Malt extract vs. full grain - which do you choose and why?

[Sematary]

I'm certain this particular topic has showed up in these forums before but I'm curious as to what people think about the options and why. In every hobby there are "purists" but the definition isn't always set in stone as to what that means. I figured this would be a fun topic for discussion.
Currently, I'm leaning towards full grain as the way I want to go. I just feel like I'm missing out on part of the enjoyment of the process if I use an extract.

 

[bucketnative]

More flexibility with all-grain. But, that flexibility comes at the expense of more equipment, more cleaning, more stuff to dispose of, and more storage space. It's really what fits your budget, space requirements, and desires for the hobby.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

Both make perfectly fine beers. It's really not a "purist" thing. All grain simply gives you the ability to control the entire recipe and process, in full detail, and in many cases is a lower cost. It's like grandma making a cake from scratch or buying a box of premix, or buying a frozen lasagna or laying out every strip of pasta and making the sauce from scratch.

 

[MaxStout]

You can make excellent beer using extract, many people do. Some win awards. Plenty of brewers have stayed with extract brewing for many years and have no desire to change.

That said, there are some advantages to going all grain. More choices when designing a recipe, and more control over the process. You can use mash temps and different types of mash processes (single-infusion, decoction, step mashes, etc.) to achieve a particular flavor profile, body, mouthfeel, etc. The cons are that your brew day is lengthened somewhat, and it requires more equipment. You have to pay closer attention to a few things, like temps, water additions, and so forth.

However, you don't need much more equipment. You can try brew in a bag (BIAB). All you need to add is a fine-mesh bag and a kettle large enough to hold your strike water and grains if your existing kettle doesn't already. And a good thermometer for accurately measuring mash temps (that cheap dial thermometer that comes with the brew kits won't cut it).

 

[ESBrewer]

I started out brewing with all grain because I like to control all the factors and ingredients that affect the outcome. Even if it is more messy and takes more time than extract brewing. Didn't even think about extract brewing, although I knew it can be a nice way to start when you want to keep the process simple.

 

[mongoose33]

What do I think? I think new brewers should start w/ extract, so as to learn the process from the boil forward. Then after a few of these, look to all-grain as an option.

I believe I have much greater control over what I produce than I would with extract. I also find the process more...authentic? Not sure that's the right word, but I feel more "at one with the beer" than I did using extract.

This is hard to explain, but there's a bit of a spiritual element to brewing for me. Lots to do, but occasional downtime while I wait for something to complete. It's almost a sort of Zen-type experience for me.

Magic is happening in the mash. I don't get that with extract.

 

[Sematary]

What do I think? I think new brewers should start w/ extract, so as to learn the process from the boil forward. Then after a few of these, look to all-grain as an option.

I believe I have much greater control over what I produce than I would with extract. I also find the process more...authentic? Not sure that's the right word, but I feel more "at one with the beer" than I did using extract.

This is hard to explain, but there's a bit of a spiritual element to brewing for me. Lots to do, but occasional downtime while I wait for something to complete. It's almost a sort of Zen-type experience for me.

Magic is happening in the mash. I don't get that with extract.

I think that is more how I feel. The "kits" seem to make some wonderful beers and brewing with extracts also makes some wonderful beers but it seems like it would be harder to make your own recipe using extracts and it really isn't "yours", if you know what I mean. Grain seems to be the way I want to go. I enjoyed doing my first all grain batch this past weekend and would like to do more but I only have a 5 gallon brewer so, um, ya. lol Time to upgrade.

 

[CWood]

I don't see all grain as purism, just allows for many more recipe combinations to "make it your own". When I started brewing in the mid 90s extracts were pretty terrible. Now you have many more options and higher quality. I just received a few extract kits from nb as a present and am tempted to make one. Then again, I'm interested in adding the extract to an all grain recipe to gain an easy high grav beer. I love brewing all grain and have even moved to using mainly locally sourced grain. Just fun to me, but space, equipment, and time will dictate what works best for you.

 

[dstockwell]

It also depends on your current situation. I started with all grain BIAB based on items I already had on hand. 30QT turkey fryer and burner, small dorm mini fridge that could only hold a 4G bucket, so kits were out.

 

[Gameface]

This may not still be true, but all-grain allows you to make lighter-colored beers in my experience. That's probably not all too important to most brewers, but that is one advantage is see that all-grain clearly has over extract.

I do a lot of cooking. I tend to cook from scratch and make my own recipes. For me it was just natural that I do the same with brewing. I enjoy the entirety of the process.

Where many people are talking about control, it's important to keep in mind that control is a double edged sword. While you may be able to tweak things to perfectly fit what you want, you might also make mistakes that never would have been made with extract. More room for error, while at the same time having very marginal possibility for improvement.

 

[brewgar]

Some start out as all grain brewers. Many of us started with kits, then moved on to all grain brewing, once comfortable with basic processes. Both methods can be used to make good beer. Starting with kits would make a lot of sense if you do not have access to a brew club, or to experienced brew buddies.

 

[Calder]

I partial mash. 8 lbs of grain, and 4 gallons on the stove. The boil is what limits me, and I have no intention to go outside to a bigger boil.

8 lbs of grain and ~85% efficiency means I need very little extract to make a brew.

Yes, you have more variety with all-grain, but you can have more problems too. Today I did an oatmeal stout (Shakespeare Stout clone) and got my mash temp too low. Found out my strike water thermometer was reading 4 degrees high. Guess it is going to end up a little drier than planned. Maybe I'l call it 'Foreign Extra Oatmeal Stout'.

 

[MaxStout]

Today I did an oatmeal stout (Shakespeare Stout clone) and got my mash temp too low. Found out my strike water thermometer was reading 4 degrees high. Guess it is going to end up a little drier than planned. Maybe I'l call it 'Foreign Extra Oatmeal Stout'.

You could add maltodextrin to give it some body.

 

[Grod1]

i am a big fan of all grain supplemented with extract. i basically need it when i want beers over 10%
i dont think they should be VS. extract is just a tool in my grain arsenal.

 

[PADave]

Start with extract, learn the process, and go from there.

 

[applescrap]

I would seriously consider buying extract in bulk, but even then its too expensive. Extract is versatile and doesnt really need boiled. I am aware that many brewers are very successful with extract and what better way to keep a pipeline going. The only problem is its expensive. So much more that I have never used it.

 

[VTX1300]

As a fairly new Brewers (12 batches over 9 months) I started with all grain because I wanted to be able to control the entire process. And I enjoy doing the entire process. I had some of the equipment needed already so the start up cost was not that big of a deal for me. The route you decide to go depends on you space, equipment needed, your budget and how involved in the process you want to be starting out. No matter what you do, education is the key to making great beer. Enjoy!

 

[McKnuckle]

Beer brewing is a centuries old craft that requires the practicioner to mash malted barley. Pre-packaged malt extract is a modern invention that allows the brewer to skip the mashing stage, making the process easier and faster. Simple as that.

Think of it like making Italian food with jarred sauce. Will it taste good? Usually, sure. Is it as much of a craft? I don't think so.

 

[RM-MN]

My nearest "full featured" LHBS is 90 miles away and may not have all the grains in stock when I do get there so I want to pick up the raw material for several brews when I do get there. Sacks of grain are easier to handle than big jugs of LME and quite a bit cheaper than sacks of DME. If I spill grain in the back of my SUV I can vacuum it out. Try that with LME! Malted grains store really well and base malt that has been stored for 2 years makes as good of beer as fresh. Add to that the ability to change up a recipe with full control of the ingredients (provided I can get them) and the ease of BIAB and I'll be all grain for as long as I brew.

 

[Brownalemikie]

Me thinks each of us has our own reason for making our own beer. I started brewing when I moved from Minnesota to Florida, I could no longer drink my favorite craft brown ale from a local Minnesota craft brewery. If I hadn't moved to Florida, I'd never have started home brewing. Hence, it doesn't matter if I use extract or all grain. I simply love my extract brown ales, stouts and porters. For me, it doesn't matter how you get from point A to point B just so I get there. JMO

 

[ESBrewer]

I kinda like the idea of malting the barley and growing the hops as well. Maybe growing the barley.. That would be the ultimate journey from the field to the bottle, but at the moment I don't have the facilities, equipment, time or money for that so I need to go with just AG. And you have to start from somewhere. Maybe someday I'll do it all? But as you see, AG is a shortcut, too. Some people stick to extract brewing for the same reasons.

 

[myndflyte]

It all depends how I'm feeling. If I want to have a brew day where I'm outside for a few hours, I'll do all grain. If I just want something done quick, I'll use extract.

 

[cubalz]

I do all-grain for the increased control over my ingredients. That isn't to say that you cannot make a damn fine extract beer but the simple fact is that some beers cannot be made true to style with DME or LME. Color is always a big issue.

 

[Vandulus]

One reason I switched from extract to all grain was my color was always much darker than I expected, even with late additions of fresh DME. Part of my problem I now realize was the water pH was too high (whoops!), but it seems more difficult to hit the target SRM with malt extract. I also reduced my grain bill cost by half when buying base malts by the sack on sale.

 

[soccerdad]

I go both ways

With extract I rarely do a 60 minute boil, so I can make a good beer (really a very good beer) in less than an hour. These are generally "non descript" but true to style beers like Brown Ales, Blonde Ales, Pale Ales. These are brews that satisfy my "jones" for brewing, keep the pipeline full, and assure tasty brew on hand at all times. These can be done inexpensively (roughly $30/5G), and with 1 to 4 items to clean.

I do far more all grain (BIAB), which allows me to be more creative, invest more time in the hobby, make more complex beers, push the edges of style, and still not break the bank. Just as an example, a good IPA "kit" might cost $50, but an all grain approximation of that beer might cost $35,

Hmm .. I have 2 5G cronies open. Better brew.

 

[Merak5]

I started with extract, then partial mash, then all grain. As someone else said, there is a magic that occurs in the mash, I enjoy participating in the mystery/sacrament/alchemy of converting grain to wort. Its an old art that can be reclaimed from the materialistic culture we live in. And it tastes wonderful.

 

[jalc6927]

i am a big fan of all grain supplemented with extract. i basically need it when i want beers over 10%
i dont think they should be VS. extract is just a tool in my grain arsenal.

Perfectly said there is no AG vs Extract.

You can make great beer both ways. Extract is easier and requires less equipment and if done right makes awesome beer.

AG requires more equipment and more time. More can go wrong as well, but it’s an art and it’s fun

I started with steeping grains and adding extract now I do AG and not sure why. Just happened

I’ll be buying an automated brew boss in the next week or so to smooth out the process

It’s all personal preference and brewing is brewing which ever way one decides

 

[waldoar15]

I was never really all that happy with my extract brews. I think there was only one that I thought was really good. Switched to AG and never looked back.

 

[seatazzz]

I started with extract, moved to partial mash, and now do all grain exclusively. I do like the control over the recipe I get with all grain, but my biggest reason is (and I know this sounds silly) the fact that it makes me feel like I'm "really" brewing. I've made some great beers with extract and partial mash, but my all grain brews feel more like an accomplishment. I know when I start a brew day I'm in it for at least 6 hours, but those 6 hours are hard work, sweat, mess, and at the end I've got (hopefully) great beer. There's so much more to do when you brew all grain, it really makes my brain work and the physical work as well is good for me. I've toyed with the idea of doing a partial mash again, but (in my mind) there's no fun in it. Brew day for me is like Christmas when you're a kid; I wake up early, leap out of bed, and jump right in. The comparison between something made from scratch and just dumping a box of mix in a bowl is very apt. That's not to disparage those who brew only with extract; if I lived in an apartment, or couldn't find the time to do an all grain batch, it would be the way for me. I'm happy I've got the means (and the understanding spouse) to do what I do.

 

[SoCal-Doug]

I set out to make a yummy Irish Red so I can stop paying $11/sixpack for Red Trolley (it's a great beer, just crazy expensive and sometimes hard to find). A little more of this grain, less of that grain, yada yada yada. All were tasty and my friends gulped them down faster than I could ferment another batch. By the 4th version I was very happy with it but noted "drop the mash temp another two degrees, it's a tiny bit sweet still".

Had I been doing extract, I would have had to say "it is what it is. Drink up". That's why I do all grain. If i'm going to put out the money, time and effort, I want to tweak recipes for my own tastes. Not just accept what I can get out of a can or bag of extract. Do they make cans of extract still or am I showing my age?