Anyone go from all grain to extract, and how was it?

[BethelLight]

I think this was a well written blog on using a Robobrew/Brewzilla.

https://brewchatter.com/blogs/brewchatter-homebrewing-blog/troubleshooting-your-robobrew

 

[dwhite60]

I think there is a place for both all grain and extract.

I just did a Coopers Real Ale kit after 30 years of all grain. Sure made an easy brew day. If time is short this isn't a bad way to go.

 

[bkboiler]

I found Maris otter LME the other day and was pumped...
It made very yummy beer!

 

[jrgtr42]

The benefit of a kit is the LME is pre hopped. So you don’t necessarily need a bittering addition.

I used to do extracy kits and not a one of them was pre-hopped.
Sure there is pre-hopped extract, but not all of it - in fact, I had a hard time find some when I was looking for it for some recipe or another.

 

[Snuffy]

Yeah, I have seen pre-hopped extract kits from Munton's but the LME in most extract kits I have used is not hopped and still requires the hop adds during boil.

 

[Steveruch]

You can make excellent extract versions of most beer styles.

 

[squaremile]

I made about 150 all grain BIAB beers, and actually started that way. I never made a single extract brew. About 9 months ago in a quest to keep refining my process and shorten my day, I started doing the techniques that folks usually do starting out (partial mash, partial boil, using extract, etc). I'll be honest, it's the most fun I've had brewing, and the beers are even better. I'm sure I'm bringing knowledge to it from the all grain batches (water profiles, hopping strategy, fermentation QC, sanitation, kegging practices, etc) that is part of why I'm getting good results. But honestly I wish I had done this sooner. The key to the whole thing is you absolutely have to do a partial mash, I'd say minimum would be 20% of the malt bill in weight should be from the grains. So like 4oz of grains per LB of extract (I use DME). Good luck if you make the switch.

 

[lakota]

I made about 150 all grain BIAB beers, and actually started that way. I never made a single extract brew. About 9 months ago in a quest to keep refining my process and shorten my day, I started doing the techniques that folks usually do starting out (partial mash, partial boil, using extract, etc). I'll be honest, it's the most fun I've had brewing, and the beers are even better. I'm sure I'm bringing knowledge to it from the all grain batches (water profiles, hopping strategy, fermentation QC, sanitation, kegging practices, etc) that is part of why I'm getting good results. But honestly I wish I had done this sooner. The key to the whole thing is you absolutely have to do a partial mash, I'd say minimum would be 20% of the malt bill in weight should be from the grains. So like 4oz of grains per LB of extract (I use DME). Good luck if you make the switch.

Would you please post more about your shortened brewday and techniques that you employ. Thanks

 

[squaremile]

Would you please post more about your shortened brewday and techniques that you employ. Thanks

Yeah sure thing. So last one I made was a 3 gallon low abv (a little over 3%) hoppy Lager:

2 gallons of brewing water
2lb briess golden light dme
8oz Golden promise (milled)
2oz C-15 (milled)
50g CTZ kettle hops
Fermentis 34/70
25g Sterling dry hops

Bring water to 165 degrees
Add DME, bag of grains, hops
Let it sit for 20 minutes (about 155deg)
Chill to 100deg w/ 1gal distilled water
Let sit to get to pitching temp
Tranfer to fermenter
Sprinkle yeast
At final gravity dry hop for for 2-3 days
Closed transfer to keg

Done. All in that's about 60 minutes. You can see elements from no chill, no boil, lo-do, extract, biab, and traditional techniques in there I think.

 

[lakota]

Thank you for sharing your brewing process and recipe. You obviously have covered the gamut of traditional and newer techniques. I’m a 5 gallon, traditional 60 minute mash & boil all-grain brewer. So developing a hop schedule and techniques for no boil is my area of concern. I’m moving to small 2-3 gallon batches and a shorter brew day. I started with extract 18 years ago and plan on doing it again. Your comment of how adding 20% grain improved your beer peaked my interest. I of course followed the extract to partial mash to all-grain brewing path. Have never done no boil, no chill but will give it a try.

 

[squaremile]

Thank you for sharing your brewing process and recipe. You obviously have covered the gamut of traditional and newer techniques. I’m a 5 gallon, traditional 60 minute mash & boil all-grain brewer. So developing a hop schedule and techniques for no boil is my area of concern. I’m moving to small 2-3 gallon batches and a shorter brew day. I started with extract 18 years ago and plan on doing it again. Your comment of how adding 20% grain improved your beer peaked my interest. I of course followed the extract to partial mash to all-grain brewing path. Have never done no boil, no chill but will give it a try.

Very cool! Essentially with the hops you're doing a cooler hopstand while doing the mini mash, so fewer IBUs than the same 20 minutes at like 200 degrees. So you need to hop it more than you would at a higher temp to get the bitterness you're looking for. Good luck!

 

[usafbeerlover]

I just switched back to extract after a long run at all grain. Way too deep in a AG rabbit hole so had to bring it back to basics. Love extract ,PM, and AG but wanted a shorter brew day