I recently made the change to All Grain brewing. Me next scheduled brew day is in 2-3 weeks. My pipline is getting thinned out! I just went to the closest LHBS because I was in the area, to buy some 1 gallon glass jugs to try Yooper's JAOM, and ended up buying an extract/steeping kit for an oaked imperial stout. Does anyone else suppliment their AG brews with extract here and there?
Am I cheating?
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Sigafoos
Well-Known Member
No. GTFO you're out of the club.
(Only GTFO if you actually believed that. Do what thou wilt.)
(Only GTFO if you actually believed that. Do what thou wilt.)
Baja_Brewer
Well-Known Member
Its only cheating if you get caught.... 
Seriously, thats fine. I wish I had some extract brews to do quickly right now since my wort chiller in busted and all my grains are already packaged for 10 gallons. Plus I dont have much free time....
Seriously, thats fine. I wish I had some extract brews to do quickly right now since my wort chiller in busted and all my grains are already packaged for 10 gallons. Plus I dont have much free time....
NorCalAngler
Well-Known Member
I still take my car to Jiffy Lube when I just don't feel like dealing with changing my oil or I don't have the time.
I pick up dinner on the way home when I've had a busy day.
I watch the movie rather than read the book.
I buy 100 calorie packs even though it would be cheaper to buy the bag and then make my own packs with zip lock bags.
Point is, it's about saving time or being understandably lazy, who cares.
I pick up dinner on the way home when I've had a busy day.
I watch the movie rather than read the book.
I buy 100 calorie packs even though it would be cheaper to buy the bag and then make my own packs with zip lock bags.
Point is, it's about saving time or being understandably lazy, who cares.
archiefl98
Well-Known Member
I am grains police. Sends me all your beer nows.
FWIW I was thinking of doing a few 1 gallon extract batches just to have. Maybe try out a few new styles. Plus I figure I could wash yeast from them to use in a full sized AG batch if I liked them well enough. It'd be like Insta-Starter that I could drink.
FWIW I was thinking of doing a few 1 gallon extract batches just to have. Maybe try out a few new styles. Plus I figure I could wash yeast from them to use in a full sized AG batch if I liked them well enough. It'd be like Insta-Starter that I could drink.
Skacorica
Well-Known Member
Grain police, you're effed....
No. I substitute my homebrew with commercial until I can build the pipeline back up.
remilard
Well-Known Member
I have only brewed 1 extract since I went all-grain but I recently decided to occasionally brew small partial mash or extract batches for experimental purposes (not to get more beer as I love drinking commercial beer). I'll probably do this mostly in the winter as I do not like brewing if it will be below freezing during the brew day.
AG is so easy for me now, and I keep so much grain at home right now, that I don't think I'll ever do an extract or PM.
I've got the Alaskan friggin pipeline right now. Boxes of beer everywhere. Watch out when you go to 10g batches.
I've got the Alaskan friggin pipeline right now. Boxes of beer everywhere. Watch out when you go to 10g batches.
Frank99
Well-Known Member
Don't let us catch you lurking around the AG Forum, otherwise we're kicking your ass to the curb!
It might be construed as cheating. If your all grain beer finds out it could get messy.
What you need to do is wait for the right moment. Put on some soft music and have some drinks, I find Beery White sets the mood. Turn on some mood lighting and maybe play a provocative movie on the DVD player.
Then introduce the all grain to the extract. Sometimes they sort of connect with each other, they get a groove going and decide to get together on their own. If you play your cards right they may let you get together with them. Yeah.....remember to pay attention to both of them now. Sweet beer love. Now you've got your beer, and can drink it too.
What you need to do is wait for the right moment. Put on some soft music and have some drinks, I find Beery White sets the mood. Turn on some mood lighting and maybe play a provocative movie on the DVD player.
Then introduce the all grain to the extract. Sometimes they sort of connect with each other, they get a groove going and decide to get together on their own. If you play your cards right they may let you get together with them. Yeah.....remember to pay attention to both of them now. Sweet beer love. Now you've got your beer, and can drink it too.
LVBen
Well-Known Member
At this point, I don't even plan on buying malt extract except to be used for yeast starters. I don't like the resulting beers that come from extracts and after trying DME to carb a few of my beers, I have decided that I will only use dextrose for carbing from now on. I might even decide to do all-grain starters some day...
I haven't made an extract batch since I started AG. But I'm not such a purist that I wouldn't, that's for sure!
There's nothing wrong with a well made extract-based beer. I have my process down to 5 hours (actually, it was 4.5 but my HERMS takes a bit longer) and I have a complete supply of grain, hops, and yeast, so I can brew AG spur of the moment if I want. It would actually be more of an effort to go buy ingredients for an extract batch at this point.
There's nothing wrong with a well made extract-based beer. I have my process down to 5 hours (actually, it was 4.5 but my HERMS takes a bit longer) and I have a complete supply of grain, hops, and yeast, so I can brew AG spur of the moment if I want. It would actually be more of an effort to go buy ingredients for an extract batch at this point.
All joking aside, it takes me 4-5 hours to do a AG batch and under 3 for partial or even less foe steeping grains.
For the sake of my pipe line for every 5 batches I brew 2 are not AG. This allows me to have plenty of beer on hand
For the sake of my pipe line for every 5 batches I brew 2 are not AG. This allows me to have plenty of beer on hand
Some of you guys/girls are very funny!!!!
My problem is I do not have grain on hand and do not have my own mill yet. A barley crusher is next in line for purchase. Once that happens, I will buy bulk grain and more varieties of hops. Then I will be able to all grain brew at will.
The reason I bought an extract kit instead of grain is I don't have much time this week, and I will do the extract batch on Friday while working from home, and my wife and kids will be out.
My problem is I do not have grain on hand and do not have my own mill yet. A barley crusher is next in line for purchase. Once that happens, I will buy bulk grain and more varieties of hops. Then I will be able to all grain brew at will.
The reason I bought an extract kit instead of grain is I don't have much time this week, and I will do the extract batch on Friday while working from home, and my wife and kids will be out.
springer
Well-Known Member
I had the beer guy fill up a 3 gallon corny with Smuttynose IPA last night. He is a good friend and homebrewer . He even let me attach a silicone hose to the tap so I could have the beer go to the bottom . I just bleed the tank a few times before I went and as soon as I got home I hit with co2 and bleed it again.
Done this many times without any beer going bad basically just like bottling from a keg.
Ya gatta do what ya gatta do ... Nobody sells kits locally I have the Haus ale carbing right now but I messed up thinking a keg of apfelwein was a brown ale . I need to take the labels off when I kick the keg
Done this many times without any beer going bad basically just like bottling from a keg.
Ya gatta do what ya gatta do ... Nobody sells kits locally I have the Haus ale carbing right now but I messed up thinking a keg of apfelwein was a brown ale . I need to take the labels off when I kick the keg
BioBeing
Well-Known Member
I have taken to brewing a 5 gallon batch of extract or partial mash on the side while I am mashing in my 10 gallon all grain. I have two burners, and enough pots and fermentors, so this way I get 15 gallons of beer from a brew day instead of 10. Cheating? Who gives a fsck? It's MORE beer!
ChshreCat
Well-Known Member
I know that some of the folks in harsher climates will do some PM batches in the kitchen until the weather becomes fit for brewing outside again.
Are you talking about Half Time? Will he fill kegs for anybody or only because you know him?
I was seeing clients in Kingston, and went across the bridge into Redhook to get the supplies.
From what I have read, some people consider extract with steeping grain partials?? This recipe has crystal malt 55 I think, some chocolate malt and one other type of grain I can't remember. I am not mashing though, just steeping.
carnevoodoo
Well-Known Member
I don't see the point for me to brew extract. I don't brew to keep a pipeline full, I do it so I can brew. I give most of it away and I'm happy like that. Plus, extract beer just isn't as good and I'm a picky bastard.
captianoats
Well-Known Member
I guess I am your partner in crime. I brew AG, but I just bought a new 2 tap kegerator. I do not have time to brew an AG batch in the near future due to work and the holiday.
I caved. I brew a great extract (pre-hopped at that) It's got pre-hop extract, some steeping grains, and a couple oz of extra hops. It's super cheap, tastes good, and I can do it after work. It just feels bad having 2 kegs to show off, and only 1 full, since i only had 1 brew in secondary ready to go. I figure this low gravity brew can be ready to go in under 2 weeks.
So no, I don't think you're cheating. You can't tell me Emril and Alton Brown never go through the drive thru for McChickens.
I caved. I brew a great extract (pre-hopped at that) It's got pre-hop extract, some steeping grains, and a couple oz of extra hops. It's super cheap, tastes good, and I can do it after work. It just feels bad having 2 kegs to show off, and only 1 full, since i only had 1 brew in secondary ready to go. I figure this low gravity brew can be ready to go in under 2 weeks.
So no, I don't think you're cheating. You can't tell me Emril and Alton Brown never go through the drive thru for McChickens.
carnevoodoo
Well-Known Member
I don't know. I'd think a guy like Alton Brown would stay away from the multitudes of gross crap in processed chicken.
lady_brewer
Well-Known Member
This typo? made me laugh
To the OP... are you going to like the beer? Are you going to drink the beer? If so, what odds? Unless you tell somebody it is an AG batch... I don't see the problem.
I have yet to do an AG batch. I haven't done an extract batch. I cheat every time I make beer, and I wouldn't really even call it brewing, still my fridge is full of beer and I am happy. You do what you have to do.
To be completly honest with you guys, I have only made one all grain batch so far a couple of weeks ago. I haven't even tasted it yet. But I did love everything about doing it! The extra equipment that I made, the extra steps the extra "science" behind it. It is carbonating in me keg. I have made at least 20 extract/steeping grain batches and have not been dissatisfied with the results of any.
you bet I am going to drink it and lime it. Out of curiosity, how do you make beer?
lady_brewer
Well-Known Member
I have only made prehopped extract kits so far - mostly Coopers, a few other brands. I figure it at least gives me a chance to learn what I like. I can't wait to hand hubby a real stout. he already likes the Coopers stout better than Guinness
In my defense the LHBS charges more than $6 for 1oz of any hop and never had any of the types that I was looking for. I now have 4lbs (unweighed) in my freezer and grains on order. I am really looking forward to AG, since I am also the type that scoffs at making cake from a mix. My chocolate cake is from scratch.
Funny enough, my Dad made beer for years (also always prehopped) and he made a point of calling me when he tried one of mine to tell me I had a real knack... let's hope it carries through to AG. At least I have my cleaning, fermenting, carbing, etc process down. All that's left is messing up conversion, mistiming hop additions, failing to get a good crush, taking too long to cool... I can't wait
I still like the beer I make better than what I can buy in the store nearby... and it is cheaper (if you don't count the equipment I "need"
)demonrichie
Well-Known Member
if youre worried about the ag guys beatin u up for doin extract ill be a contract bodyguard...my fee BEER
Baja_Brewer
Well-Known Member
I'm a proponent of this theory. I've read the opinion that if you do not mash the malt, there is no starch conversion, and that some grains can only give off flavor when mashed.
While I have never personally tested the fact that you only get flavor from a mash, I know that I have made 5 and 10 gallon batches using Deathbrewer's Stove Top all-grain method and that I made damn good beer using them. Now, I understand that in using that method I mashed at a temp then sparged, but if I do a 40 min "steep" at a specific temp (none of this "Toss the grains in cold water and bring it to 160*F" BS some kits give you) that equals conversion, then a simple rinse or dip into the other water I'm heating can be a sparge.
Examine your "steeping" method. Then read DB's Stove Top All grain and his Stove top PM threads (at least the first few pages) and see what it takes to change your steeping to mashing. Not too much! I've even added that AG/PM wort to the extract wort when its boiling, making sure my hop additions are proportional to the change in volume!
nebben
Well-Known Member
Grain police, you're effed....
BWHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH
I hope I have the proper beersmith documents and necessary papers for my mashtun if they come by later tonight while I'm mashing my Bohemian Pilsner!
brewingkitty
Well-Known Member
"it's not cheating if it's your own dog licking the peanut butter off your balls" - adam sandler
"cheating" is the attempt to pass off commercial swill as your own.
Wade E
Beer Buster
I too have been sneaking in PM's after doing a few AG's mainly because I realized I just wasnt set up right ad because it was f***ing too cold outside. Im now set up really nice and the weather is decent and getting better but I still have one kit left over so I burn that probably Saturday while Im installing a new basement door.
Baja_Brewer
Well-Known Member
I'm being too damn nit-picky tonight.
Grain police, you're effed....
The grain police are packing a little more fire power than expected these days...
Pick
Well-Known Member
Ok, got it. Going to the store and buying 2 cases of BMC and emptying all the cans/bottles into a corny keg, then putting that in your kegerator is cheating.
Glad that's cleared up.
Glad that's cleared up.
springer
Well-Known Member
yup . I am sure they will fill them for anyone. I went to Redhook once and couldn't find the place . I went up and down Rokeby and just said the hell with it .
The first time I went I drove past it 3 times. The store is in a "barn" next to the owners house. Now they put a sign on a tree at the bottom of the driveway. They only have most grain in one pound pre-packed packages. I talked to the owner about bulk grain yesterday, and she said she would order bulk bags if I let her know the week before. She has a corrona mill motorized that she uses to crush. They charge for crushing for over 5 lbs i think a quarter per pound. I need to buy a barley crusher!
