I am posting this thread to describe my first few AG batches after several extract batches.
After much research on various websites, books, and forums I decided that I wanted to give All Grain brewing a try and decided on the batch sparge method. I figured the worst that could happen is that is I would be out 20 bucks for grain and a few bucks for material to convert an old cooler into a mash/lauter tun. I felt like most extract brewers that have never brewed AG before that it was very hard and I was actually kinda intimidated. Well after my first batch I seriously asked myself why all the fuss? It really is simple and in my opinion easier than extract and lots more fun because you are not making beer using premade syrup.
Basically all you are doing is soaking crushed grain in hot water for an hour (the mash) and draining the runnings into your boil pot. After that you perform the sparge wich is basically soaking the grains in more hot water for 15 minutes and draining again. You have just made AG wort. Simple. The hardest part about the whole process is making sure you have the right temperature water and adding the correct amount of water per lb of grain (1.3 quarts water per 1 lb of grain is a good number). So I am encouraging anybody that is intimidated by All Grain brewing not to be. It really is easy. Here are some great resorces that completely helped me understand and brew my first AG wort.
http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/index.html
My advice is keep it simple and and don't worry. It really is hard to screw up beer bad enough not to drink. Chances are it will be your best batch ever. One downside for some people however is that you do have to be able to boil full 5 gallon batches, so getting a keggle or bigger brewpot is essential.
CHEERS
After much research on various websites, books, and forums I decided that I wanted to give All Grain brewing a try and decided on the batch sparge method. I figured the worst that could happen is that is I would be out 20 bucks for grain and a few bucks for material to convert an old cooler into a mash/lauter tun. I felt like most extract brewers that have never brewed AG before that it was very hard and I was actually kinda intimidated. Well after my first batch I seriously asked myself why all the fuss? It really is simple and in my opinion easier than extract and lots more fun because you are not making beer using premade syrup.
Basically all you are doing is soaking crushed grain in hot water for an hour (the mash) and draining the runnings into your boil pot. After that you perform the sparge wich is basically soaking the grains in more hot water for 15 minutes and draining again. You have just made AG wort. Simple. The hardest part about the whole process is making sure you have the right temperature water and adding the correct amount of water per lb of grain (1.3 quarts water per 1 lb of grain is a good number). So I am encouraging anybody that is intimidated by All Grain brewing not to be. It really is easy. Here are some great resorces that completely helped me understand and brew my first AG wort.
http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/index.html
My advice is keep it simple and and don't worry. It really is hard to screw up beer bad enough not to drink. Chances are it will be your best batch ever. One downside for some people however is that you do have to be able to boil full 5 gallon batches, so getting a keggle or bigger brewpot is essential.
CHEERS