Going All-Grain

[Beernik]

When I first started brewing extract and partial mashes four years ago I bought a copy of Basic Brewing's Stepping into All Grain. I decided that it wasn't hard but I didn't have the funds to invest in more equipment at the time.

Over the years, I've gradually acquired more equipment. Today I sat down and watched the video again and realized essentially all need to do is make a mash/lauter tun and I can make the switch.

My next beer, I'm teaching my brother how to extract and PM brew. And after that, I'm making the switch to all grain.

Cheers!

 

[KYB]

It's really not hard. A number of people start out doing All Grain. That's basically all there is to it. Minimally, all you really need is a MLT. You could heat your water in the boil kettle and sparge into a bucket, then transfer. A 10gal MLT cooler setup is no more than $70. It will only get better with all grain.

 

[chefchris]

I started off the same DVD. I just had to see it done first.

You'll love it. I never felt like I was really doing anything till I went AG.

 

[Beernik]

Yeah, it made no sense to me until I saw it done.

My other concern, besides money, was time. Because we had a newborn, my brewday started when my daughter went to bed. Now that she's 3.5, that's not as important anymore.

But I'm curious as to how much time it will add to my brew day. I'm guessing 2-3 hours.

 

[DarkSide]

I just started All Grain about 3 weeks ago. I've made 2 batches and I would say both brew days were about 5 hours long. But that's from the very beginning setting everything up, to the cleanup.

Here's the post about my mashtun. It cost about $100 altogether and does a great job:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/my-brew-build-elm-street-brewery-part-3-mash-lautertun-129913/

 

[Beernik]

Nice work. The only thing that concerns me is that your sparge figure-8 is attached to the lid. Which means when the lid is placed on, you can't see what's going on inside. But I did have a similar thought about doing a manifold on the top of a 10 gallon cooler.

I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to configure it yet. I've got a bunch of 1" diameter tubing that I've been thinking about trying to work into it.

I'm thinking about capping one end and then coiling it around inside the bottom of the cooler and drilling holes in the side that will be on the bottom.

 

[Beernik]

I priced everything out on the web today. I think I can get everything, including the cooler for about $77.

I think I'm going to do more-or-less your design. But I'm going to add one more rubber bung (like what you have for your thermometer) and put a spare racking cane through it. That way I can keep an eye on the wort surface level while sparging.

 

[Beernik]

Okay, so I actually spent $95 because I bought double of some fittings just in case and better valves than I priced out on the web.

But because I had a bunch of gift cards from Father's Day and my birthday, I ended up spending $15 out of pocket.

 

[chefchris]

Okay, so I actually spent $95 because I bought double of some fittings just in case and better valves than I priced out on the web.

But because I had a bunch of gift cards from Father's Day and my birthday, I ended up spending $15 out of pocket.

:rockin:

So when's brew day?

 

[Beernik]

Not sure yet.

Because of ARRA, my project list has jumped from 6 to 14. Which means I'm doing a lot of day trips. And when I'm not traveling, I'm working overtime to make up for what I didn't get done because I was traveling.

I am planning on doing a porter over Labor Day weekend. But that's the one I'm teaching my brother to brew on. I doubt I'll have time to put the MLT together by then. Plus I'm not sure I'm willing to do a blind-leading-the-blind brew day on his first beer.

Maybe not until Sept 12 or 19. Then, since he'll have a little experience, he can help me all-grain my first beer.

 

[android]

But I'm curious as to how much time it will add to my brew day. I'm guessing 2-3 hours.

i don't have a ton of experience, but my all-grain brain brew days generally last about 5 hours. that's for most everything minus cleanup which i generally do a day or so later. if you're really cookin' you can get it done in 4, but that's only happened once to me and everything clicked. i like to take things easy and not be in a rush, so the time invested is all worthwhile. enjoy it man, there's no turning back!

 

[uglygoat]

look into batch sparging. it will move your brew day along a bit quicker.

 

[Beernik]

I will probably start off with batch sparging . But I'm setting up my MLT so I can do either.

After I thought about it for a while, I realized there will be some synergy between my partial mash and going all grain because I have to heat it up in the pot and wait 30 minutes anyway.

I'm thinking I'll probably end up around 5 hours unless I'm doing something that requires a lot of rests or a long rest.