Do any of you All Grain Brewers ever Brew Extract???

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Monkey-BB

Monkey-BB

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Hi Everyone-
I'm a relatively new brewer...about 1 year into it and about 30 brews mostly 10 gallon batches...(I don't know what the hell took me so long to find this passion that seems to now run my mind)
Anyway, i jumped into All Grain Brewing with 3 Converted Keggles i made and now I'm knee deep...
I learned a bunch of stuff from this wonderful site and YouTube...
the issue I'm having is time... the kids and wife are really cool, but 5 hours of brewing usually ends up being 1AM..
a buddy told me to try an extract brew...
it kinda feels like cheating to me..
what do you guys think?
is the taste similar?
thanks all-
 
Not me.
What about trying a no-chill, and break your brew day up into brewing the first day, putting the batch in the fridge overnight, and then adjusting temp and pitching the next day?
 
i think what my buddy was getting at was that you can bang out a extract really quick... i really enjoy the AG process, but if the outcome was really close i may alternate... thanks for the no chill advice that is something i should try--
 
I routinely do an extract beer based on the information in this thread. You want to talk about knocking out a batch - how about <2 hours start to cleanup?

I like this approach because I can fit it in on a day that I don't have really available to dedicate to a brew day. Most of the time it's come out very nice.
 
I started with extract brews and I'm now in the same boat as you. I pretty much exclusively brew AG now adays and enjoy using my system at the expense of some family time. I did a extract brew demo a few months ago and I'll tell you my beer turned out "really good"...it was the first keg gone at the brew club meeting so give it a try - you can turn out some good brews with extracts. Enjoy!
 
ResumeMan said:
I routinely do an extract beer based on the information in this thread. You want to talk about knocking out a batch - how about <2 hours start to cleanup?

I like this approach because I can fit it in on a day that I don't have really available to dedicate to a brew day. Most of the time it's come out very nice.
Click to expand...

i second the 15 minute extract brew thread for technique to make really solid beer in 1/4 to 1/2 the time of an AG batch.

I extract brew to keep the pipeline full (got 3 taps to keep flowing). I AG brew to enjoy some 'me' time and experiment with the hobby. I would guess i do 3 AG batches for every 1 batch of extract.

I do believe me AG brews taste better, but i can bang out a beer to share with friends in 1.5 hours using extract.
 
I never went back once I started AG. The problem i have is partially I'm kind of a cheapskate. The best deals I see with extract is still over $3 a pound, and I buy my base malt for like 75 cents a pound. I enjoy brewing so any extra time spent really doesn't matter to me. Ya, I've made good beer with extract but, thats why I don't use it anymore
 
I've only still brewed one extract beer of mine since switching to AG, my Weizenbock. Simply because I haven't yet formulated a recipe to beat it in AG and every one of my family and friends loves it.

For me there's just nowhere near the fun involved as with AG. More importantly though for me I just can't stand dealing with that super fine powder or thick goopy LME, and for me it seems cleanup takes just as long or longer cleaning every item that touches the DME. Then there's the extra cost factor.

It will save you time though so give it a shot. Still makes awesome beer.


Rev.
 
Monkey-BB said:
Hi Everyone-
I'm a relatively new brewer...about 1 year into it and about 30 brews mostly 10 gallon batches...(I don't know what the hell took me so long to find this passion that seems to now run my mind)
Anyway, i jumped into All Grain Brewing with 3 Converted Keggles i made and now I'm knee deep...
I learned a bunch of stuff from this wonderful site and YouTube...
the issue I'm having is time... the kids and wife are really cool, but 5 hours of brewing usually ends up being 1AM..
a buddy told me to try an extract brew...
it kinda feels like cheating to me..
what do you guys think?
is the taste similar?
thanks all-
Click to expand...

Right here's your problem. You're spending too much time on your all grain brews. You don't really have to spend the money on extract, you just need to reduce the time doing all grain. I can bang out an all grain batch in half that time, about the same as I was doing with extract or maybe even a bit less.

By going for a non-traditional method for the mash, you can cut the time greatly without sacrificing quality. I BIAB and no-chill. The grains are milled much finer than you could get by with in a conventional tun because I have the huge filter area of the bag. Because of the fine milling, my mash doesn't need the hour to convert either. I've been doing a lot of 20 minute mashes and getting the same results as I did with the hour long mash. Draining the mash tun takes time, lifting the bag is much less. You also need to sparge, I can go without sparging if I'm willing to sacrifice a few percents of efficiency but to get that extra efficiency, all I need to do it pour a bit of water through the bag of grains. I still have to do the hour long boil...except that I don't. With no chill, the hops will still be adding bittering for some time so my 60 minute boil becomes a 45 minute boil (even less if I want to use a little more hops since 90% of the bittering happens in 30 minutes). The only downside I've found is that late addition hops become more difficult to calculate since the wort will cool so slowly. There are ways to work around that too if you want.

I use a plastic bucket as my fermenter. They are safe to well above the boiling point so I pour the hot wort in, put the lid on and put only enough liquid in the airlock that it seals but can't suck back into the fermenter. With those methods, I can bang out a batch in about 2 hours, 20 minutes, less than half the time your keggles take.

You do need to figure out how to handle the bag of grains if you do a larger batch. Wilserbrewer sells a ratcheting pulley that works well as you can tie a rope to the bag and give it a lift and it will remain where you lifted it to until it finishes draining as you are heating the wort collected.
 
Do both? AG when you have the time, extract when you don't. I enjoy both, you just have access to more flavors with AG at a lower cost.
 
I never understood those who want to race to the brew day finish line by cutting corners with dubious methods like "no chill". Half the fun of the hobby is taking time and enjoying the craft aspect of brewing. YMMV.
 
Do an extract batch and compare the results vs the cost (time and money). I personally don't see any extract batches in my future but my situation is much different than yours. There are many extract beers that win competitions so it's possible to get a quality product. My first few batches were extract kits and I made good beer that got rave reviews from my friends and family.
 
ResumeMan said:
I routinely do an extract beer based on the information in this thread. You want to talk about knocking out a batch - how about <2 hours start to cleanup?

I like this approach because I can fit it in on a day that I don't have really available to dedicate to a brew day. Most of the time it's come out very nice.
Click to expand...

2 hours start to cleanup.... Not too shabby!
 
Thanks Guys for all of your advise.
I think I'll try one just to see...
But it's going to be hard to pry be away from AG...
 
I did a couple extract brews when I needed to quickly turn out a couple batches for my wedding, in the dead of winter. It went well, and the beer was still great. There are a lot of things you can do to cut down on your brew day though, such as no chill, BIAB, and other techniques. Even still, there is nothing wrong with bouncing back to the basics for a few batches.
 
I've considered it, but I like the cost of AG much better than the cost of extract. Plus it would just feel wrong to just pry open a can of something someone else made when I have bags of grain sitting right in the garage. What's 2 more hours, really?
 
2 hours is a lot if you don't have 15 mins to spare. I work 11 hours a day so time isnt always there for me, never mind wife and kids situation. Nothing wrong with an extract beer, even John Palmer does them.
 
I am about 2 years since moving to AG however I will throw an extract brew on especially around winter or if I find a kit or recipe I really like in extract form.
There are a few extract recipes in my stash of batches. I am actually looking to move to e-biab with my AG so honestly, it will probably take me further from doing extracts with it being a more all-in-one with AG rather than having to heat up strike water in one kettle, transer to mash tun, sparge, etc...I LOVE the AG process better, but the convenience and time/indoor brew ability of an extract is still there so I do still brew a number of extract batches.

There are alot of really good extract kits out there so its still viable in my book...at least until the e-biab build is completed. :)
 
Short answer, no.

To explain, I am a cheap skate. So the answer would be yes when the price is right. I don't brew enough to justify buying bulk extract, I know when stored decent itll keep fairly well for awhile. The exception is that bulk grains hold for much much longer so I can justify buying 55lbs of marris otter in that, I'll use it up in 6 months.

When I find a good deal like NB had a 15 dollar kit deal (buy 3 kits each is only 15 dollars) I got basically 3 dollars off on 18lbs of extract, and the hops were free (5 oz between the 3 kits I picked).

My next brew day will end up looking like this though. I have a 6lb jug of gold malt syrup from NB, steep some specialty grains, add 1/3rd of the 6lb jug, start boil, 80 minutes later boil and chilling completed, extract ESB in the fermenter. Before I started the steep on the ESB, get 3 gallons to 165 (I have an unconverted cooler but my bag and strainer basket will fit in it) start mashing for a 1.100 barleywine, by time mash is completed I have the ESB in a fermenter. I'll have extended my brew day a little, without cleaning a normal day I'll get 5 gallons done in 4.5 hours (not rushing, just making beer yo). In about 5.5 hours I'll have 10 gallons of beer, a smaller beer and a nice little barleywine that I've been really wanting to make.

Moral of the story, you don't have to be one or the other. Both have advantages and disadvantages. I would find a single brew day of extract boring and fast, my brew days are quiet time where I get to sit and read whatever book I am on (book 9 of the malazan series, this stuff gets intense). So instead of just doing one or the other, make both, you will spend the same amount of time, maybe a little more, but you get a double brew day in.
 
I usually brew two 10 gal batches back to back. If I don't feel like a 9 hour day I'll start an extract batch in the boil kettle whilst the AG is doing it's thing...with 20 gal each session I don't have to brew as often unless supply and demand say otherwise...
 
I started dabbling in extract just to save time, 4 to 6 brewing hours just wasn't working for me during this last summer so I bought a couple of 50 pound bags of dme and stored in a air tight drum. all I do is use the dme in place of 2 row with any recipe, adjust for gravity, seeped my grains from 0 to 170 while heating up but held at 152 for 30 minutes..... beer was very good, only issue I had was getting the water right in the beginning from the displacement of the large amount of dme and boiling too long darkened the beer a bit but no worries beer was awsome :)

total brew time including set up and clean up in the fermenter in 2.5 hours
 
Good thread. I have been brewing one or twice monthly for 4 years. I make very good beer with extract. I have decent temp control, good sanitation, etc.... I have moved to kegging, etc... And have no plans to upgrade to all grain. I understand the advantages but simply don't have the time and already have a complicated life. Probably someday, but not now.
 
I do occasionally. Sometimes it not about the craft, the art, or the process. Sometimes I just want to brew something to have something. Nothing wrong with extract. And I still buy box kits occasionally too.
 
That's what it feels like.... I feel like I need do brew the extract in a cheap hotel room and not let my AG rig smell the extract on me....
 
You have to decide. Do you want to brew beer or are you alright with someone else doing half the work for you an still calling it your own?
 
Melana said:
It's the 'once you you ____ (AG) you never go back'

Well in my case I love AG beer - Extract is ok but AG is tasty.
Click to expand...

I feel like I am cheating on my AG rig...
Maybe I'll do an extract batch in another state--so I don't cheat on my AG princess.
 
time can definitely be an issue. i recently switched to BIAB and shaved an 1.5 hrs off the whole day. you still have to heat your water, mash, boil, cool, transfer, and clean up, but that's part of the Zen of making your own beer!

i do an occasional extract batch in the winter when it's too cold to brew/chill outside. it works well for darker beers or spiced beers. i also will brew like crazy before it freezes and have a supply to last through the winter (darker/stronger beers, cider, etc.).
 
Nothing against extract brewing but I simply don't do it anymore. That's not to say that I never would. After buying bulk grain it's hard enough to convince myself to buy discount all-grain kits, let alone spend even more money on extract. Also it might take longer to brew all-grain, but I am the person who consumes the majority of what I create. At the end of the day if I'm left with the decision of whether I would rather be stuck with 5 gallons of extract beer or all-grain, I'm leaning towards all-grain. I haven't dabbled in BIAB yet, but I read that there are some considerable time savers in that department. If I'm strapped for time and have the "brewing itch" I would probably try out a small-batch BIAB. Obviously it's all up to personal choice.
 
g-star said:
I never understood those who want to race to the brew day finish line by cutting corners with dubious methods like "no chill". Half the fun of the hobby is taking time and enjoying the craft aspect of brewing. YMMV.
Click to expand...

I don't no chill, because I have the time on brew day, but how many have to have success with that method before it loses its " dubious " status?
 
I extract brew in the winter when it is soooooo cold outside. I prefer to save $$ by doing all grain. The time it takes rarely is a concern to me.

I find extracts are usually just as good as all grain. Darker is the biggest problem but I really don't care if my pale ale looks like an amber.
 
i haven't, but i'm not against it. it's just hard to justify the extra cost.
 
Melana said:
It would still be cheating... wouldn't it?
Click to expand...

I thought of you are in another state it's not.... (Kidding)

I just never did an extract before, so call me a extract virgin.

****.... Now I want a beer....
 
I wish I could knock out a two hour brew but I found out early in my brewing career that i'm sensitive to extract twang. I can pick up on low levels of it that others don't and it's really off putting to me. This is what drove me to all grain in the first place. I haven't tried an all DME brew; I've heard there is no or almost no twang compared to LME. The only problem is the price of DME compared to grains or even LME. 3lbs of DME costs $15 at my LHBS and still isn't enough for a 5 gal batch of beer.
 
JayDubWill said:
I wish I could knock out a two hour brew but I found out early in my brewing career that i'm sensitive to extract twang. I can pick up on low levels of it that others don't and it's really off putting to me. This is what drove me to all grain in the first place. I haven't tried an all DME brew; I've heard there is no or almost no twang compared to LME. The only problem is the price of DME compared to grains or even LME. 3lbs of DME costs $15 at my LHBS and still isn't enough for a 5 gal batch of beer.
Click to expand...

According to this link extract is cheaper than all grain... :drunk:

All joking aside, I like to stick with all grain solely because I enjoy the process more. Nothing at all against extract, I'm just fortunate to not have the time constraints others might have. My mind might change in the future though.
 

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