Extract brewing is FAKE brewing

[SoggyWood]

After brewing for several years I made the switch from All-Grain to Extract and have never looked back since.

 

[myelo]

Has anyone else ever encountered such nonsense?

Nonsense you say? On the internet? Why yes, yes I have.

 

[madscientist451]

A brewer at my local brew club was passing around some IPA's he made and everyone agreed they were pretty good. He made them from kits using extract.
My experiments using extract didn't suit my taste so I'm still using grain, but others have made good or great beer using extract. If some people are happy using extract in their brewing, good for them.

 

[torilen]

The only thing I personally would say I notice about extract (vs all-grains that I have had...but not made) is that extract has a water-type mouth feel. Of course, I don't use corn syrup or lactose, so that should be expected. I don't really mind too much, but it is something I am aware of.

 

[ElmCityWobblyPops]

The only thing I personally would say I notice about extract (vs all-grains that I have had...but not made) is that extract has a water-type mouth feel. Of course, I don't use corn syrup or lactose, so that should be expected. I don't really mind too much, but it is something I am aware of.

Maybe using LME with no specialty grains, but I don't find that with the DME at all.

I stopped using LME myself, as 1. it is more expensive, and 2. always get a darker color to the beer than intended as it continues to darken when heated, which DME doesn't do.

Also depends on what is being done. Using too much water and not fermenting it out to the right numbers can leave it watery as well.

 

[Morrey]

If you really want to make good beer you have to grow your own 2 row barley.

AND your own hops....lol

 

[Sailingeric]

AND your own hops....lol

You have to do more than grow, you have to cross breed your own variety.

 

[JDWebb]

When my neighbors keep asking me where I bought the beer they're drinking, I give them the name of my local Homebrew store. I brew extract.

 

[Brownalemikie]

I'm sure I'll get slammed but I see no reason to go all grain. I just brewed my 28th batch of extract beer this morning and I expect it to be as good/great as previous batches. If it's not broke, don't fix it. I'm enjoying a extract Caribou Slobber brown ale right now and can't think of anything I'd rather be drinking. JMO

 

[Brownalemikie]

Btw, my only goal was to brew a brown ale as good as Bittesclappe for which I can't buy since moving from MN to FL. Goal accomplished. Brew great beer and get a decent buzz....what else is there?

 

[JordanKnudson]

I'm sure I'll get slammed but I see no reason to go all grain. I just brewed my 28th batch of extract beer this morning and I expect it to be as good/great as previous batches. If it's not broke, don't fix it. I'm enjoying a extract Caribou Slobber brown ale right now and can't think of anything I'd rather be drinking. JMO

I don't see any reason why you'd get slammed. Your process and style work for you, and that's what is important.

This whole hobby is such that you can geek out to whatever level matches your personality, but still make great beer regardless of how simple or overwrought your brewing style is (mr. beer being more or less the dead simple end of the spectrum, a triple decoction with a separate cereal mash being somewhere near the other end). But not everyone is in the hobby for the same reasons, nor do we all necessarily have the same interests and focuses within brewing, so what works for me might seem unnecessary to you, and what works for you might not be the thing that piques my interest in brewing. But assuming that we are both skilled at our own process, we'll both be able to sit down and crack open some quality homebrew at the end of a couple weeks.

 

[JDWebb]

The problem with some is, they get a few brews under their belt, acquire some stainless steel and plumbing parts and suddenly they become an expert, forgetting that they most likely started with extract. I know a few local guys who brew damn good beer, and have been using extract for 10 years. It's not necessarily the type of malt you use as much as it's also about quality of ingredients, the attention you give your recipe, the process and methods. I do extract because I live in an apartment, don't have the room, and it suits me just fine. Keep doin' your extract!

 

[Honda88]

The only thing I personally would say I notice about extract (vs all-grains that I have had...but not made) is that extract has a water-type mouth feel. Of course, I don't use corn syrup or lactose, so that should be expected. I don't really mind too much, but it is something I am aware of.

I have from time to time noticed that same mouth feel with my extracts as well. I wonder if that characteristic changes if you were to do a full boil with extract...Start with like 6 gallons and intend on ending with 5 like you would in all grain. Maybe the addition of the water post boil has an influence on the ending mouth feel. I do know that I don't sense this at all when doing true partial mashes where a bit of sparging is involved.

Extract is the lazy way of brewing but there is nothing wrong with that. its like baking a cake...you get the ingredients and follow the directions. In all grain brewing you make the ingredients by extracting the sugars from the grains. The extracts are really good quality these days. Its not hard to make a beer with extract that is better than a commercial all grain beer. Once you have a properly brewed beer and compare it to something that is crap, you realize that the process of brewing is what really makes a beer great. The people make the product what it is...You cant replace a talented brewer with money and fancy equipment. So many people these days are trying to buy their way to brewing excellence...you just cant do it like that and expect to get anywhere. Its like playing the guitar...you either no what you are doing or you don't.

 

[filthyastronaut]

While one of the original quotes is from a ******* and the other from an insufferable elitist, it's true there are benefits to going all-grain. I would consider extract, specifically extract from a kit to be like making a cake from a box. You can make extract beers with a solid process, custom recipes, fresh ingredients, and make fantastic beer though. It's not fake, but a considerable portion of the process has been done for you. All-grain just affords you more opportunities to succeed as well as fail. It gives you more creative freedom and the ability to adjust certain parameters. On a personal level, I can't see myself being proud of an extract beer if I made nowadays, even if it turns out well. It just doesn't feel as homemade.

 

[timmay1966]

I think it is just like any other hobby that we enjoy. Hot rods,boats, fishing etc.There is always going to be people that think they are better than everyone else. If you are happy doing extracts so be it . If you want be an all grain brewer more power to you. Who care's what someone else thinks?.Just so long as you are enjoying the hobby and you are happy. I think we all are in this hobby and others for all our own reason's. I am here because I want to learn more about my hobby and make better beers. Extract or all grain it does not matter to me. I think sometime's we all get caught up in this hobby that we forgot what it is like to be back at the beginning when we all started out.We all have our reasons why we started brewing. Maybe because there were no good beers in your area or you did it because it was fun.Fun with your friends wife kids etc. Or maybe you just wanted to try it once?. And you made some great beer. Thats exactly what a hobby is suppose to be fun . If you have become so jaded that you are not having fun or knocking people that may not be as advanced as you as brewer or as far along as you in the hobby, Well maybe its time for those type of people to find a new hobby. We all are here for a common purpose and that is to help our fellow brewer grow as a brewer,learn and help grow our hobby. JMO

 

[Bradlo]

damn... I have a fake buzz

 

[Brew_Dude41]

That begs the question: what came first--the axe handle or the tree? You know--like a circular reference in a spreadsheet...ipe:

Obvious answer:
You must break a small limb off the tree. Then using a rock that you have sharpend, through a careful chipping process with another stone, you can whittle the limb into the form of a handle. Then you will have to attach the stone head of the ax to the handle.
Now, we want to ensure we are not harming any wildlife in our brewing, so using leather from any kind animal hide is out of the question. This leaves us with the option of trying to braid grasses(or maybe the shaft from our barley that we are growing and malting) to create an acceptable lashing material.
Personally, I question the strength of such a twine. That said, my solution could only be to carve off strips of my own flesh that I can then cure into an acceptable strapping to lash the head on to the axe...
If you aren't doing that, well you are not a real home brewer.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

Oh, wait...
The first brew i do this year will be a pre-hopped extract. After that, there are 2 more extract kits in line for the next opportunity.
Sadly, having 4 childen in diapers (2 yr old girl and 5 mo triplet boys) has robbed me of all free time to brew. I will proudly drink those brews and will still consider myself a homebrewer, despite doing nothing more than making hot syrup water and throwing some dry yeast (straight from the packet not hydrated) into once it is cooled.
Brew how you ever you like (or can), as long as you enjoy the fruits of your labor ignore those that would try to put you down.
Better yet, dont offer them a beer.

 

[JDWebb]

My neighbors are perfectly happy with my extract beer. It's free, and its intoxicating.

 

[frozengator]

I would say I am glad I started with extract. I want to do an AG, but I need a few more things. Extract is a great beginners and for some people that don't want the hassle of sparging and extra work. The important part is, is it all drinkable? Do you like your beer? Who cares what someone else thinks. If they don't like it they can go somewhere else.����

 

[Scout]

My brother in law came over and had a few of my extract beers. Then he says "Next time you brew beer, let me know and I'll come over and help you drink it." I guess it's good?

 

[Honda88]

I would say I am glad I started with extract. I want to do an AG, but I need a few more things. Extract is a great beginners and for some people that don't want the hassle of sparging and extra work. The important part is, is it all drinkable? Do you like your beer? Who cares what someone else thinks. If they don't like it they can go somewhere else.����

BIAB all grain is pretty popular and you can no sparge with all grain you just need a big mash tun...actually you can no sparge with a 10 gallon tun as long as the grain bill isn't huge. My theory is, if you are doing partial mashes you might as well be doing BIAB because the process is pretty similar if you think about it. It all came from grain at some point!!! hehe.

 

[JDWebb]

For all you extract brewers out there, here's how I steep my grains...with my sous vide. Great for cooking also! (google it) It keeps the water temp at a constant temp.

 

[normonster]

So if you don't actually kill and butcher your own cow is your BBQ a fakey too?

 

[Pappers_]

So if you don't actually kill and butcher your own cow is your BBQ a fakey too?

 

[Pantherjon]

And don't forget you need to grow and harvest all the ingredients for your BBQ sauce as well!

 

[frozengator]

BIAB all grain is pretty popular and you can no sparge with all grain you just need a big mash tun...actually you can no sparge with a 10 gallon tun as long as the grain bill isn't huge. My theory is, if you are doing partial mashes you might as well be doing BIAB because the process is pretty similar if you think about it. It all came from grain at some point!!! hehe.

Just asked this question in another thread. Not sure on size of cooler to start with. 10 or 5. I have a 10 gallon pot. So I figure I will do 5 gallon batches for now. But I figured I was going to buy a 10 gallon cooler. I was wondering about the heat retinsion on a smaller batch

 

[5mooth0perator]

What kind of whine do you brew with an extract?

 

[morbster]

For all you extract brewers out there, here's how I steep my grains...with my sous vide. Great for cooking also! (google it) It keeps the water temp at a constant temp.

How many brews do you have with your sous vide cooker? Bag or no bag, I would expect it to gunk up quite a bit since they're designed for recirculating with just clean water.

 

[ElmCityWobblyPops]

Not as vital to keep your temps on specialty grains constant. The whole purpose of the constant temps is to extract the sugar from the base grains. Specialty grains don't add that much sugar to the brew, so temp is not as vital.

I just put the grains in a grain bag, bring the temp up to 160ish, throw them in and wait 30 mins, might loose 5-6 degrees over the 30 mins, (less or more depending on the ambient temps).