I made the switch to all grain and I'm never looking back again

[GrogNerd]

I built AG up in my head like it was some sort of fictitious monster but after my first AG brew last weekend, I honestly sort of wish I just started there. I got into extract to really get the process down-mainly sanitation. Once I had a grasp on that, I felt ready. I made an Amber Ale last weekend and kept thinking how easy the whole process was. I came to HBT for some advice on topics I really didn't need to bother myself with, calmed down a tick, and had a really enjoyable brew day. The problem, now, is that I want to make beer every day. My wife loves that.

all-grain monster. lol

really no different from making oatmeal, pasta or rice. you're heating up grains.

except with the rest, you're taking the grains out and eating them. with This Thing of Ours, you're leaving the grains behind, using the liquid

 

[slym2none]

Up until this year, all my beers were extract, most with some sort of partial-mash, but not always. Most were good, a few really good, a few not so much. Despite good fermentation control, yeast pitch-rate, and aerating all my wort, I had a couple come out with the dreaded extract twang, one had no LME at all but DME with a mini-mash. Strangely enough, the couple that the twang were darker beers - I made BM's Centennial Blonde twice (one as directed for extract with a mini-mash, the other was a true partial mash, with a few pounds of grain) and it was awesome both times. I thought for sure the lighter beer would show "twang" but it didn't.

My past two beers have been AG. I can say that I probably will not brew any more extract batches, as AG appeals to the cook/chef in me. (It's like making a big pot of chili or spaghetti sauce.) I don't mind the extra time, I don't mind the lower cost, and I certainly don't mind the way the beer tastes!!!

 

[GrogNerd]

Up until this year, all my beers were extract, most with some sort of partial-mash, but not always. Most were good, a few really good, a few not so much. Despite good fermentation control, yeast pitch-rate, and aerating all my wort, I had a couple come out with the dreaded extract twang, one had no LME at all but DME with a mini-mash. Strangely enough, the couple that the twang were darker beers - I made BM's Centennial Blonde twice (one as directed for extract with a mini-mash, the other was a true partial mash, with a few pounds of grain) and it was awesome both times. I thought for sure the lighter beer would show "twang" but it didn't.

My past two beers have been AG. I can say that I probably will not brew any more extract batches, as AG appeals to the cook/chef in me. (It's like making a big pot of chili or spaghetti sauce.) I don't mind the extra time, I don't mind the lower cost, and I certainly don't mind the way the beer tastes!!!

question: your darker beers... did you use darker extract? or lighter extract and rely on specialty grains for color?

 

[slym2none]

Interestingly enough, the stout I made with dark LME came out fine. The Irish Red was all light DME with steeped grains for colour & flavour and it had the twang. The dark ale I made was dark LME and had the twang.

I am chalking it up to old v/s fresh extract, but I am in no way certain of that.

 

[kristiismean]

I Read this and good for the OP, but, I have no intention of ever going all grain.

I am a very happy Extract brewer at this point, but yeah, that might change in the future, when I cannot do what I want to with extract.

Currently only started in January of 2015, and have completed only 32 5 gallon batches (160 gallons) tho 4 (20 gal) are still in the primary/secondary.

I have had good ones, bad tasting ones, and really really good ones. I have never had an infection, stalled fermentation, bottle bombs, etc.

So more power to the extract brewers. Where else can you get home at 6:30 in the evening, call your brother in law and say "hey, want to come over and pop out 10 gallons?" and be done by 9:30 including clean up? You just can't do that with all grain.

now, doing my first partial/biab batch because you cannot clone spotted cow with extract......

 

[Raynestorm]

Why not do both? No reason to limit your beer potential.

 

[myelo]

Yeah, I do both extract and AG (BIAB). Most are AG but 3 or 4 times a year I'll do an extract because I want to squeeze in a brew and just don't have the time for an all grain batch.

 

[RM-MN]

Yeah, I do both extract and AG (BIAB). Most are AG but 3 or 4 times a year I'll do an extract because I want to squeeze in a brew and just don't have the time for an all grain batch.

That's a logical fallacy. With some practice and grains milled fine for your BIAB you should be able to brew an all grain batch in about the same amount of time as an extract with steeping grains batch. I do it all the time now.

 

[Homercidal]

I kept telling you guys it was easy, but did you listen?? Noooo!

 

[urg8rb8]

All grain is easy and fun. I get a nice satisfaction of knowing I made my beer from "scratch".

 

[myelo]

That's a logical fallacy. With some practice and grains milled fine for your BIAB you should be able to brew an all grain batch in about the same amount of time as an extract with steeping grains batch. I do it all the time now.

Thanks. I agree with your major point, BIAB can be a pretty quick way to brew, especially compared to some other methods of AG brewing. And don't get me wrong, I absolutely love BIAB. (I'm actually mashing an American Wheat BIAB right now)

Nevertheless, at least for me it's still longer. For steeping grains in an extract batch I put in the grain bag, start heating the water, and pull the grains at 170F. So steeping grains don't add any time. BIAB adds at least an hour for me because of the mash.

An hour difference is probably trivial for a lot of folks. But with a wife, 2 kids, and up to an 80 hour work week ... that hour occasionally is the difference between brewing at all and not brewing. So for me anyway, its a nice option.

cheers

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks. I agree with your major point, BIAB can be a pretty quick way to brew, especially compared to some other methods of AG brewing. And don't get me wrong, I absolutely love BIAB. (I'm actually mashing an American Wheat BIAB right now)

Nevertheless, at least for me it's still longer. For steeping grains in an extract batch I put in the grain bag, start heating the water, and pull the grains at 170F. So steeping grains don't add any time. BIAB adds at least an hour for me because of the mash.

An hour difference is probably trivial for a lot of folks. But with a wife, 2 kids, and up to an 80 hour work week ... that hour occasionally is the difference between brewing at all and not brewing. So for me anyway, its a nice option.

cheers

How long your mash takes depends a lot on the quality of the crush. I find my batches are done in 30 minutes. Yours might be too or they may take the full hour. If you have some iodine you can test for conversion. If you have grain particles in the sample and the iodine turns blue, keep mashing. If you can't detect any change in the iodine the conversion is over.

How long do you boil? Most of our malts have little SMM in them so you don't have to boil for an hour to drive off the DMS. I've cut the boil down to 30 minutes too with no discernable difference in the flavor but I have to adjust my expected boil-off to account for less time boiling.

If you can make both of the above work for you, your time to do the BIAB will be pretty close to the extract batch.

 

[myelo]

Thanks for the tips, that's helpful. I mash for 1 hr. and boil for 1 hr (90 min if pilsner). Looks like I may be able to shave some time off.

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks for the tips, that's helpful. I mash for 1 hr. and boil for 1 hr (90 min if pilsner). Looks like I may be able to shave some time off.

Your conversion might be done sooner than 30 minutes but don't try to cut the mash any shorter because it takes more time to extract flavor. If you get conversion in 5 minutes and cut the mash period to 10 minutes you get flavorless beer.

 

[frozengator]

Your conversion might be done sooner than 30 minutes but don't try to cut the mash any shorter because it takes more time to extract flavor. If you get conversion in 5 minutes and cut the mash period to 10 minutes you get flavorless beer.

Will iodine test answer this question?

 

[frozengator]

A iodine test would answer the mash time right?

 

[urg8rb8]

A iodine test would answer the mash time right?

Yes it would. However, I stopped using the iodine test after like 10 AG batches.

Btw, are you a Florida Gator fan?

 

[frozengator]

Yepper

 

[urg8rb8]

Yepper

Cool, go gators!