How do you brew? What method?

[user 22118]

I have thoughts of an all grain wine this fall...whether you were serious or not. I am going to take 5 gallons of grape juice and add it to a 10 gallon batch of blonde.

 

[Brewpastor]

Grape Ale was in this year's Longshot 6-er. Give it a go!

 

[user 22118]

I assume that the grape ale was fantastic, however I am going to put a future ban on the Sam Adams version in the mixer as all of their other fruit beers are ****

I think that a grape beer would be super fruity, but the wine like quality might make it taste like anus. I will have to research a recipe prior to making it. All grain would make it pretty malty.


Oh by the by, I made one extract beer that I never drank and went straight into the all grain after that.

 

[magnj]

I brewed one Extract and then went AG, it just feels more like my brew rather than mixing up some syrup into a pot and calling it beer. It's more hands on and I like that. That being said my Extract came out ok and if I ever do a introductory brew day I'd start out with that.

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

I just like polls.

 

[Brewpastor]

I prefer Russians...

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

I have only brewed w/extract and steeping grains so far, I would have to say I like what I've brewed better than many of the beers I have bought. My LHBS has just about anything I need, I will definitely get into AG after the summer is over, It is 97 degrees here today and I dont have a safe way to boil a full 5 gallons indoors.

 

[ifishsum]

I partial mash because of equipment limitations that can't easily resolved at this point. I usually mash around 7-8 lbs of grain and make up the difference with extract, if necessary.

That's pretty much the way I brew (5 lbs or so of grain) and the same reasons. Actually after 30+ batches I've gotten good enough at it that I'm not sure I want to change anything. Good fresh LME (not canned) makes a lot of difference IMO - I can and have made AG half batches and they don't necessarily taste better than my PM brews just because they're AG.

I also agree with the sentiments regarding technique improvement - as you refine that, your beers get better regardless of method. Many of the die-hard AGers probably started with extract, and as they gained experience they also changed methods to learn more about the craft. I bet that much of the noted improvement could probably be traced as much (more?) to technique than actual method.

I've never actually done a steeping recipe - I went from Mr. Beer kits straight into PM brewing.

 

[agroff383]

I have only done one batch so far of extract, and I would eventually like to go to AG but I want to get the hang of the specifics and make the best extract beer I can before I go AG and add more variables. I am a patient person and I am in no rush!

 

[Cape Brewing]

The key is at 50 seconds...

Yesss they doo...

 

[boydak]

I began with extract, than steeped grains added in. Some day, with the more I learn and read on places lik ethis, I will try AG.

For right now.... I love the beer I brew!

 

[BrewBrain]

I began with extract, than steeped grains added in. Some day, with the more I learn and read on places lik ethis, I will try AG.

For right now.... I love the beer I brew!

There is no all-grain boogieman. It's not rocket surgery, believe me. If you have the equipment and are interested, there is no reason to work up to it. Just do it:rockin:

 

[sithspitt]

If your stone IPA is pretty close can u hook me up with your recipe? Its my favorite IPA. Oh yeah the discussion. I made 1 extract and about 24 AGs

 

[jkarp]

I started with extract (Mr. Beer actually) and even won an award with it. 100% all-grain now. I just like the challenge and endless variables all-grain affords.

 

[dap325]

I'm just starting this hobby and will get my feet wet with an extract brew with steeping grains. I am buying all of my equipment with 10g all grain in mind, so I won't have to rebuy stuff. I'm busy doing my research, and by the end of the year I hope to have my all grain equipment ready to go. I want to do things right the first time, so by the time I have the basic process down (sanitizing and such) I'll be doing all grain in no time.

 

[SkewedBrewing]

I started with extract and have moved on to partial mash and small all grain batches. I will go all grain if i can ever convince myself to settle down and buy a house...

 

[bluehouse]

I have brewed extract, extract with steeping grains, and all grain brew in bag method. Your poll is flawed, need to have more choices.

 

[GranillaNutz]

3 all grain batches so far. don't plan on using extract. that is all.

 

[Hugh_Jass]

I started with extract and steeped grains. Most of those beers were pretty good. After reading some threads, I tried my hand at all grain. They're just as good.....some better....some not so much.

I went to all grain for economic reasons. I had most of the necessary supplies to go all grain, so I the decision was easier.

It's much more enjoyable for me to brew all grain exactly because of the additional steps involved in the process. I enjoy cooking from scratch much more than prepackaged food. For me, brewing all grain is a natural extension of the same preference.

 

[humann_brewing]

If your stone IPA is pretty close can u hook me up with your recipe? Its my favorite IPA. Oh yeah the discussion. I made 1 extract and about 24 AGs

It is the BYO recipe from last year. If you don't subscribe you can look here and then go get a subscription. It is a great magazine.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/6-stone-clone-recipes-dec-08s-byo-mag-89903/index4.html#post1014589

Oh yeah and as far as being a close one. My buddy who is a serious stone fan as he group up in Escondido really likes it and all he drinks is Stone.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Ever since I discovered mashing in the oven I even do my starters with all-grain.

It's kinda kewl to watch a starter blow off. I never had that with extract.

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

I brew by throwing sugar in a bucket and seeing what happens, then I toss that into a bigger bucket full of extract then I throw that into a fermenter full of AG beer. Occasionally I dry hop with dirty sweat socks.

I call it Triple Fermented "Pruno Light".

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I moved to AG simply because I like the brewing process and there's more 'process' with AG. I also thought I'd learn more about brewing if I made my beer totally from scratch...instead of using 'ready-made-parts'.

IMO...AG is a natural progression from extract. There's more to it and more to learn (in terms of 'hands-on' experience). That doesn't make extract bad or anything and certainly doesn't mean extract-brewed beers are bad. With many hobbies there are some that like to 'build' from kits of pre-made parts and just assemble them...but there are others that like to hand-make all the parts and then assemble those. Others are somewhere in-between. One extreme is a more advanced level of 'building' but so what...this is for personal enjoyment right?

 

[Catt22]

Could you repeat the question please?

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I moved to AG simply because I like the brewing process and there's more 'process' with AG. I also thought I'd learn more about brewing if I made my beer totally from scratch...instead of using 'ready-made-parts'.

IMO...AG is a natural progression from extract. There's more to it and more to learn (in terms of 'hands-on' experience). That doesn't make extract bad or anything and certainly doesn't mean extract-brewed beers are bad. With many hobbies there are some that like to 'build' from kits of pre-made parts and just assemble them...but there are others that like to hand-make all the parts and then assemble those. Others are somewhere in-between. One extreme is a more advanced level of 'building' but so what...this is for personal enjoyment right?

That is dead on for me too..

I have just finished bottling two slightly different 5 gal batches brewed on the same day, and I've just tasted both. One is going to be good, the other I am not going to be so keen on.....The only difference between the two is the temperature and method I used to roast a part of the grist. The whole point is that I now know exactly where the problem lies, and I know what i don't want in the future in that regard. It would be impossible to pinpoint a subtle difference like that with an extract that I don't even know the age of. It's all about the control, and getting closer to the beer IMO.

 

[camiller]

Monday (4/20/09) I brewed an all grain Rye IPA and a all extract pale ale. Since the poll uses radio buttons instead of check boxes I can't get an appropriate approximation so I won't vote.

I still try to do an extract batch every time I do a all grain batch because it is pretty easy to squeeze the extract batch in while waiting on the mash, waiting on the AG boil to get up to temp, etc.