My First impresions of All Grain vs Extract brewing

[FleEsq]

First a little background on my brewing history. I just started 3 months ago and I am seriously hooked. I started with 1 gallon BIAB in a kit I received as a gift. I really enjoyed it and took the leap into a 5 gal extract kit. I have brewed approximately 50 gal of extract brew since, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the 1 Gallon. So this week I bought a all grain set up and brewed my first 2 all grain batches.

Assuming the quality of the beer is the same, because I haven't tasted it yet here is what I think about the differences. These are only my opinions only, your mileage may vary.

Cost: All grain equipment is a little more depending on set up, Coolers at pretty cheap. Stainless steel set up cost can be quite a bit more. However I have noticed the cost of the ingredients are much cheaper than extract. My first all grain brew cost 19 dollars where a kit for extract was at least double that.

Time: All grain did take longer with additional sanitizing, mashing and clean up it added 2 more hours.

Ease: Some may disagree with me but I think all grain is actually easier than extract. My reason for this is the mess that extract creates , at least for me. I swear I have had DME between my toes at one time, the stuff goes everywhere and sucks to clean. I brewed and extract last night as well and the mess is all on the extract side.

Fun: I think all grain wins hands down here, you really do feel like your a part of the brew.

Quality: I don't know yet. but a can guarantee I can screw up an all grain batch as good as an extract.

I think I like the all grain brewing but will not give up extract when I have limited time. I am not bashing any kind of brewing, I enjoy brewing as much as drinking.

I posted this so people who are thinking about all grain but are afraid that its to hard, its not. Enjoy

 

[kh54s10]

Your observations are consistent with mine. Though I have not had a lot of problems with DME. I enjoy the process. With extract a portion of the process is taken away. I also like to know exactly what is going into my beer. Not that I think extracts are bad in any way.

Once you get past the purchase of equipment you can save a lot of money, especially if you buy in bulk. That is.... Until you revise your whole setup. My next step is all electric. Thousands of $$$

 

[springinloose1]

Going all grain and buying all the equipment to save money on beer is like buying a motorcycle to save money on gas, LOL. It'll never pay off, it's a hobby, and hobbies cost money regardless of which direction you go. Once you get started and really going with all grain, first of all, you won't turn back to extract, and, you'll justify purchasing all sorts of new gizmos and gadgets. Then there all of the DIY projects that will keep you busy for years, lol! I started with 5 gallon extract batches and went all grain 10 years ago. Until I bought my 20 gallon mash tun, I only used extract/DME to boost gravity; never to brew a batch. All grain all the way! Cheers and good luck!

 

[kh54s10]

Going all grain and buying all the equipment to save money on beer is like buying a motorcycle to save money on gas, LOL. It'll never pay off, it's a hobby, and hobbies cost money regardless of which direction you go. Once you get started and really going with all grain, first of all, you won't turn back to extract, and, you'll justify purchasing all sorts of new gizmos and gadgets. Then there all of the DIY projects that will keep you busy for years, lol! I started with 5 gallon extract batches and went all grain 10 years ago. Until I bought my 20 gallon mash tun, I only used extract/DME to boost gravity; never to brew a batch. All grain all the way! Cheers and good luck!

I have to disagree with this. (If I never go electric as I would like to, that would change the argument).

I can brew a batch for about $30 average. A six pack is about $10 - $15 So 8.33 six packs = a 5 gallon batch or $83. I drink a little more homebrew than I would commercial beers. So I save about $40 per batch over buying beer. I haven't bought much new equipment for several years so there is not much there. The biggest purchase in those years is my new bench capper at $37.

All grain all the way? It depends. I might brew indoors with extract mid summer when it will be really hot. I have not had inferior extract brews nor have I ever detected "extract twang" in any of my extract brews.

I do enjoy the process of all grain brewing more though. As long as it isn't BIAB, which I do for small batches occasionally. I don't have the setup for BIAB so for me it is a hot, wet, sticky, mess.

 

[whiskeyjack]

There are definitely pros and cons to each method of brewing. With all grain the cost of ingredients, freshness, and control are big ones. If you want to brew a pale ale and have it come out a little thinner/drier you can by changing your mash. Extract you cant control the mash, what you get is what you get. With extract you save time. If you do partial boils and cool the other half of the wort you cool your wort in 30 seconds. I've been thinking of doing a extract/partial mash brew. I would think a pale ale would hide the grains and the hops would be the big taste. What keeps turning me away is I dont like the way my starters smell when I first make them. Its not appealing to me, and this is what my beer would be made of. That smell you get when you first dough in with all grain, amazing. Ive never done a side by side and i should, but if it takes me 3-6 weeks to make something, Im going to take the extra steps to try to get the best out of it. If extract or PM is all you can or want to do, more power to ya.

 

[gunhaus]

I agree with you! I too can screw up an all grain just as good as i screw up an extract! It is a skill I have honed to perfection with time.

 

[RPh_Guy]

All grain did take longer with additional sanitizing

What additional sanitizing are you doing?

 

[springinloose1]

I have to disagree with this. (If I never go electric as I would like to, that would change the argument).

I can brew a batch for about $30 average. A six pack is about $10 - $15 So 8.33 six packs = a 5 gallon batch or $83. I drink a little more homebrew than I would commercial beers. So I save about $40 per batch over buying beer. I haven't bought much new equipment for several years so there is not much there. The biggest purchase in those years is my new bench capper at $37.

All grain all the way? It depends. I might brew indoors with extract mid summer when it will be really hot. I have not had inferior extract brews nor have I ever detected "extract twang" in any of my extract brews.

I do enjoy the process of all grain brewing more though. As long as it isn't BIAB, which I do for small batches occasionally. I don't have the setup for BIAB so for me it is a hot, wet, sticky, mess.

Yep, no worries. If you've bought all the equipment you'll ever need in your homebrewing ventures then there may just be light at the end of the debt tunnel where you'll start seeing a savings. Between kegerators, fermentation chambers w/ temp controls, a 20 gallon mash tun and kettle, burners, plate chillers, carboys, all the cleaners and sanitizers, a pH meter, refractometer, pumps, hoses, quick disconnects, blah blah blah, basically I'm just jealous you can sketch the math out that you're money up each batch.

I like saying there's only 4 ingredients in my all grain batch: water, hops, yeast, and grain. With extract, especially liquid in a can, you can't say that because there's preservatives and additives to preserve shelf life. But that's just me, and hey man, if it works for you, then brew on!

I agree on BIAB, no thanks.

 

[timcadieux]

You've got a couple of interesting points there. Personally, Im glad that I went to AG brewing after such a short tine doing extract. I prefer pretty much everything in the process, though there are obviously some cons such as storage space and the time it takes.

For the rest, I don't think anyone can realistically say they got into homebrewing to save money.

First a little background on my brewing history. I just started 3 months ago and I am seriously hooked. I started with 1 gallon BIAB in a kit I received as a gift. I really enjoyed it and took the leap into a 5 gal extract kit. I have brewed approximately 50 gal of extract brew since, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the 1 Gallon. So this week I bought a all grain set up and brewed my first 2 all grain batches.

Assuming the quality of the beer is the same, because I haven't tasted it yet here is what I think about the differences. These are only my opinions only, your mileage may vary.

Cost: All grain equipment is a little more depending on set up, Coolers at pretty cheap. Stainless steel set up cost can be quite a bit more. However I have noticed the cost of the ingredients are much cheaper than extract. My first all grain brew cost 19 dollars where a kit for extract was at least double that.

Time: All grain did take longer with additional sanitizing, mashing and clean up it added 2 more hours.

Ease: Some may disagree with me but I think all grain is actually easier than extract. My reason for this is the mess that extract creates , at least for me. I swear I have had DME between my toes at one time, the stuff goes everywhere and sucks to clean. I brewed and extract last night as well and the mess is all on the extract side.

Fun: I think all grain wins hands down here, you really do feel like your a part of the brew.

Quality: I don't know yet. but a can guarantee I can screw up an all grain batch as good as an extract.

I think I like the all grain brewing but will not give up extract when I have limited time. I am not bashing any kind of brewing, I enjoy brewing as much as drinking.

I posted this so people who are thinking about all grain but are afraid that its to hard, its not. Enjoy

 

[FleEsq]

I think if you can keep your initial investment down, such as a cooler mash tun and a boil pot, all grain can help you realize a savings.

now the reality may be like many hobbies your initial investment can expand rapidly, but I don't think it has too. All the other additions may make the brew easier or even better quality but not a necessity.

Now, the admission, after my mash tun Anvil 10 gal, false bottom, recurc pump, fly sparge unit, Sparge water pot, and a new burner it may take me several years to see a savings, but I am up for the challenge.

Admission two: I have told my wife how much I am saving per case and she is now on board. I may not have calculated my initial up front cost when I informed her of the savings. Does that make me a bad person?

 

[FleEsq]

RPh Guy: Instead of just ssanitizing my boil kettle I am also sanitizing my Mash tun and sparge tank

 

[RPh_Guy]

RPh Guy: Instead of just sanitizing my boil kettle I am also sanitizing my Mash tun and sparge tank

Good news! None of those three things need sanitized

On brew day I don't mix my sanitizer until I start chilling.
Brew on!

 

[kh54s10]

Right, anything before the boil does not need to be sanitized. The heat of the boil does that for you.

I mix sanitizer once every couple of months, now that I have it in a one gallon container. When I had it in a 5 gallon water jug, I would mix up more maybe twice and at most 3 times a year. Starsan keeps very well and if you use a spray bottle and return any leftover you don't use very much.

 

[DownstairsBrewing]

I think if you can keep your initial investment down, such as a cooler mash tun and a boil pot, all grain can help you realize a savings.

now the reality may be like many hobbies your initial investment can expand rapidly, but I don't think it has too. All the other additions may make the brew easier or even better quality but not a necessity.

Now, the admission, after my mash tun Anvil 10 gal, false bottom, recurc pump, fly sparge unit, Sparge water pot, and a new burner it may take me several years to see a savings, but I am up for the challenge.

Admission two: I have told my wife how much I am saving per case and she is now on board. I may not have calculated my initial up front cost when I informed her of the savings. Does that make me a bad person?

Net Present Value > Payback time. Your Anvil 10 gal will save you THOUSANDS over the lifetime. In fact, it was practically irresponsible for you not to have bought it already. Flushing money down the drain. Payback is overly simplistic. The Hoover dam took almost seven years to pay back, the loan was not paid off until the 1980's. It pays the build costs off every three years these days.

On a serious note, when you pay $3+ for a 473ml can, it is remarkable how quickly the savings add up. I did fairly detailed costing of a 23L batch of IPA, figured I would come in around $23 per batch (lower if I bought in bulk), versus a 'batch value' of ~$145 depending on yield. That pays for the Anvil kettle in less than three batches.

 

[brewcat]

The biggest thing for me was being able to control volumes easier with all grain. Never took the time to figure how much volume extract adds for boil off. I never noticed much of a flavor difference between my extract and all grain recipes.

As far as savings...Yeah, sort of... Some equipment costs to figure. But when I can brew for at least 1/3 of store bought (assuming I'm not buying BMC). That equipment pays for itself quickly. The added benefit is my homebrew is better. Two batches a month costs ~$60 instead of $160-196. So save about $1200 a year. I have maybe spent $1200 on equipment in 10+ years. I do drink more... But I suppose a chef eats more.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I like sour beer. I make up all the money I've ever spent on brewing equipment by brewing one batch.

 

[FleEsq]

I do drink more... But I suppose a chef eats more.

I drink more beer, but I have found I have significantly cut back on other forms of liquid enhancements.

 

[brewcat]

I like sour beer. I make up all the money I've ever spent on brewing equipment by brewing one batch.

Funniest thing I've read tonight. And pretty true.