Is all grain really THIS easy?

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BillTheSlink

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I am going to the local home brew store (Listermann's) to get their extract Trappest Abby Ale kit and my first all grain recipe which I copied from somewhere.

This fellow has a video on you tube:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMHLqnWCNjE]YouTube - Easy All Grain Brewing - Batch Sparge Method[/ame]

where he has made a lautertun from a cooler for under 22 bucks from plastic tubing and a braided toilet supple line. Planes are here: Cheap and Easy Mash Tun

Questions about the video: He just dumps his whole lot of sparg water onto the bed. I thought you had to do this pretty gently and slowly. I was going to buy the Phil's lautertun which has a two bucket system linked by a sparg arm, but if this will work then I think I am good to go.

http://www.listermann.com/PDF/Phils_Lauter_Tun.pdf

OK now, What do you think of this Kolesch recipe:
9 lbs. German Pilsen
1 lbs. Weyermann Pale Wheat

1 oz. Tradition pellets (60 min)
1 oz. Hallertau Select whole (30 min)

Safale US-05.

Of course I'll add some rice hulls and Irish Moss

I will not be able to give it a cold Lagering, but my issue of "Brew" says not to worry. True?

Bill

Ps: sorry I didn't mean to embed the video, just copy the link. I hope it's alright.
 
Wow, that's by far the simplest and easy seeming all grain brewing video I've ever seen. I haven't ventured into all-grain yet, but that made it seem a lot less intimidating. What the hell am I doing steeping a couple of pounds of grains for an hour just to add extract.

Is it really this simple?
 
i just did my first AG batch and found the process to be easy enough. i hit my temps and had no stuck sparge. i need to refine my water quantities tho...ended up with too much.
 
Can't see the vid (at work)

It sounds like he's batch sparging. Batch sparging got a lot of people making the jump because it's easy and quick.

The main thing is to do a dry run on paper and understand the calculations and figures. When you have it right in your head it should be good for real.
 
That is an excellent video in many respects. Yes, it really is that easy! Obviously there are some things you need to find out for yourself, like water temps and water volumes, but you can find all that on brewing software and online calculators.

I think that for anyone feeling intimidated by making the jump from extract to AG, this this video is great for demystifying the process. He said he made the video for extract brewers who might want to make the jump, and IMO he did a very good job.
 
Yep, that's about it. I only do a couple of things differently- one is that I add the grain a little at a time and stir well instead of adding it all at once. I found that when I added it all it once, I had big almost cooked doughballs that were a bugger to break up. So, I add the grain while stirring. Also, instead of one addition of sparge water, I often break it into two additions and don't bother with the mash-out. It's a little better efffiency for me.

Otherwise, yep. That's all there is to it! Pick your mash temp and thickness based on the style of beer you're making. 153 is a good temp for most styles, if you're not sure. Add hotter strike water to the MLT (to preheat it- believe me, it'll suck out about 8 degrees!) and let it drop to your strike temp (usually about 10 degrees warmer than your mash temp). So, I'd add 170 degree water and let it drop to 163 over about 10 minutes or so and then add the grain to hit my mash temp.

For the first time, keep some extra hot water handy, just in case you miss the temp. BUT....... wait a bit. Stir it well, give it a couple of minutes to equalize, then check the temp in about 4 different places. If it's too cold, you can add some boiling water to bring it up. Just do it slowly, and give it time to change temps. So many people on their first attempt add boiling water, don't wait a minute, and it's too hot so they add cold water, etc, back and forth. Just remember that if you're a few degrees off, it's easy to tweak- just go slow and easy.

I think Bobby_M's videos are better for learning AG, even though there was nothing wrong with that one. Take a look at his, and if you have any questions, make sure you ask- that's why we're here after all. Good luck!

 
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Questions about the video: He just dumps his whole lot of sparg water onto the bed. I thought you had to do this pretty gently and slowly. I was going to buy the Phil's lautertun which has a two bucket system linked by a sparg arm, but if this will work then I think I am good to go.
.

Yea that exactly how I brew. Its called a batch sparge. The slow and gentle method is fly sparging.
I personally like the batch sparge because there are a few less things for me to mess up or worry about. and it is way faster.
you'l like it
 
cool video.. eventually I have to get into AG

I like the videos, because it can show exactly what's happening. I was so intimidated at first by the equipment I saw- those big burners and all the other "stuff" that I didn't recognize. Even now, I have a couple of coolers and a couple of pots. That's really all I need for the basics. I think that if you are handy with a few tools, you could start AG with a basic cooler (but a ball valve is very helpful on it!), a turkey fryer or other big pot and burner, and a good thermometer. Definitely under $100.
 
On the recipe...I'd drop your pilsen by a pound and add another pound of wheat. The kolsch my friends love is 7 pilsen, 2 light wheat, .75 dark munich, .25 melanoidin/crystal 10.

I would definitely look at using a wyeats's kolsch yeast instead of the safeale though.
 
It wasn't a video that persuaded me to switch to AG. It was a brewcast. For a few months I had been reading on this forum about AG, and I had been blinded by all the super-duper shiny equipment with all the bells and whistles and naked lady dancers. I had assumed that it would not be possible with a couple of largish pots and the will to brew.

One day I watched Soperbrew doing an all gran batch on fairly basic equipment. I had no idea it could be so easy! I thought hey! If Soperbrew can do it with a lot of hope and a piece of string, then so could I!! Let's face it, I am WAY smarter than Soper, and I play better brewing music than him too! :D

So yeah, that video is great for it's simplicity. If you have any lingering doubts, keep your eyes peeled for a brewcast. They get posted on this forum from time to time. If you see one, take a gander. They are both fun and rewarding. And you get to ask questions! :)
 
+10000 on the kolsch yeast.using the safeale you just going to get a generic version.like harpoon summer beer.
 
I have been doing all-grain batches after two extract batches and I'm glad I made the switch. I think the physical action of doing AG batches is relatively straight forward and not too much additional work is needed compared to extract. However, a lot of people make is seem overly easy and therefore mislead people. What I mean by this is that while the work involved is relatively the same the troubleshooting that comes with AG batches increases a good bit. Most people that have done AG will say it's easy because they have worked out most all the flaws to their technique and have gotten to a point where they do certain procedures without thinking either because of repitition or after learning what they were doing wrong to begin with. I have only done 5 AG batches and I am kind of to the point where I feel my effeciency is good and I understand WHY I am doing certain things during the procedure.

Basically what I am saying is that although AG seems easy on paper, it can open up your brewing to more trouble shooting. I personally am not an expert at the procedure but I do know enough to appreciate the fact that I prefer AG to extract. However, by not being an expert yet I can see how AG can require you to troubleshoot much more.

Don't let me deter you from converting to AG just understand that it's not always as easy as Hot water + Grain + Time = Wort. But the benefits are well worth the extra trouble.
 
Looks like a pretty standard BAP (big a$$ pot) to me...available lots of places from $20 for a 32 qt Al pot to north of $200 for a very nice stainless multiply pot. (I'm working in a $20 Al pot right now :eek:).

This one would be on my list if I were considering an upgrade.
 
I've been using an aluminum 28 quart "turkey fryer" pot and burner. Well, actually, I've never used the burner because I've been brewing indoors on my stove for the entire time. But, I have the burner and I'll maybe use it sometime when I brew outside. Anyway, that turkey fryer set up was around $45 at Cabela's or somewhere.

There are many kinds of brewkettles- as the previous poster said, you can use an el cheapo (but be careful because you don't want to burn on the bottom) or a $300 Blichmann and you'll get the same results.

A couple of important things- if you're making a full batch of 5 gallons, you need to find a way to chill it. With an extract batch, we often top up with cold water and/or use an ice bath. That works great for that type of set up, but it takes a very, very long time for 5 gallons of boiling wort to chill to pitching temps without a wort chiller. Before I had a chiller, I split the boil into two pots, and put both into an ice bath in the sink. That worked ok, but still took longer than I wanted it to.

For safety's sake, you want to be able to chill in the same place you brew. You don't want to carry about 5 gallons of boiling wort- you risk burns and a hurt back!
 
Great video. It certainly makes everything a lot easier to understand. I think I will continue with extract for a while though. All of that extra equipment (bigger pots, cooler, wort chiller etc) just seems to cost too much.
 
For safety's sake, you want to be able to chill in the same place you brew. You don't want to carry about 5 gallons of boiling wort- you risk burns and a hurt back!

10 out of 10 for this point. Wort is boiling AND sticky. I don't want to be any part of a thread that leads to someone getting anything important burned off in a seriously painful way.

Back to the brewcasts, I was watching one once where the guy tipped his 10 gallons of wort over, and had to sacrifice his hands to keep the rest of his body out of the boiling wort on the floor.

I can still hear his screams. :(
 
Reading is intimidating. Eventually you just have to do it. I did and it was simple. I didn't wrap up the cooler like I should have, but I will next time.

Yes, moving 5+ gallons of 210° wort is stupid. You want to add wort chiller to it, and just keep it in the same place. I'm not sure how he got it into his basement sink. I brew in garage. Also, add wort chiller with 10 minutes left in boil to sanitize it. The "first runnings" out of the chiller will kill grass too so I collect it in a kettle and pour it over stubborn weeds.
 
Great video. It certainly makes everything a lot easier to understand. I think I will continue with extract for a while though. All of that extra equipment (bigger pots, cooler, wort chiller etc) just seems to cost too much.

Just keep in might what direction you want to go with your brewing setup and keep your eyes open for good deals along with way. I find that piecing it together over time can save a lot of money. :mug:
 
I didn't watch the video, but after going AG around February, I look back now and wonder why I was so intimidated about it. Once you figure out how your MLT handles water temps, it's a breeze.

Tonight I'm getting brave and trying something just for the hell of it. I have a 3 gallon carboy just hanging around, so decided to take some more runnings from the Brown Ale I brewed, and see what I get. I have a feeling it won't be very good...but not much of a loss if it sucks.
 
I've not watched these videos, but yes AG is that easy. There are many things that make it sound difficult. But when you actually do it, it isn't that bad.

As was mentioned earlier, start with a single infusion mash. Protein rests, mash outs and all that have a place but your first AG will likely go smoother if you just try to hit that one temperature.

Of course Palmer has already been mentioned in this thread. If you do read his text on AG, keep in mind that a recipe with modern two row grains for most of the fermentables and the single infusion mash makes the chemistry lesson and analogy about the family cleaning the yard a waste of reading.

Stuck sparge. Sounds like a show stopper doesn't it? Although you've read about them, they won't happen as long as you research out how to make your equipment and use it. If you do have a stuck sparge, they can be fixed easily from information on this site.

The way people tend to debate batch sparging and fly sparging makes it sound cornfusing too. Neither method is that overly difficult.

Efficiency? Another thing that you read about here every day. It is important to understand and determine what yours is, but you won't know what it is until you start brewing AG. Don't let worries about efficiency stop you.

The youtube videos are all over the place. The more of them you watch, the more you will see that many people do things differently. It is the same way that the more you read this forum you find that people don't all do things the same way. Watch some more, read some more and try to determine what you feel most comfortable with.

Good luck and have fun with this hobby.
 
Pencil 4 hours but allow 6.....

No point in presurising your self with time restraints on yor first brews.

A nice relaxed day with no young kids around is best.
 
Tonight I'm getting brave and trying something just for the hell of it. I have a 3 gallon carboy just hanging around, so decided to take some more runnings from the Brown Ale I brewed, and see what I get. I have a feeling it won't be very good...but not much of a loss if it sucks.

An interesting practice. I guess you've already heard of so called "small beer", which, according to Anchor Brewing Co. has been around for thousands of years:
Anchor Steam - Anchor Small Beer

Maybe the trick is to start with something fairly strong (e.g. barleywine). My recollection of Anchor's Small Beer is that it was light & bubbly, but good--not to be confused with fizzy yellow beer.
 
Yeah it takes me four hours and I have many all grain batches under my belt and thats being super efficient in my process. From start to after clean up it will probably be more like 6-8 hrs for your first all grain brew. Do a search on youtube for all grain brewing, Chris Knight has a series of all grain videos from start to finish. These videos are priceless and got me into all grain. Heres a link

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIGrsGPVA_Y]YouTube - All Grain Home Brewing (1 of 8)[/ame]
 
On the recipe...I'd drop your pilsen by a pound and add another pound of wheat. The kolsch my friends love is 7 pilsen, 2 light wheat, .75 dark munich, .25 melanoidin/crystal 10.

I would definitely look at using a wyeats's kolsch yeast instead of the safeale though.

How much rice hulls would you guys use with this? I got 1/2 lb just to have on hand.

Bill
 
This is am awesome thread with some excellent points.
I have two extract and three all grain batches done.

Yes it takes time and some trial n error to get you system down and it takes 4-5 hours so plan ahead.

I don't put my immersion cooler in the brewpot .. I just soak it in my starsan bucket along with my funnel, pitcher, blow off tube, airlock, etc etc. I found that it interrupts the boil a few minutes when you put it in the brewpot and just gets in the way of the hop bag..to each his own.

One thing I've learned is that there are many ways to brew all grain you just need to find your own way. That video is great and I watched that along with Knight's many times as well as read Palmers book and others..

The learning curve is steep the first few batches. Good luck to you brother.
 
as far as cost i looked around used 10 gallon drink cooler $30, went to a cook store for a pot and they were like $80 for stainless steel talked to the guy at the counter. my favorite quote ever he said "is used ok ?" he went the the back and pulled out a well used 7 gallon stainless steel pot with nice thick edges $25 took it home with me. then another $25 dollors for copper tubing and about 10 for parts to hook it all up.
 
I use rice hulls in all my brews as do many other people. It just helps prevent stuck sparges, a couple handfuls will be fine. They are super cheap and don't impart any flavors or absorb any liquid. They are neutral.
 
Super guys. This really did turn into a good thread. I did end up going with the fly sparg set up, just because it was already put together and I have very few tools, few places to work, and I am disabled and a klutz with physical labor stuff like turning screws. Someone mentioned the chiller. I already had one and have been using it and I couldn't agree more. I think the reasons my brews so far have been good is because I could do a full boil, calculate my boil loss with Beersmith, and chill right away. I do unfortunately have to carry the pot to the kitchen to hook up the chiller. I can only connect to the kitchen faucet and with the a/c I couldn't run a hose to the patio. It is a short distance and I don't have to lift it into the sink however.

Bill
 
Good thread. I am also a AG newbie. I brewed my first AG batch about 3 weeks ago and it really wasn't complicated. I did quite a bit of reserach on the front end, built my MLT from a 10 gallon home depot cooler, braided supply hose and a ball valve. Used the brew kettle that came with my original kit to heat the strike and sparge water then used the large aluminum pot that came with my turkey fryer for the boil. I also batch sparged, which was simple as it gets. It's almost like making a big batch of coffee. I caluclated 67% efficiency, which I don't think is too bad for my 1st attempt. Hit my targets and the samples taste good. I am building a wort chiller this weekend though. I used a ice bath for my last one and it took about 45 mins to chill it to pitching temp.
 
Hey Meaty Portion. I see you are fan of Issac (Love Boat). About a year ago, I was shopping for light bulbs at home depot. Me and this dude were both standing there in light bulb hell or heaven depending on how you look at it. We were kind of talking to each other about how confusing it all was, but I wasn't really looking at him. All of the sudden, some dude comes running over and says "You're Issac from Love Boat!!!". He kindly replies, "yes, at one time I was Issac from Love Boat. Now I am Ted Lange." He spoke to the guy for a few and then went back to light bulb hell with me.

Anyway. No real point to the story. Just trying to kill time at work.

:off:
 
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