Why go all grain?

I know its the next step from extract with specialty grains (though I understand some stop off at the partial mash rest stop first though I would just go full guns), but why? Does the beer taste that much better using all grain? I am pretty confident that I am going to jump to all grain regardless, but before I jump in with the 10 gallon cooler mash tun and the wort chiller (already have the turkey fryer), I just wanted to hear from everyone with experience as to why they think it is better. I presume the beer tastes better, right?

Greg

I think my AG brews taste a lot better. But you also have complete control over your beer to make whatever style or recipe you want. Some things just aren't going to work from extract.

Plus, it is really fun and satisfying to make something completely from scratch!

What Flyguy said.

TO elaborate--some ingredients (and therefore some beer styles) really require mashing, so they can only be porperly brewed PM or AG.

Plus, it's fun, you get some more toys and steps to play with, and it brings your per-batch ingredient cost down pretty significantly.

The beer tastes way better. Plus, it is fun.

I love that you guys respond so fast! I am brewing what turned out to be a great batch (but its almost gone!), so I was really thinking about brewing AG again. I am going to do a full volume boil on my turkey fryer this weekend (extract IPA) to try out so that I can get that experience.

Greg

Remember that feeling of accomplishment you had after you tasted your first homebrew?? Well, it's nothing compared to how you feel after you do your first AG. Hell I get that "I done good" feeling still after every AG batch

Bernie Brewer said:

Remember that feeling of accomplishment you had after you tasted your first homebrew?? Well, it's nothing compared to how you feel after you do your first AG. Hell I get that "I done good" feeling still after every AG batch

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Amen to that! I still get a kick out of tasting the liquor in the mash tun after conversion and it's sweet.

You can make amazing beers with extract + steeping grains but I think a lot of it is pride too. I know I had way more pride in my AG beers than my extract batches. There's nothing like the feeling of putting time and effort into something and getting exactly the end result you wanted (ok not always but nobody else needs to know that ).

I think they taste tons better than my extract beers. Plus i really really enjoy the process.

Every time a pull one of my all grain home brews, I take a sip and marvel at the unbelievable taste and quality, and then I marvel at the fact that I made it.

I just put on a new keg of Haus Pale and Bavarian Hefe and both are simply fantastic. My third tap is Apfelwein.

Why go all grain? The beer is better than lots of commercial beers.

Think of it in terms of resolution - you might get 256 colors from extract, but millions of different colors from all grain. There are so many different types of beer you can make from all grain, when you're somewhat limited with extract. Plus, the first time one of my lighter color ales came out the perfect color, since there's not much worry about caramelization, it was amazing.

more control, better beer & more of it for less money.
jump in the water's warm.

I don't buy in bulk and can make 5 gallons of an all-grain bitter for around $12 if I use dry yeast.

All grain is a lot of fun, but it makes your day longer. Longer still if you're doing decoction mashing on a style that calls for it.

I won't jump on the cheaper band wagon, but I will damn sure stick with the accomplishment aspect. I STILL stop and think about how my wife and I made this from scratch. Tasting your beers and knowing that you would prefer to drink this beer than a 7.00 top shelf beer at a bar, really does something for ya.

It's fun!

And nothing against extract, but I always felt like it was like making pasta with ragu. Ya, you can add spices, other ingredients and use all sorts of different noodles, but it's not quite the same as doing it from scratch!

So you afford to buy that engagement ring

Because you can.

Because it's what all of the 'cool' EAC's are doing these days. :rockin:

To expand on RDWJ's comment:

Why make your own soup when you can open a can of Campbell's.

I did it for the challenge anybody can open a can and boil some water.

I got to a point in extract brewing where all my beers tasted like extract. It's hard to describe, but no matter what I did I always had this 'taste' that was consistent from batch to batch and with varied styles. I decided to try ag, got a cooler, sparge arm, and turkey fryer - first batch didn't have the 'taste' and I'll never go back. I drink friends extract brews now and don't notice so I may be imagining things but I don't care, I love the enzymatic starch conversion thing - it's just so cosmic.

:fro:

• Better control over color
  
• Better control over fermentation (varying levels of fermentables in extract)
  
• Better control over taste, mouthfeel, body
  
• The challenge of doing it
  
• Making it from scratch
  
• Freshness

For me, the taste improved greatly. And while it is cheaper per batch when you buy 55-pound sacks of grain, personally I have to qualify that with the money I dropped into my system.

But mostly just 'cause it's fun.

What others have said plus

... because that's the only way you'll be a "real brewer"!

Kind of like popping a frozen dinner in the microwave or even using a cake batter in a box doesn't make you a real cook. You gotta start from scratch to get the full experience. C'mon, you don't want to be a Mr. Mom brewer, do ya?

mandoman said:

I got to a point in extract brewing where all my beers tasted like extract. It's hard to describe, but no matter what I did I always had this 'taste' that was consistent from batch to batch and with varied styles. I decided to try ag, got a cooler, sparge arm, and turkey fryer - first batch didn't have the 'taste' and I'll never go back. I drink friends extract brews now and don't notice so I may be imagining things but I don't care, I love the enzymatic starch conversion thing - it's just so cosmic.

:fro:

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I know exactly what you are talking about with the same extract 'taste' in every batch; my wife, who is a professional chef, can't taste it, and neither can my friends - but I can, and it makes me nuts. My scottish ales, APAs and Irish reds have all had it. Late extract addition seems to have helped with the 'extract taste' on my latest batch (English pale ale), but it is still present.

I just finished building my MLT based on FlyGuy's really useful instructions, and haven't done on AG batch yet. If the weather holds this weekend, I'll be doing my first AG batch on Sat. Does anyone know of some fairly straightforward recipes to try? I was going to use Palmer's brown ale recipe from How to Brew to start with, but I would be open to other suggestions as well.

rdwj said:

It's fun!

And nothing against extract, but I always felt like it was like making pasta with ragu. Ya, you can add spices, other ingredients and use all sorts of different noodles, but it's not quite the same as doing it from scratch!

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I find that extract home brews tend to have a "twang" to them. I've tasted them from lots of extract brews brought to home brew club meetings.

All Grain does away with the "Extract Twang" and the results are FAR BETTER.

subourbonite said:

I was going to use Palmer's brown ale recipe from How to Brew to start with, but I would be open to other suggestions as well.

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That's what I used for my first AG too. It's tasty and it's nice to have something easy for your first shot. You'll have plenty of things to think about as is.