All Grain

[user 140735]

Is there anything wrong with starting out with all grain,or should I start with extract.There is so much information on both.
Ernie

 

[b-boy]

I'd do extract first. It requires less gear, is easier, and takes less time. It will get you comfortable with the process and give you some confidence. Once you do a few batches, you can expand your horizons a little. I did 2 extract batches before going all-grain. Then went to all-grain kits. Then to all-grain recipes I found online. I'm just now doing my own recipes after 2 years.

 

[dbsmith]

If you have the time and money, and are sure about committing to this hobby, I'd say to jump right into all grain. Extract brewing, to me at least, was nice for learning about patience and fermentation, but was ultimately a waste of time. Most of the actual 'art' and skill of a brewer comes from their ability to create wort. I don't care if I get flamed for saying that, but it is the reality. Get going as soon as you can. Practice makes perfect.

 

[ash1300ad]

Agree 100% with db
I started with extract and when I started all grain I had wished that is where I had started to begin with.
I hope that made sense, I am RDWHAHB right now.

 

[kh54s10]

I say either way is good. I didn't have the money to buy all the equipment so I started with extract. There is less to complexity to extract so it might be better while you learn the procedures. Then again all grain is not difficult, there is just more you have to pay attention to.

If you can swing the $$ for all grain there is really no reason you can't start there.

 

[supermoth]

I started with all-grain BIAB (brew-in-a-bag), and honestly, it was much easier than I expected. It's a good way to do all-grain without committing to lots of equipment, and I did it when I was in my tiny studio. I've since built up some more equipment, but it was a great way to get my feet wet. Hey, the Sumerians didn't have extract and they did just fine!

 

[dadshomebrewing]

Is there anything wrong with starting out with all grain,or should I start with extract.There is so much information on both.
Ernie

i started out with all grain... after about 4 batches which were "less than perfect" i backed off to extract with steeping grains for a while.

i'm glad i did.

it gave me one less bunch of things to worry about. i KNOW how the extract works, and how it tastes, and how to time things, etc.

now i can learn about hops, and yeasts, and fermentation times, and boil times, and all the gazillion other things to worry about before i even think of worrying about all the stuff that happens BEFORE i boil.

oh yeah, the beer i better too, probably because there are fewer opportunities for me to screw it up, at least until i learn about the gazillion other things.

 

[user 140735]

I've made wine for years,and there so much information out there now,forums,websites and video's for making beer.That's what got me to thinking about starting with all grain.
TxErnie

 

[reibrew]

Start with extract for a couple batches. Do 3 gallons, easier to manage, less expensive. Switch to all-grain brew in a bag by buying a propane burner and a good size pot if you hadn't for the extract. You can step it up from biab to a full setup if you get into it. Personally, I'm very happy with the biab method.

 

[peterj]

BIAB is a good option to start out with because it doesn't require a lot of money. But if you have a little money to burn you could go with a traditional mash tun. I built one with an igloo cooler and a SS braid for pretty cheap. I think there's a sticky on it around here somewhere. No matter what you do, I would read and research A LOT before you brew your first all-grain beer. This has some great info: http://howtobrew.com/intro.html. Also I would find a proven recipe (Jamil Zainasheff has good recipes for any beer you can think of) and follow it exactly. Good Luck!

 

[Kate00]

If you've made wine for a while you should have a good grasp of fermentation which is big. If you've done some research on all grain and it doesn't look bad, go for it. Just make sure you have a burner that can bring a full size batch to a good rolling boil so you can be sure to boil your proteins off. Also have some DME on hand to adjust with if you miss your numbers low.

 

[Hackwood]

If you've got or can get the equipment for AG then I say go AG. Nothing wrong with extract. I made some good to great extract brews before making the jump to AG.

Good luck to ya!

 

[user 103238]

The way I see it, extract is great when you are trying to get a sense of how committed you are to the hobby, and getting a feel for fermentation, sanitation, and other portions of the process. If you already know the answer to most of these questions and feel you want to go all grain, then I say go for it. BIAB is definitely a nice way to go, less footprint and equipment, and it just makes good beer. Like said above, you could also use a cooler for a mash tun and work towards a bigger system if that's what you desire.

What kinds of wine do you primarily make? I keep wanting to make a batch, but our wine consumption isn't as great as my beer consumption. Maybe some day.

 

[RM-MN]

Can you bring a specified amount of water to a specific temperature? That's the major impediment to going all grain as you need your mash to take place in a very narrow temperature range. Extract is much more forgiving of temperature.