What is needed?

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borovy3488

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I have only brewed one batch of beer, but kind of want to try my next batch as all grain. I have everything that is needed for extract brewing, plus a turkey fryer. It even has a spigot on the bottom! I just used the HUGE pot on the stove for my extract brew, but can set up the burner outside for all grain (may have to disable the safety).

Anyway, my question is what exactly is NEEDED to do an AG brew? I have seen some fairly easy plans for cooler mash tuns, which I think I will need. What else is necessary?

Thanks for the help!!
 
borovy3488 said:
Anyway, my question is what exactly is NEEDED to do an extract brew?
Click to expand...

I assume you mean AG. :)

Besides what you've already mentioned, since you'll be doing full boils, you'll probably want some cooling equipment like an immersion chiller. Also think about having another vessel (HLT) for getting mash and sparge waters hot. This is important because you'll normally be sparging and draining into your boil kettle, which can't have sparge water in it while draining! Then there are various other things like the following that may be optional, but possibly useful:

1) Iodine for testing for mash completeness
2) pH adjusters for mash water - usually unnecessary
3) grain mill - but you can almost always have your supplier mill your grain if you don't mind trusting them to crush it appropriately.
4) Something with a quart marker on it and a timer so you can measure and control your lautering rate.
 
Hex23 said:
I assume you mean AG. :)

Besides what you've already mentioned, since you'll be doing full boils, you'll probably want some cooling equipment like an immersion chiller. Also think about having another vessel (HLT) for getting mash and sparge waters hot. This is important because you'll normally be sparging and draining into your boil kettle, which can't have sparge water in it while draining! Then there are various other things like the following that may be optional, but possibly useful:

1) Iodine for testing for mash completeness
2) pH adjusters for mash water - usually unnecessary
3) grain mill - but you can almost always have your supplier mill your grain if you don't mind trusting them to crush it appropriately.
4) Something with a quart marker on it and a timer so you can measure and control your lautering rate.
Click to expand...

Indeed I did. Thanks for the help! When I did my extract brew, I just put the pot in an ice bath to cool it after the boil. Is that ok to do, or do I need an immersion chiller? Also, what size does the other vessel need to be for the mash and sparge water?
 
borovy3488 said:
Indeed I did. Thanks for the help! When I did my extract brew, I just put the pot in an ice bath to cool it after the boil. Is that ok to do, or do I need an immersion chiller? Also, what size does the other vessel need to be for the mash and sparge water?
Click to expand...

Was your extract batch done as a full or partial boil? Cooling 5+ gallons of wort is different than cooling 2-3 gallons. It is not impossible to cool 5.5 gallons of wort with an ice bath. I've done it, but in my experience it will take 5-7 seven pound bags of ice and as long as 30 minutes. Some would say that's too long of a cooling time. But that beer turned out great. Heck some people apparently can use a no-chill method and get good results! The IC would be more convenient and given cool enough ground water temps will cool much faster.

Normally for even a high gravity 5 gallon batch, neither your total mash water or sparge water will be more than 5 gallons. So a 5 gallon pot is plenty big.
 
Mash tun unless you do BIAB. IC is really helpful but there are ways around that. Another pot for a HLT, but there are ways around that too. The current investment is up to you but these things and things mentioned above are helpful.
 

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