was the "last thousand dollars and then you are done right?".... Absolutely, Babe.
Then again, the wife want happy about it and the last 1K was the "last thousand dollars and then you are done right?".... Absolutely, Babe.
When I went from extract to all grain I bought a Corona style mill and a pair of paint strainer bags for a total of about $30 and did half size batches in the 5 gallon pot that I had for extract brewing. My local supply doesn't have a mill but if your does you can have them double mill the grain for you and get by with just the paint stainer bags for $4. As far as I can tell that is the least expensive way to get into all grain brewing.
I've since purchased a turkey fryer so I can do a full 5 gallon batch BIAB. When I want to brew my weather is really crappy, snowing or extremely cold, like -20 to -30 so I do it all indoors except for the wort chilling. My electric stove is capable of boiling 6 1/2 gallons but yours may not.
I've since purchased a turkey fryer so I can do a full 5 gallon batch BIAB. When I want to brew my weather is really crappy, snowing or extremely cold, like -20 to -30 so I do it all indoors except for the wort chilling. My electric stove is capable of boiling 6 1/2 gallons but yours may not.
pellis007
Well-Known Member
When I made the jump to all grain, I already had a 5 gallon kettle. I now use that for heating my sparge water. I bought a bayou burner, an 11 gallon brew kettle and a 50 quart Igloo rectangular cooler which I made into my mash lauter tun by constructing a cpvc manifold. I batch sparge so I didn't need a hot liquor tank. So adding it all up I spent about $75 on the kettle, about $45 on the cooler, about $20 on the cpvc and a ball valve, and about $50 for the burner. So for under $200 I'm all set to do 5-8 gallon all grain batches. Well worth the investment in my opinion.
