How long did it take you to go all-grain?

[Scriv]

I have a total of 4 brews under my belt, I got started with an extract kit from my wife for Christmas. Brew #2 was also an extract kit, then I decided to jump into all-grain.

So, for me 2 extract brews and I moved to all-grain. Just curious about others.

 

[Kampenken]

Mine is quite different!

I began in the late 90's with extract. Brewed for about 1.5yrs extract and steeping grains- no internet homebrew forums then, all was fine. Took about 13yrs off, back in it with an extract / steeping grain, 2nd batch was a mini mash, by 4th batch I was 5g all grain, really enjoying it (now ~1.5yrs back in again) with lots more equipment and time spent on this hobby!!

Cheers!

 

[CA_Mouse]

I brewed 4 extract kits before I did a partial mash. That settled it for me and I brewed the other 4 extract kits I had bought. I started building my first MT while I was brewing those last kits and haven't looked back since. Time frame was August to October. I was brewing every other week.

 

[Arbe0]

about 1 1/2 years I guess from the Mr. Beer days to the 2 pot, one igloo cooler days. Still don't have a structure, just use what ever to put these things on.

 

[1977Brewer]

1 extract batch, straight to all grain from there, after shopping kits and LME and trying to scale recipes and...I just wanted to do it this way. Seemed fun. It is fun.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I did 4 or 5 extracts before getting all grain equipement. I still do extracts though when I am short on time

 

[EJay]

I started off 1-gallon, BIAB, all grain.

 

[fimpster]

I did 44 batches with extract before making the switch to all-grain. Most were just steeping specialty grains, but towards the end they were stovetop mini-mahes.

 

[MaxStout]

I did about a half dozen extract brews, all Midwest kits. Then I tried BIAB (a SMaSH), a 2.5 gallon batch as I only had a 5 gallon kettle and using an electric stovetop.

From there, a 10 gallon BK, then a keggle, and now up to a 20 gallon Concorde kettle. BIAB all the way.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I started off 1-gallon, BIAB, all grain.

Me too, except for the BIAB part.

I might start my first 5-gallon (partial mash) next month, and am looking forward to it!

 

[Nagorg]

I started with Mr. Beer. Did probably about ~6 batches before I decided to try extract with specialty grains. That worked for about 4-5 batches and then I went straight to AG. All of that was under a year.

Love AG brewing!

 

[Kharnynb]

after 2 extract batches i started planning my first ag, but i still do extract inbetween, especially a very simple coopers honey-wheat recipe.

 

[el_Palido]

I brewed about 8 batches with extract and steeping specialty grains before moving to BIAB. My beers are way better now.

 

[whovous]

All grain, all the time.

 

[Gavin C]

2 extract batches both with steeping grains. Then all-grain. Having too much fun to go back to using extract.

 

[Nagorg]

2 extract batches both with steeping grains. Then all-grain. Having too much fun to go back to using extract.

Yeah... Not knocking it but I dont see myself doing extract again. Not saying never but just dont see it... I do love the AG process!

 

[doug293cz]

I did one 1 gal extract kit, two 5 gal extract recipes, and then went 5 gal BIAB AG.

Brew on

 

[Hamaki]

I started with all grain. First batch I malted my own barley with very marginal success. I tried malting several times but never with consistent results so I gave up & buy malt ready made. Cost as much or more to malt my own compared to buying in bulk but it was a fun experiment.

 

[GreenSpyder]

I got a pilsner kit thrown in when I bought all the equipment. It was an extract/partial mash thing. It was the first and last extract, have been AG since.

 

[rlmiller10]

Started with all grain. Read a lot on HBT before my first brew then started with a sort of BIAB. I had the grain in a bag but put the bag in a cooler to maintain mash temp. Have never tried extract

 

[ba-brewer]

Took me about 30 years. I brewed extract beers in the early 80s then took a break for a while. When I started brewing again I did one 5gal extract batch, then a couple days later I made a baby mash tun with a 2gal round cooler to ease into all grain. It only took a few batches before I made a bigger 5gal mash tun.

 

[monstervictor]

It took me abou 8 extract brews to go to AG. I still have some DME and I think I will still brew extract during winter or when I do not have much time. Still, I really enjoy the milling and mashing process


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[losMythos]

Did a couple extract brews in 1998. Decided to do an all grain batch in 2011. Been brewing all grain ever since.

 

[Beerhound419]

Did my first brew from extract in February followed by three more batches from extract while I studied the all grain process and collected the equipment. The next batch will be all grain.

 

[FrozenWinter]

I think I did about 4 or 5 extract batches before going AG.
Last 3 extract batches were full volume boils.

 

[dfhar]

Just one extract brew. It was a hefe that fermented at 80 degrees and ended up undrinkable.

After that, I kind of went off the deep end and immediately bought a chest freezer, temperature controller, IC, kegging system, and mash tun. I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of brewing something good. My second brew was an all grain Kolsch that turned out great!

4 all grain ales later, I started brewing lagers almost exclusively and haven't looked back.

 

[max384]

Two extract batches, then moved to AG.

 

[Psylocide]

2 extracts... annnnnnnd, the very first one that shall not be counted, as it's slowly dying on a rack in my basement.

Horrid. Glad I found HBT.

 

[Auger]

I brewed for about 7 years doing extracts, probably 70-80 batches, from pure hopped extract kits and dry yeast, through steeping grains then partial mash. Finally about a year ago I went full-up all grain.

 

[masonsjax]

I started with AG and never looked back. It's not nearly as terrifying or difficult as some would have you think. I just read up a bunch, acquired the right equipment, and was making great beer right out of the gate. Of course I had read enough that I was also doing fermentation temp control, yeast starters, and kegging right off the bat, so that helps too. This community is awesome!

 

[OkanaganMike]

Started with AG BIAB right off the hop after reading how easy and less costly it was than the 3 vessel option. Not to mention space requirements. Real glad I did too. Problem is I'm totally hooked, 40gals under my belt (not all in my belly yet, but I'm doing my best) since Feb this year.

 

[gratefulfloyd]

By my 3rd brew I was doing all grain and have not looked back since. I like being able to tinker all I want with my recipes.

 

[TheGambler87]

1 cider and 3 extract brews before I took the leap. Built my own cooler mash tun, it probably would have taken longer if i didnt have that old cooler lying in the basement...

 

[Psylocide]

2 extract batches both with steeping grains. Then all-grain. Having too much fun to go back to using extract.

It's a cost thing for me (see a trend here?)... the cost of extract to grain is ~3:1 around here.

Nope.

 

[BrewSavage]

I was on again off again extract partial "mash" for 20+ years...some years 4-5 batches, some years zero...but 15 months ago I got really interested again brewing about once a month.


Lurking here on homebrewtalk for the last year was a big part of making the jump.

 

[MysteryHaus]

Got a 1 gallon AG kit from my brother for Christmas and been going ever since. Extract never interested me it takes away some of the fun to me. Doing it like the old days with no processed ingredients makes it better and there's a little more pride in it when you start from scratch

 

[1977Brewer]

It's a cost thing for me (see a trend here?)... the cost of extract to grain is ~3:1 around here.

Nope.

This. I did that first kit, decided I wanted to up my volume, figured out what a 5 gallon extract recipe would cost, and quickly went BIAB with the same equipment I planned to use for extract.

 

[doug293cz]

Got a 1 gallon AG kit from my brother for Christmas and been going ever since. Extract never interested me it takes away some of the fun to me. Doing it like the old days with no processed ingredients makes it better and there's a little more pride in it when you start from scratch

So, you malt your own barley, wrangle your own wild yeast, and never use hop pellets?
Most of us AG'ers use some level of processed ingredients, just moving back closer to the source.

Brew on

 

[MysteryHaus]

So, you malt your own barley, wrangle your own wild yeast, and never use hop pellets?

Haha you got me there. Although that would be a dream. If I hit the lottery you're gonna be my farmer and brewing partner!

 

[MysteryHaus]

So, you malt your own barley, wrangle your own wild yeast, and never use hop pellets?

Haha you got me there. Although that would be a dream. If I ever hit the lottery you're gonna be my farming and brewing partner!