To turn to the dark side or not?

[mwmoose152]

I found a coleman 50 quart xtreme 5 cooler at walmart for 30 bucks! Should I go with this or another model??

 

[CidahMastah]

I'll only concede to calling AG "the dark side" due to the superiority complex that comes with it.

Did I say that out loud?



Kidding

Haha - touche

There is no reason to hold back on the all grain. I hadn't done too many extract batches before I converted over (way cheaper grain/hop costs vs. extract). IMO better beer (a couple blind taste tests with friends have proven that as well).

People tried to sway me to hold off on buying bulk grain and "try it first" before you get a bunch of grain. Go big or go home I say. If you do extract with specialty you are basically taking the same time as AG batch. Batch sparging takes minutes, not hours and works well.

AG is not that hard! - with the caveat that you have to be detail oriented with a couple tools to make consistently good beer. That said, if you screw up you will likely still have very good beer.

Look into BIAB if you don't want to by more equipment.

 

[phenry]

I went to AG after just two extract batches, and it really isn't that difficult at all. All that it took me to get into it was a Bayou classic burner, grain mill, and a 10 gal cooler MLT (about $260 in total, it can be done a little cheaper though). The grain mill wasn't even necessary, but I just wanted it so my grain would have longer shelf life and possibly have better efficiency than buying it pre-crushed. I already had an 8 gal kettle and wort chiller, so those weren't included.

That said, definitely find some brewing software if you don't use it already. I use Brewtarget 1.2.3, and it helps me tons. I do really need to start paying attention to my water chemistry a little bit better though.

 

[Gilbey]

I found a coleman 50 quart xtreme 5 cooler at walmart for 30 bucks! Should I go with this or another model??

Some will say its too big, but I have been using that exact cooler with a copper manifold for 18 months and about 30 batches without any issues. I have done low gravity 5 gallon lagers and I have done 10 gallon IPA's with 25 pounds of grain in it. Be sure to preheat it before you mash and it will be fine.

At $30 it's a steal .

Good luck!

Alan

 

[mwmoose152]

what are the setbacks to getting a cooler that big? I don't know anything about old rain as of yet but I would imagine that it would allow for better mashing antsmarching as opposed to a big layer of grain in a round cooler

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

all it takes is a little more time and an easy 10g water cooler conversion for a mash/lauter tun. easy breezy.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

what are the setbacks to getting a cooler that big? I don't know anything about old rain as of yet but I would imagine that it would allow for better mashing antsmarching as opposed to a big layer of grain in a round cooler

Did you use a 'speech-to-text' tool to write this?

Just make sure the cooler isn't too wide so that your grain bed isn't too thin to perform a good filter and receive a good even sparge.

 

[mwmoose152]

Did you use a 'speech-to-text' tool to write this?

Just make sure the cooler isn't too wide so that your grain bed isn't too thin to perform a good filter and receive a good even sparge.

I love and hate technology at the same exact time. that should have said obviously all grain... but it did not recognize that text... it sure as hell better get use to it though

 

[Tyru007]

I have an all grain setup and still do extract, partials and AG batches. Depends on the recipe and style of beer. I've done teh same amber ale recipe as a partial mash using BIAB in a 4 gallon kettle (3 gallon boil) and I have done it all grain with a full boil. Very little difference between the two resulting beers. I have made an all extract american wheat with a little bit of specialty grains and it is a very nice and drinkable beverage. A lot of how good your beer is depends on you technique and less on the recipe.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

I love and hate technology at the same exact time. that should have said obviously all grain... but it did not recognize that text... it sure as hell better get use to it though

Also note the "antsmarching" in there... I hear ya though.

 

[mwmoose152]

Also note the "antsmarching" in there... I hear ya though.

how the hell did it think I said ants marching??? sparging!!! technology sucks

 

[mwmoose152]

Last question, I think...my LHBS has all grain classes for $75 for a 5 hour session with lunch. They have a live brewing demo, and basically discuss all things All Grain.

Would this be worth the $75 investment, or would I learn just as much online?

Thanks!

 

[kpr121]

Does that come with a brew kit or beer you can take home? I think either way it might be a good investment. I know I didnt truly understand all grain brewing until probably my 2nd or 3rd batch. Some things you just have to see or experience to 'get'.

EDIT: The other thing you have to weigh is whether this LHBS knows what the HE** they are talking about. There are some shady ones out there.

 

[mwmoose152]

No kit, and definitely a legit shop. One guy is opening his own brewery and others there have been featured in home brew magazines.

 

[kpr121]

No kit, and definitely a legit shop. One guy is opening his own brewery and others there have been featured in home brew magazines.

If you have the extra cash it might be worth it. My cheap nature/stubbornness would probably not let me spend money that could be used on extra fermenters, ingredients, a fermentation fridge, etc etc.

A better bet would be to find someone in your area that is a homebrewer (sorry I am not an Eagles fan), and learn from him/her. Joining a homebrew club is usually free or very cheap.

Or you could do what a lot of people here (including me) do and learn the ropes on your own. There is so much information here and people are almost always available to answer quick questions or ease your mind about your lastest 'infected batch'!

 

[rico567]

I brewed extract with steeping grains, mostly kits, for a year and a half. Then I switched to AG. It was no more difficult than the literature and various threads on this forum had led me to expect. I had the additional advantage that our eldest son, while we were on a visit, did an AG batch so I was actually able to participate in the brewing of a batch. I got the equipment needed, and have never looked back.

 

[chthonik]

The only down side is that we don't brew after work anymore, just on weekends or when we cut work since we know we'll be brewing for a couple hours longer.

 

[BrewNow]

Hey mwmoose - You may want to save the $75 and go to the home brew club meeting on the 3rd Thursday. . .A long chat with club members may serve you better. Plus you can probably join them in a brew session or 2.

 

[Bezel]

My first batch was all grain...turned out great!, have been brewing for about 2 years and have since done some extract with friends just due to time. Last two have been BIAB. My recommendation is to start BIAB and build a system if you want later...i built a three tier and just finished a 2 tier, BIAB is such an easy, efficient way to brew with outstanding results... Last batch was 81%

 

[norsk]

My general arrogance would prevent me from taking a class....wish it weren't so. Have always been an autodidact...never took a sailing lesson and have sailed around the world. Ditto with numerous hobbies, jobs, etc. Wife complains of all the books and magazines. Went from helping a buddy with his extract kits to brewing one or two kits and then going all grain. But I read several books, too many articles to count, and thousands of blog comments before I did....Come to think of it...it would have been cheaper to take a class.

 

[seabass07]

My general arrogance would prevent me from taking a class....wish it weren't so. Have always been an autodidact...never took a sailing lesson and have sailed around the world. Ditto with numerous hobbies, jobs, etc. Wife complains of all the books and magazines. Went from helping a buddy with his extract kits to brewing one or two kits and then going all grain. But I read several books, too many articles to count, and thousands of blog comments before I did....Come to think of it...it would have been cheaper to take a class.

There is a sense of pride that comes with doing all of the research yourself and learning how to do something vs taking a class.

Reading all of those books probably taught you much more than if you had taken a class though.

 

[danorocks17]

i've been brewing for almost 3 years now and I'm finally getting ready to make the switch to AG. This summer i have purchased a 50' copper IC and a turkey fryer, now all I have to do is build a Mash/Tun which shouldn't be a big deal. I would go ahead and do it, but I want to brew my last extract/grains batch (a barley wine) this weekend and then get into the M/T build. It's encouraging to hear that AG is worth it. I don't think that going AG will add much time, if any time, to my normal brew day before I got the fryer and the IC. I was averaging about 5 hours beginning to pitch.

 

[Junkster]

I never learned how to brew with extract - I jumped right in with all grain and enjoyed building all of the equipment along the way... DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK!!!!

 

[rycov]

only set back for me was time. I enjoy the extra steps, so if I had more free time it wouldn't be an issue. as is I brew all grain when ever I can, otherwise I try to squeeze in an extract batch. I don't think its too much more effort though, just the extra time.