I am a malt extract brewer and I am serious about making the transition to the next step. I have heard about all grain and partial mash brewing, I just didn't know how to make the transition or what to do. Thanks for the help!
The next step?
- Thread starter jacob5023
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erikpete18
Well-Known Member
I'd definitely suggest stepping up to partial mashes if you're so inclined. Take a look at this write-up on here about stove-top partial mashing. Since I'm assuming you've already got a boil kettle if you're brewing extract, the only other expense is a $5 paint strainer bag that can be reused for later batches. I switched from extract to this method for about a year or so until I finally went all-grain, and it works great. Depending on how big your boil kettle is (mine was 3gal) I could pretty much get 50% of my extract from grains I mashed using the paint strainer bag, and then add the other 50% in the form of extract as a late addition. I still had to top up in the fermenter, but with the late addition and extra pale extract I never ran into any problems.
Do you know any other brewers in the area that do all grain? Perhaps you could join them on a brew day to observe.
I personally did one patial mash and then went to all grain. It really was a 'this is easy!' moment.
If you do go all grain, I suggest a round home depot cooler with a bazooka or domed bottom filter. I bought a dome and loved it.
Sent from my SPH-L300 using Home Brew mobile app
I personally did one patial mash and then went to all grain. It really was a 'this is easy!' moment.
If you do go all grain, I suggest a round home depot cooler with a bazooka or domed bottom filter. I bought a dome and loved it.
Sent from my SPH-L300 using Home Brew mobile app
adiochiro3
Well-Known Member
No sparge Brew In A Bag is a nice "transition" to what you refer to as "the next step." The nice thing with BIAB is that -- with the possible exception of a large enough grain bag -- you already have everything you need to brew all grain (or partial mash). Grain bags are extremely cheap. Figure on adding another ~1.5 hours to your brew day to allow for mashing.
The only down side is that your kettle may only be big enough for a 2.5-3 gallon batch instead of 5 gal. However, you can always upgrade the kettle -- which you are likely to do if you're "going to the next level" anyway.
The only down side is that your kettle may only be big enough for a 2.5-3 gallon batch instead of 5 gal. However, you can always upgrade the kettle -- which you are likely to do if you're "going to the next level" anyway.
beergolf
Well-Known Member
Do what you are comfortable with. BIAB partial mash only requires a paint strainer bag, and gives you a good feel for mashing. Going all grain is not difficult at all but requires more equipment.
I started out with extract with steeping grains. Then transitioned to partial mash BIAB. I then went all grain but still occasionally will do a partial mash. brew if the weather is really bad, because I can do it in my kitchen.
Good brews can be made with all techniques. Some brews cannot be made with extract and all grain does give you more control over the brew. However it also gives you more steps to make mistakes.
Proceed at the pace you are comfortable with. Hang out here, read all you can about brewing and you will learn.
Edit to add this:
Pitching the proper amount of healthy yeast and temp control of you fermentation is the biggest thing you can do improve your brews. If you are not doing these two things, then that is the best thing you can do to make better beer.
I started out with extract with steeping grains. Then transitioned to partial mash BIAB. I then went all grain but still occasionally will do a partial mash. brew if the weather is really bad, because I can do it in my kitchen.
Good brews can be made with all techniques. Some brews cannot be made with extract and all grain does give you more control over the brew. However it also gives you more steps to make mistakes.
Proceed at the pace you are comfortable with. Hang out here, read all you can about brewing and you will learn.
Edit to add this:
Pitching the proper amount of healthy yeast and temp control of you fermentation is the biggest thing you can do improve your brews. If you are not doing these two things, then that is the best thing you can do to make better beer.
FWIW, I made the step to BIAB and haven't moved on, at least yet. I chose to upgrade to a 20 gallon kettle thinking that it would serve me well in the future no matter what direction I chose. I now brew what I would call a hybrid mostly; I brew 11.5 gallon batches using roughly half grain BIAB and then hit my gravity target with roughly half DME. This is all done in one big kettle with a big propane burner.
For me the single biggest improvement I made was doing a full wort boil and then using an immersion chiller to cool it quickly. It's not perfect, but it's simple and I have made some very nice beers this way.
So to make a typical pale ale, I am using 9 lbs of grains in a bag in about 10 gallons of water; I could do more but the grain bag gets heavy. I complete the mash and then sparge it with 170 degree water over the kettle. I then bring it a boil, turn the fire off and add 7-9 lbs DME while stirring. I then bring it back to a boil and top up with a gallon or so aiming for about 13.25 gallons. Then chose your hop schedule and go.... Then chill aggressively with the immersion chiller. Drain into two 6.5 gallons carboys, pitch two yeasts....
The end product has been very tasty to me. And the clean up isn't too bad.
And lastly, I made this move at the same time that I moved to kegging.
Hope this is helpful somehow.
For me the single biggest improvement I made was doing a full wort boil and then using an immersion chiller to cool it quickly. It's not perfect, but it's simple and I have made some very nice beers this way.
So to make a typical pale ale, I am using 9 lbs of grains in a bag in about 10 gallons of water; I could do more but the grain bag gets heavy. I complete the mash and then sparge it with 170 degree water over the kettle. I then bring it a boil, turn the fire off and add 7-9 lbs DME while stirring. I then bring it back to a boil and top up with a gallon or so aiming for about 13.25 gallons. Then chose your hop schedule and go.... Then chill aggressively with the immersion chiller. Drain into two 6.5 gallons carboys, pitch two yeasts....
The end product has been very tasty to me. And the clean up isn't too bad.
And lastly, I made this move at the same time that I moved to kegging.
Hope this is helpful somehow.
I did several partial mashes before moving up to all grain. I heat my water to mash temps in my brewpot then add grains and put the whole thing in an ice chest to hold the temp. After the mash time I would strain the mash through a paint strainer and colander to remove the grains. From there you just do a partial boil with normal hop additions and add malt extract. Do that a few times then start looking into new equipment.
