Brew Kit Starting Vs. All grain
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lgilmore
Well-Known Member
It can be. Depends on your ability to buy in bulk and store inventory.
You also should consider the value of your time in your decision process.
I still use extract because I can do a batch in a couple hours compared to 6-8 hours. Using extract I can brew more often as it doesn't tie up an entire day, which keeps the wife happy. Keeping the wife happy is important.
You also should consider the value of your time in your decision process.
I still use extract because I can do a batch in a couple hours compared to 6-8 hours. Using extract I can brew more often as it doesn't tie up an entire day, which keeps the wife happy. Keeping the wife happy is important.
lgilmore said:
Great points! These are the reasons I extract brew as well. Plus I have a 2 yr old and a 4 week old so my time is very limited. I have started building a mash tun though and am looking to do one or two all grain brews a year.
The home brew store is close, and when I walk in I cant help to look at all the 50 pound bags and the great smell of grains, not to mention the vast array of different kinds. Then I start adding the additional cost of equipment I need. I guess I start building a little at a time
I brewed a dunkelweizen also and I steeped crushed munich and crushed chocolate then added the LME, DME, then hops, I feel I am learning a false perception on grain brewing although I am using grains in extract brewing,
I learned about Brew in a Bag (BIAB) and with some experience I can now make a batch all grain in about the same time as I did extract kits with steeping grains but at half the cost (using bulk buys on grains).
With the BIAB system the difference between steeping grains and mashing is the control on the temperature. You can steep grains in a wide range of temperatures but mashing has a quite narrow range with the enzymes that make sugars out of starches in the grains making the wort more or less fermentable as that temperature changes. If you can steep your grains at 152 degrees plus or minus 2 degrees, you are ready for all grain.
With the BIAB system the difference between steeping grains and mashing is the control on the temperature. You can steep grains in a wide range of temperatures but mashing has a quite narrow range with the enzymes that make sugars out of starches in the grains making the wort more or less fermentable as that temperature changes. If you can steep your grains at 152 degrees plus or minus 2 degrees, you are ready for all grain.
I have to carry everything up and down stairs and have little room, so mine's an 8 hour brew day for all grain.
Last extract kit I tried was Woodforde's Nog: started rehydrating yeast, sanitised the fermenter with star san, poured two tins of LME into fermenter, topped up with water and pitched the ready yeast. Bloody 40 minute job and the beer was fantastic.
So for me I do both still as a balance of cost and time (though I really need to work on my time-efficiency.)
The Nog kit mentioned above cost me nearly twice the price of the ingredients for an all grain batch of the same specs (and that's not even buying in bulk)
Having a good way to store hops for a longer time has helped me spread them out and get more variety with them, otherwise hop costs would scare me off all grain brewing as I usually don't want to use a whole packet in a single batch.
Last extract kit I tried was Woodforde's Nog: started rehydrating yeast, sanitised the fermenter with star san, poured two tins of LME into fermenter, topped up with water and pitched the ready yeast. Bloody 40 minute job and the beer was fantastic.
So for me I do both still as a balance of cost and time (though I really need to work on my time-efficiency.)
The Nog kit mentioned above cost me nearly twice the price of the ingredients for an all grain batch of the same specs (and that's not even buying in bulk)
Having a good way to store hops for a longer time has helped me spread them out and get more variety with them, otherwise hop costs would scare me off all grain brewing as I usually don't want to use a whole packet in a single batch.
I do agree with others.. what do you value your time at.. for me it takes about another 2 hours or so give or take to complete an all grain batch vs an extract.. This also depends if your doing things like canned kits which are ready in 15m if you don't boil. From the sounds of it, you are using partial or all extract kits, which will require a boil / hop addition.
Personally.. When i'm brewing SWMBO leaves me alone.. so that.. is like an unexpected bonus!
Personally.. When i'm brewing SWMBO leaves me alone.. so that.. is like an unexpected bonus!
chickypad
lupulin shift victim
Agreed, BIAB and a smaller batch size lets me get in a lot more brew days per month. While my 10 gal/fly sparge batches take about 6 hrs, I can do a BIAB 2.75 gallon on the stovetop in closer to 3. Minimal clean up and since it's all in the kitchen I can get other stuff done while keeping one eye on the boil or mash.
My brew days are typically right around 4.5 hours with all grain. I clean as I go most of the time. AG is more worth it to me, especially now that I have hundreds of pounds of grain and tons of hops to use. I can brew on a whim right now without going out and buying anything extra(I wash my yeast).
I have now brewed only 5 times all with kits, that I have had to add grains and hops. I find it very satisfying and the beer is good. Being a chef I want to explore more and learn the ingredients more to create my own brews not just recipes given to me by kits. I want to add things like honey, coriander, orange peel, but do not want to screw up a batch that I believe is expensive. plus with just learning the tastes of the wort and dealing with SG, I find it overwhelming to go all grain, although I know I can be creative there.
I am now getting very efficient on time, which I feel is necessary before I go to all grain. when I go online and research different all grain brew equipment, sky is the limit. figuring out which is best is tough especially when I keep looking at the 10-15 gallon batch systems
LovesIPA
Well-Known Member
My all-grain batches range from $15 to $30 depending on the amount of hops and grain used (obviously) but that at least gives you a range. I buy grains in bulk from the LHBS, hops in 1 lb bags from online vendors, and I slant yeast so I don't need a vial/smack pack every time I brew.
The last batch I was done with in less than 5 hours, and I fly sparge (45-60 mins). Not sure where 6-8 hours came from. If you need 8 hours to do a batch of homebrew you seriously need to look at your process. I'm reminded of the episode of Seinfeld where Kramer claimed it took him two hours to take a shower.
The last batch I was done with in less than 5 hours, and I fly sparge (45-60 mins). Not sure where 6-8 hours came from. If you need 8 hours to do a batch of homebrew you seriously need to look at your process. I'm reminded of the episode of Seinfeld where Kramer claimed it took him two hours to take a shower.
15 dollars would be great I already spend 30 and up on kits
LovesIPA
Well-Known Member
I just looked at my recipes and the cheapest one I have is Biermucnher's Centennial Blonde Ale. Clocks in at a whopping $10.05.
LovesIPA
Well-Known Member
There is a recipe section on HBT, as well as a forum to discuss them. This one is in the forum.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/centennial-blonde-simple-4-all-grain-5-10-gall-42841/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/centennial-blonde-simple-4-all-grain-5-10-gall-42841/
lgilmore
Well-Known Member
C-Rider? might want to reread my post... 
You have to figure out what will work best for you and your situation. Not everybody brews inside, not everybody does extract/grain/BIAB. Everybody does what works best for them. Same applies to set ups. My set up would make McGuyer proud. I'm as low budget as I can get, but I make some really good beer. Somebody else might have a couple thousand in their set up and make some really good beer. That's the best part of this hobby it works for just about anybody in just about any range of materials. The thing is after you find what works for you, try not to dismiss what other people do if it works for them. Brewing sometimes is treated like religion. If you ain't brewing the way I do, you're going to hell....
You have to figure out what will work best for you and your situation. Not everybody brews inside, not everybody does extract/grain/BIAB. Everybody does what works best for them. Same applies to set ups. My set up would make McGuyer proud. I'm as low budget as I can get, but I make some really good beer. Somebody else might have a couple thousand in their set up and make some really good beer. That's the best part of this hobby it works for just about anybody in just about any range of materials. The thing is after you find what works for you, try not to dismiss what other people do if it works for them. Brewing sometimes is treated like religion. If you ain't brewing the way I do, you're going to hell....
Nice Recipe, for a 5 gal batch it would be a nice first try at AG, I only have one kettle to brew in, guess it is time to expand, would batch sparge work with that
insanim8er
Well-Known Member
The only real time in all grain is waiting... You can accomplish other things while you're bringing things to boil, boiling, mashing, sparging... Etc.
It's not like you're spending every minute involved in the process. I watch my almost 2 y/o when I brew. He helps me where he can.
Just plan your brew days. Figure you'll have time in between processes, so you can do other things needed during that time.
Hell, I've even brewed while working at home before.
Also, if you clean while you go, you're saving time. If you have a propane burner that gets a boil going fast, you're saving time. If you use a plate chiller, you're saving time. If you use pure O2 to oxygenate, you're saving time. If you organize your ingredients separate and set a timer, then you know what goes in when and you save time.
Brew efficiency can be calculated in other ways than just how well you're converting grain into sugar.
To me, the added benefit of having full control of my beer from start to finish is worth it.
It's not like you're spending every minute involved in the process. I watch my almost 2 y/o when I brew. He helps me where he can.
Just plan your brew days. Figure you'll have time in between processes, so you can do other things needed during that time.
Hell, I've even brewed while working at home before.
Also, if you clean while you go, you're saving time. If you have a propane burner that gets a boil going fast, you're saving time. If you use a plate chiller, you're saving time. If you use pure O2 to oxygenate, you're saving time. If you organize your ingredients separate and set a timer, then you know what goes in when and you save time.
Brew efficiency can be calculated in other ways than just how well you're converting grain into sugar.
To me, the added benefit of having full control of my beer from start to finish is worth it.
MotorcycleMatt
Well-Known Member
both can create award winning beer, or can create beer that is foul. There are so many variables in brewing beer, and a lot in the actual fermentation of the beer. I prefer the flexibility that ag gives me.
I can have an ag biab batch done in 3.5-4 hours, and there are some styles you just cant replicate with extract.
