Seriously reconsidering going all grain

[rico567]

Man, on my first all grain batch it took me 8 hours and i think I used every pot, pan, strainer, and spoon in my kitchen. It was a nightmare.

Many many batches later, I can knock it out in 4.5 hours from measuring grain to cleanup, and it's almost auto-pilot at this point (almost...).

It takes time and practice to get your process down. Don't be discouraged, it will only get easier from here. Spend some time reading up on all grain process and the science behind each step. Plan before each brew day, and take detailed notes during each brew session. You'll get it down, it just takes a little repetition.

This parallels my experience. My first AG batch didn't take 8 hours, but it probably did take over 6. Now, by thinking and refining my technique, I can hit that 4.5 hour figure. Don't give up now. I had the same experience with bottling when I first started brewing.....took 3 hours. I can bottle a batch of beer, right through the cleanup, in 90 minutes.

 

[Beezer94]

Removing the hot break? Never heard of this, explain.

The stuff that forms right before boiling starts is what foams up once boil starts. You can just add the drops ahead of time and do nothing, but it's takes 1 min. to remove a lot of it.

 

[user 70770]

Brew extract until you master these three areas:

Boil
Fermentation
Yeast

There is so much happening during the boil, many take it for granted.

If you can't get those basic fundamentals down, you will only add variables with all grain.

I kinda second this. I switched to all-grain on my third batch of beer and at retrospect that was too early for me. I think adding the complexity of recipe formulation and mashing process early on is just adding extra variables and makes it harder to pin point where you messed up when something goes wrong.

People have brewed award winning beers with extract so it's possible to make very good beer that way. Even if you have all the gear to brew all grain, there is no reason you can't brew a few more batches with extract and get your yeast handling and fermentation process nailed down. Once you feel like those are solid, then you can move up to all-grain and mashing.

Now just so you don't think I'm bashing all-grain, I brew all-grain exclusively now and enjoy it thoroughly. And once you understand what to do, the process will become natural and easy.

 

[RMitch]

Ok, so I am new to brewing and did an 5 gal extract brew for my first brew and decided to go all grain for my second batch. Holy moly this was a lot of work. I hope the finished product turns out. I think if I continue with all grain I will be doing 10 gal batches (little more work, lots more beer)

Please talk me into continuing this all grain thing. I hate for this extra money I have put into the equipment to go to waist.

But at the same time, you're saving so much money.

Sure you maybe dropped a couple bucks on equipment, but you're probably paying about half the cost for supplies that you'd be paying if you were still doing extract.

I think the problem is that people try and follow TOO closely to exact science when home brewing. They flip out if they throw their hops in at 14 minutes left in the boil rather than 15 minutes. Personally, I take a much more laid back approach with stuff like that. Until the beers start tasting bad...I'm not worried.

 

[CidahMastah]

just was thinking try BIAB - much quicker than traditional AG. Maybe work on that a while more before you go all the way.

When I did traditional AG with my buddy the first time we started at 10:30 and ended at 6:30 (8hrs). We were monkeying around (perhaps having home brews) and learning the equipment. The second time it took 5 hours, and my buddy left before the boil so I had to wrap it up. In our down time we cleaned a ton of bottles, and did other brew related errands too. We have some key issues we need to solve that will save us a ton of time.

Solving a couple equipment issues and usability issues will go a long way. For us those currently are:

1. wort chiller - snow banks won't be here in a month (I hope)
2. An electric burner on the boil kettle and HLT
3. A HLT (right now I am using my brew kettle as an HLT - this screws our timing since we have to heat up sparge water in several smaller pots on my home range).
4. Build a brew stand

 

[acefaser]

I dont think I had many problems during the brewing process and I didn't find it difficult. I just wasn't expecting to be so busy for the entire 8 hours it took me to brew. I know I can cut that time way down now and plan on continuing the AG and see what happens. My wife was laughing at me as I was in and out of the house sweating and looking like a crazy lunatic.
Thanks for all the advise and replies.

 

[Gridlocked]

I don't understand why it has to be one way or the other. If you're short on time or you're not up for the work, make an extract batch. If you've got 5-6 hours, do an all grain batch. If you already have the equipment, awesome - use it as you have time. Personally, one of the best batches I have ever made was an extract batch. But, I still loves me some mashing.

 

[Kidder]

It usually takes me 4-5 hours from start to finish for my AG sessions (batch sparge), not including cleanup. Definitely saves time if you heat your sparge water during the mash...that way you're ready to start sparging as soon as you collect the first runnings. Start heating the first runnings during the sparge (I do 10 minutes) to bring up the temperature faster.

I've done around 10 all-grain batches to date and have gotten into a routine that works really well for my brew day. Only thing I wish I would be better at is cleaning the kitchen up before I start brewing. I do half batches (2.5 gal) in the winter in my kitchen. A messy kitchen or brew area will add to your stress, at least it does to me.

Oh yeah, here's how I feel about going all-grain: I'd rather do 2.5 gallon AG batches indoors than do 5 gallon extract batches indoors.

 

[Gridlocked]

Another thing that really helps speed up the day is cleaning as you go. I found that it really helps to have the MLT and HLT cleaned and drying while waiting for 212 degrees.

 

[bovineblitz]

I did 4-5 batches before I went AG and I honestly thought it was barely any additional work, just a little more time. Granted I successfully built a mash tun in a cooler, I suppose if your mash tun didn't work out it would be annoying. Since then I've tried BIAB but I wasn't a big fan, it seems like more of a pain to me. My results in AG vs extract seemed to point to AG resulting in better beer, but also I just had more experience under my belt so I don't know if that's really why. I like that AG gives you total control.

After a full year of AG I've ordered my first extract batch since going AG (thanks AHS for your awesome deals right now), I wonder what I'll think after I brew it. My AG sessions take 4-5 hours typically, so extract will be a snap.

 

[acefaser]

Ok, so I kegged and tried my first AG batch tonight... Worth every minute it took to brew! Cant wait for my order of hops to get here so I can brew again. I'm addicted! Thanks all

 

[bruin_ale]

sounds about right, my first AG batch was the best batch I'd brewed to that point - of course, similar to you, it was only my third batch - so it probably would have been better than the previous two anyhow. But my two buddies that got into brewing at the same time stayed with extract for much longer and never had a beer as good as any of my AG batches.

 

[Chuginator]

If you have to question whether or not to stay with all grain, it seems apparent that you didn't do your research or you wouldn't gotten into it in the first place.

Yeah, it's an effort above extract brewing - but it's also a completely different world.

I do hope you stick with it and give it a few tries, but I can't help but think that you might have gained some valuable experience by brewing some extract batches first - so you could accurately compare them against the beauty of all-grain.

Sounds like your kegging of the AG went well - congrats!!

By the way - don't ever feel that you're stuck now and can't go back to extract - they're simpler and faster, and sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and go that route - extract brews are better than no brews!

Best of luck!

 

[optimatored]

all grain does take a bit longer to brew... but that gives your more time to have some beers while brewing! my motto has always been "drink beer and brew beer" the problem comes in on a double brew day (two 5-gal batches)

 

[thebeers54]

I brewed my first all grain yesterday after doing 8 extract batches. I gotta say I agree with really knowing the boil, yeast and fermentation first. It took me literally 12 hours including brushing up on some info from Palmers book, to planning out were I was going to mash and constructing that workspace. I spent a good couple hours just racking my brain trying to figure out what method to go with and if I was going to mash out. Everything went pretty well even though I was running around like a madman. By the time I got to the boil though I felt comfortable because I was in familiar territory and I knew the rest would be a piece of cake! I'm already planning another AG batch for Sunday and I'm sure now that I have this experience I can do it much more efficiently.

 

[Grimm]

I started out doing smaller all grain batches to get comfortable with the process, so I did a 1 gallon as my first batch and then 2x 3 gallon batches and now I've completed 2 full 5 gallon batches. I don't think i could ever go back to extract brewing, it seems like cheating. haha..

 

[Homercidal]

AG is not really all that much more difficult. A bit more to understand and fiddle with, and a bit more time. But if you already have the equipment, I say stick with it. It will come together very quickly. Just spend every waking moment reading books and surfing this site.

 

[TarHeeledTexan]

Finally, we come to the advice that nobody wants to hear and frankly I don't always follow it myself:

1) Brew alone, or with another brewer WHO IS WILLING TO WORK.
2) Don't drink.

Okay, so that last one is ridiculous but it makes a huge difference. In truth, my drinking limit is "at the first sign of boiling wort." But both of these tips have to do with your concentration and planning. You lose both of these when you drink, and when you have to entertain somebody else.

That first one is certainly the truth. I brew on occasion with a couple of friends of mine, but they really come over to socialize, not to work. As such, I make sure that I do plenty of solo-brews to make sure I'm staying on top of everything.

 

[RMitch]

Best thing I did was build a wort chiller. Used to take 6-7 hours just to cool the wort down after boil. Now it takes maybe a half hour.

 

[Clef051]

Keep at it, it will get easier each time. I usually get water measured, grains weighed out the night before. Hops are measured once I start to heat the mash water. I write everything down that I can beforehand. I during the mash I get the sanitizer in the carboy. During boil wash anything that was used during the mash.

 

[Weizenwerks]

Best thing I did was build a wort chiller. Used to take 6-7 hours just to cool the wort down after boil. Now it takes maybe a half hour.

Get the Jamil whirlpool add on. Trust me. On a 20 gallon batch, I go from boil to 65 degrees in less than 7 minutes.

 

[blkandrust]

After you've done it several times, you find ways to be more efficient. Here are some things I do that have really helped me time-wise:

-I start the brew day by getting only the equipment I need to start heating strike water. It takes about 15min for the strike water to heat up, so while this is going I bring out all the equipment I need for mashing (grain, spoon, salts, etc)
-While I'm mashing I bring out my boiling equipment and weigh out my hop additions
-While I'm boiling I clean my mash equipment, sanitize my fermentor, get the chiller and pump ready
-While chilling I start to put things away and clean the last little items.
-Channel your chill water into a bucket so you can use it to clean in place, rather than taking all the time to move equipment to the kitchen for cleaning (SWMBO likes this too)

Finally, we come to the advice that nobody wants to hear and frankly I don't always follow it myself:

1) Brew alone, or with another brewer WHO IS WILLING TO WORK.
2) Don't drink.

Okay, so that last one is ridiculous but it makes a huge difference. In truth, my drinking limit is "at the first sign of boiling wort." But both of these tips have to do with your concentration and planning. You lose both of these when you drink, and when you have to entertain somebody else.

Great reply.This is exactly how I do it..the last 2 suggestions are SOOO true..

 

[agroff383]

ditto this. it sounds like you already bought equipment, but BIAB is really easy and REALLY cheap. stick with it. good times lie ahead.

FYI, I think doing extract can make fine beer, so that's not the point of my comment. To me it just feels a little more fun to start with grain.

x2 do BIAB lots of great posts on here about it and grain is wayyyy cheaper and i believe the final product can be better since you arent under the sway of the extract maker....dont quit yet. do 10 batches and then see what you think. never stop reading or asking questions!

 

[agroff383]

also agree with the above poster, dont drink. it goes way better and limits possiblity of mistakes. i may have 2 over 4-5 hours and thats it. i tried it the other way and things get forgotten and details missed, which sucks.