New guy from Maryland

[89Hen]

Hey everyone, very novice brewer here. Have done about 10 batches of extract kits in the last 3-4 years and am committed to moving over to all grain this fall. I've been reading articles and books and watching videos... looks doable, but certainly not as easy. I'm just tired of all the extract kits turning out very average and hoping it's not just me. I've been very meticulous at following instructions, keeping things clean, adding extra hops (definitely a hop head), but everything seems to turn out very similar and good but not great. Hoping all grain will get me to the next level.

Maybe this isn't the right place, but any advice on the first couple things I will need to add to my hardware to move to all grain would be helpful. I'm sure there must be a thread on it somewhere. I've always done 5 gallon kitchen brewing, so I have the basics. Need to obviously add a mash tun (thinking Igloo version), but I'm just not sure about adding a second to do fly sparging and also not sure if I really need to add a propane burner so I can leave the kitchen (it's pretty small).

Anyway, happy to be here and hope to contribute in some way in addition to getting some great advice. Cheers!

 

[Hammy71]

Leave the kitchen and never look back! Oh, and welcome.....from a fellow Marylander!

 

[BrewInspector]

A burner and kettle for a full boil and to get you out of the kitchen. Some sort of chilling equipment for that full kettle you will not want to be moving around. Stick with batch sparging for simplicity

 

[Rockn_M]

Welcome!
Check out BIAB(Brew in a Bag). I've done a lot of those and it only takes a large pot and a mesh bag and a propane burner.

 

[jcav]

Welcome! If you don't want to add a lot of equipment right now, you might want to read up on brewing in a bag (BIAB). Many brew this way here and it has a smaller foot print, as compared to other systems. I myself have a larger 3 vessel electric herms system, but for what you want to do and in your kitchen BIAB sounds like it just might be the route to go to get you into all grain brewing. BIAB makes great beer and will not cost too much on top of what you already have. All the grain is mashed in a large grain bag in the same vessel and you can boil it right on your stove, unless your making more than 5 gallon batches. You should check into this......

John

 

[jcav]

Hey Rockn M, I see you beat me too it before I hit send! I guess great minds think alike! Good advice!

John

 

[89Hen]

Have not heard of BIAB, thanks. Maybe I will try that first, but I think I want the full experience. Inspector, I actually do have an immersion chiller already. I have never used it and kind of acquired it by accident, but I do have it.

 

[BrewInspector]

I did the standard all grain mash tun batch sparge method with only one kettle and the cooler mash tun. I would just drain the initial mash wort into a bucket while i heated the sparge water in the kettle. Once the sparge water was in the tun i could put the 1st runnings into the kettle and then drain the sparge from the tun into the kettle for a full boil.

So all I needed to add was the cooler mash tun.

BIAB is a viable alternative but my kettle was not large enough and i did not desire to lift the wet grain bag.

 

[Cyclman]

If you aren't happy with the results of your current efforts, I would focus on your process first. Going all grain won't fix the flaws of your brewing, and complicates things- possibly making it worse. There is no reason you can't make great beer with extract. Check equipment for scratches, maybe replace plastic tubing, if not all plastics. Try DME in lieu of liquid extract, which ages faster (if you are buying LME online from a reputable website, this is unlikely to be an issue). Use distilled water with your extract, to see if that's the issue. Temp controlled fermentations. Yeast starter, oxygenate your wort with an oxygen injector.

But don't be afraid of all grain, it's really not that tough, especially if you BIAB and have a good thermometer (I love the thermoworks units- the cheaper ones, at least). I enjoy all grain, it feels more authentic, and you can certainly have greater recipe influence.

Anyhow, best of luck, and welcome to the group, from CO