All-Grain to Extract Conversion

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Guidry

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OK, a few days ago I was reading a thread and one of the members who posted had in their sig lines a link to "how to convert all-grain recipe to extract", or something to that effect. I made a mental note to go back later and follow that link, then I had a few more brews.........Sooooooo, does anyone out there recognize that idea and might be able to point me to that link?
 
I know some Guidrys with LA roots. Chris and Susan in VA?

What are you trying to convert? Maybe we can help aside from finding that link.
 
The most recent issue of BYO is all about that as well if you are looking for some extra input.
 
BendBrewer said:
I know some Guidrys with LA roots. Chris and Susan in VA?

What are you trying to convert? Maybe we can help aside from finding that link.
Click to expand...

Heh heh....I know a Chris....That would be me. However, I am not in VA.

As for the conversion, nothing in particular at this precise moment. I see recipes off and on that I would like to try and being able to at least attempt to convert would be cool.
 
You should do what I did.

1) Make friends with Beersmith, or Brewtarget, or Hopville.com, or any one of a dozen or so recipe calculators. Play around with a recipe, substituting this for that. You'll get the hang of it pretty quickly.

2) Pick up a copy of Brewing Classic Styles. The recipes are all extract with specialty grains, with instructions on how to convert to all-grain. You will soon see that going the other way is pretty straightforward (usually); plus, you will have a book full of great recipes to get you started.
 
An easy rule of thumb is that 1 pound of base grain = .75 pound pale LME = .6 pound of DME. Specialty grains remain the same.

So, if the recipe is like this:
10 pounds 2-row
1 pound crystal.

You'd use
7.5 pounds pale LME
1 pound crystal
OR
6 pounds light DME
1 pound crystal

That's about it.
 
It really depends on the recipe. Are you trying to do extract only? Then many recipes will be beyond your capabilities.

Are you willing to steep specialty grains? Or take that next small step to mini-mash? Then most recipes can be done, and are probably indistinguishable from all-grain methods.

Some of my most successful beers were done with extract plus mini-mash. I went all-grain for two reasons: For the fun of it; and it's cheaper. But there's nothing wrong with using extract for some, most, or all of the base grain (except that if you're doing a mini-mash, you'll need some base grain in there).
 
frazier said:
It really depends on the recipe. Are you trying to do extract only? Then many recipes will be beyond your capabilities.

Are you willing to steep specialty grains? Or take that next small step to mini-mash? Then most recipes can be done, and are probably indistinguishable from all-grain methods.

Some of my most successful beers were done with extract plus mini-mash. I went all-grain for two reasons: For the fun of it; and it's cheaper. But there's nothing wrong with using extract for some, most, or all of the base grain (except that if you're doing a mini-mash, you'll need some base grain in there).
Click to expand...

Not trying for extract only or exclusively. I have done several brews with specialty grain steeping and a few mini-mashes. My reason for wanting to learn how to convert is for those occasions when I see an interesting recipe that doesn't yet have a "non-all-grain" recipe posted.

BTW, I'm in the process of making the step to all-grain capability but "honey-do's" keep stalling the process.
 
Ya know, I have heard about Beersmith over and over and never even bothered to check it out thinking the investment was not up high enough on my list, that I had other items/equipment I needed to spend money on. So, just now, I check the link, to see just how far down the list it should be and I am pretty surprised. 22 bucks for something that is talked about as much as it is? It definitely moved way up my list. Problem is that my home PC is so old and slow. Gotta convince the SWMBO that it needs an upgrade.
 
Well, as for my phone, it is only smart in the eyes of AT&T for billing purposes. It's an old htc tilt windows paperweight. I do have an iPod touch and have a couple of apps on that. For the most part, for checking and modifying recipes, I use online apps like hopville's.
 

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