Extract brewer looking to go towards all-grain

[Peepmachine]

Im looking at the next step in brewing, but am very limited on space and $$. How much money do you think for a good setup with everything, but not too fancy?

I would also like to begin kegging. I know I can get great beginner kegging kits for around $260. Is this a better investment than doing all-grain right now?

 

[GnenieGone]

Im looking at the next step in brewing, but am very limited on space and $$. How much money do you think for a good setup with everything, but not too fancy?

Have you looked into Brew In A Bag? There are several youtube videos. From what I gather, buy a 5gallon paint strainer bag ($5) from Home Depot and do smaller batches...maybe 4 gallon.

I would highly recommend spending the $80 or so on the Igloo cooler mash tun modification. In the long (or medium) run you will save $$$ and control your beer outcome a bit more. One can do a 5 gallon batch of a blond for say $20. IPA for $23 to $28. This is much less then extract.

 

[GnenieGone]

I would also like to begin kegging. I know I can get great beginner kegging kits for around $260. Is this a better investment than doing all-grain right now?

I've looked at this site for used/reconditioned kegs...

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/draft-brewer-reconditioned-pin-lock-keg.html

However, its MUCH cheeper to bottle. You probably have friends who drink beer so ask for their bottles instead of recycling them. Possibly you have many (like I did) bottles from drinking your own. I've got about 22 gallons worth of bottles on Craigslist. There are many outlets to get cheep or free bottles, but less outlets for cheep ways to keg. You need a dedicated cooler, kegs, regulators, CO2 cylinder, etc.

I would spend the money on All-grain equipment. It's the biggest bang for your 'good tasting brew' buck. IMHO.

In addition to All-grain, consider buying 1lb bags of hops and reusing your previous yeast to start a current batch. This takes some planning, but again, in the long run worth it. Plus, you'll learn new skills along the way to pass onto the next generation of brewers!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bottled: 6-point Resin Clone
Bottled: Bums Easy IPA
Primary 1: Porter (adding bourbon/oak chips in secondary)
Primary 2: Bums Pale Ale (with orange/corriander)
Primary 3: Mystery Brew (re-mashing all previous grains, random hops, and reusing previous brews yeast)
Secondary 1: Bums Sweet Honey
Secondary 2: Left Hand Milk Stout Clone

 

[Peepmachine]

Thanks guys. I am in apt, so space is key. Kegging is most likely out of my reach right now then, so all-grain it is. I need to do a bunch of research on equiptment. I also need to see an entire brew session to get all the nuances. Im sure its much more technical than extract brewing.

 

[BigFloyd]

If you're not already able to well control your ferment temps so that you can ferment an ale consistently in the mid 60's (beer temp), address that before jumping into AG or kegging. Nothing at all wrong with stepping up in those areas, but proper and steady temp control will yield the most benefits.

In an apartment, a nice compromise is to start doing partial mash recipes which can be done on a stovetop.

 

[kh54s10]

Thanks guys. I am in apt, so space is key. Kegging is most likely out of my reach right now then, so all-grain it is. I need to do a bunch of research on equiptment. I also need to see an entire brew session to get all the nuances. Im sure its much more technical than extract brewing.

For space BIAB is what you want to look at. If you can boil 7 gallons, you can do 5 gallon batches. I would look at a 10 gallon pot for this.

Here is a HBT vendor for bags: http://biabbags.webs.com/

 

[italarican]

This was my gradual shift to all grain:

1. Extract brewing
2. Partial mash using Deathbrewer's BIAB method
3. 1-2 gallon all grain BIABs (same method)
4. Requested homebrew site giftcards from anyone who asked for Christmas
5. Used said giftcards to order pieces for a mash tun
6. All grain all day, baby!

 

[QuercusMax]

I pretty much was the same as italirican. I bought bulk LME and did lots of 5-gallon partial boil BIAB batches and 3-gal full boil AG BIAB batches, then upgraded to a bigger kettle.

Then I upgraded to a real cooler mash tun.

Finally switched to kegging, which I went whole hog on - since December I've built a 6-tap keezer (soon to be 8), purchased 20 some kegs, a second co2 tank.... If you're short on funds, stick with bottling. But kegging is such a timesaver, I'm brewing even more (gotta fill those kegs!).

Next I need to get myself a jockey box... Then upgrade to a 10 gallon system....

Whew, got carried away. Definitely try BIAB, if you like it go ahead and get a cooler mash tun, which you can put together for the price of 2 extract batches, then you'll start saving money as grain is much cheaper.

 

[rhys333]

Thanks guys. I am in apt, so space is key. Kegging is most likely out of my reach right now then, so all-grain it is. I need to do a bunch of research on equiptment. I also need to see an entire brew session to get all the nuances. Im sure its much more technical than extract brewing.

There are a few really good channels on youtube that take you through the entire process. I got a start watching PM and AG videos by terpichorean kid. He gives a thorough run through in a series of lenghty videos. Woodlandgardener also has a number of videos showing his technique. BobbyFromNJ gives a detailed overview of techniques and the science behind it in easy to understand terms. There are many others, these are just the ones I watched when I first started.

 

[brewbama]

I simple went from extract to all grain by installing a valve and screen in a square cooler I had laying around and batch sparge. I had everything else I needed already. It doesn't have to be expensive.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[whoaru99]

When I went to all grain I upgraded to a 10 gal kettle to do the full volume boil, and then the fittings to make the MLT from a cooler I already had.

However, when I went to all grain I already had another kettle for heating strike water and (batch) sparge water, a few carboys, stir plate and 2L flask, oxygenator setup (that I have yet to use), Auber heating/cooling controller, and a fridge and freezer converted to fermentation and or lagering chambers, thermometers, hydrometer, etc. etc. etc. In other words, I was already at a relatively advanced stage (at least regarding equipment) with extract brewing.