CreamyGoodness
Well-Known Member
I do gallon batches in my little apartment kitchen, and I have upgraded from a kitchen collander with cheesecloth (secured by high-tech clothespins) to a state of the art chinacap 
A question to "all grain" brewers
- Thread starter manisfive
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
ThatOneGuy
Well-Known Member
Not really sure I can agree that it is cheaper. Perhaps I didnt go the cheapest route. The grain is cheaper than extract, but I have put quite a bit of money into equipment.
I'm thinking about getting into grain beers but I have a few questions!
What is the setup you need?
What is the process, and is it time consuming?
I am a farmer can I use my own grain?
Do you get the quality and clarity?
How much does it all cost for the setup and how much money do you save?
What is the setup you need?
What is the process, and is it time consuming?
I am a farmer can I use my own grain?
Do you get the quality and clarity?
How much does it all cost for the setup and how much money do you save?
You need malted grain because the process of malting makes the grain able to convert from starch to sugars that the yeast can eat but you can mix some malted and some unmalted as I did for a Belgian wit where I took wheat from my bin and milled it with malted barley for the mash.
The minimum setup you need would be a pot big enough for your batch plus boil off plus losses to grain absorbtion, a fine mesh bag for BIAB, and a vessel to ferment in. This assumes you have a way mill the grain or buy grain already milled.
Quality? I don't drink much beer that I haven't brewed because most doesn't meet my standards anymore. People that have sampled my beer think it is really good.
Saving money? Are you crazy??? Most of us brew for the quality of the beer, the variety that you can't usually buy, and just for the fun of it. You can save money but most of us can't resist buying a little more equipment and a little more equipment, and a little more.....
I've probably spent a bit over $200 on equipment to get to where I want but many spend far more than that. A basic kit will cost about $70 plus a kettle big enough to boil the wort. http://www.midwestsupplies.com/brewing-basics-equipment-kit.html I added a turkey fryer to get a 7 1/2 gallon pot and burner for about $60 and a cheap Corona style grain mill because the nearest brew store that has a mill to use is 150 miles away.
