Why all grain?

[stbnj]

Because of how good it smells when I open the mash tun on brew day.

 

[phenry]

Because my dog likes eating spent grain out of my MLT.

 

[jholen]

Because my dog likes eating spent grain out of my MLT.

+1 my dog loves his spent grain biscuits I cook up in the oven lol..

in fact we just ran out the other day so i need to brew again!

 

[spearko520]

Because my dog likes eating spent grain out of my MLT.

my fat little pooch sneaks off all the time to eat the fresh pile of spent grains in the compost pile, too!!
his favorite beer is the duchesse - must be the poodle in him.

 

[LMGK]

my fat little pooch sneaks off all the time to eat the fresh pile of spent grains in the compost pile, too!!
his favorite beer is the duchesse - must be the poodle in him.

Haha my fat little schnaunzer was eye deep in soil chugging stout spent mash grains I buried in my garden a few weeks back. He's a s. o. B.

 

[Mindhop]

Haha my fat little schnaunzer was eye deep in soil chugging stout spent mash grains I buried in my garden a few weeks back. He's a s. o. B.

Is that why my dog is so over weight?

 

[duckredbeard]

Because there is satisfaction in doing it the hard way and nailing the style. The best part is when a non brewer exclaims "Holy shot, you MADE THIS?!"

 

[Mindhop]

because there is satisfaction in doing it the hard way and nailing the style. The best part is when a non brewer exclaims "holy shot, you made this?!"

+1

 

[Rev2010]

Just a note for you guys mentioning your dogs, some of you may know already but just be aware to make sure your dogs don't get to any hops! Hops can be deadly to dogs.


Rev.

 

[Daynanator]

I just finished my first ever batch. I never considered anything but AG. I like to see the evolution from grain to glass. Next week I start my second batch.

 

[rhamilton]

Haha my fat little schnaunzer was eye deep in soil chugging stout spent mash grains I buried in my garden a few weeks back. He's a s. o. B.

Yea I have a lab and he loved spent grain. He started digging in my compost so I had to bury it in a few inches of mulch/dirt so he'd leave it alone.

 

[Darwin18]

To me, making beer with malt syrups just didn't feel like real brewing. Taking grains, hops, water and yeast, and transforming it into beer gives me a real sense of pride.

 

[Koduolu]

Maris Otter made me an AG Brewer.

I'm about to start some SMaSH experiments. I brewed extract for a year and loved it. AG however is awesome,plus it lengthens my brewday!!

 

[Rev2010]

Maris Otter made me an AG Brewer.

If you don't mind, could you PM me and tell me a bit more about Marris Otter? I've been dying to try it after reading sooo many great things about it for the past year but haven't tried it yet. I don't want to derail the thread so a PM would be best. I'm quite curious to know the intricacies of it in more detail


Rev.

 

[flabyboy]

If you don't mind, could you PM me and tell me a bit more about Marris Otter? I've been dying to try it after reading sooo many great things about it for the past year but haven't tried it yet. I don't want to derail the thread so a PM would be best. I'm quite curious to know the intricacies of it in more detail

Rev.

Try Optic Pale Malt. It's even better than Maris

 

[duckmanco]

When I started I went directly to all-grain. Not sure I would recommend that today. The all-grain/extract choice is about how you make wort, or extract. And that's not the most important choice you'll make if you're interested in brewing better beer. If you have satisfied yourself that you're doing all you can do on the cold side with pitching rate, fermentation temp control and aeration then and only then would I recommend the relative distraction of all grain. I love my all-grain process and I get reliable, consistent extract yields. But I'd give up my mash tun long before I'd give up my chest freezer and controller, my oxygen kit or my starters. Build knowledge and control of the fermentation process before going all grain. I know I'm assuming you haven't done all this. If you have, pardon me. Go for it.

Late to the party here, but I think this general philosophy should be stickied somewhere. I've heard it said before in other places as well, mainly the BN, that it ain't about wort production as much as its about fermentation. I'd gladly trade my mash tun in before I gave up my digitally controlled ferm fridge, and o2 kit. And now after reading threads in here about repitching slurry using a measured amount of slurry based on batch and OG size, pitching the right amount of viable yeast has drastically increased the quality of my beers. Next up, a firm handle on water and mash chemistry.

 

[CidahMastah]

Late to the party here, but I think this general philosophy should be stickied somewhere. I've heard it said before in other places as well, mainly the BN, that it ain't about wort production as much as its about fermentation. I'd gladly trade my mash tun in before I gave up my digitally controlled ferm fridge, and o2 kit. And now after reading threads in here about repitching slurry using a measured amount of slurry based on batch and OG size, pitching the right amount of viable yeast has drastically increased the quality of my beers. Next up, a firm handle on water and mash chemistry.

What? I totally disagree. I brewed all grain for over a year + before I finally built a fermentation chamber. I was able to use my basements cooler temp and space heaters w/ thermostats as needed to get good control of my fermentations.

Point is, you don't need a chamber to control ferment temps reliably. However you do need a tun (of some kind) to mash. Even if you are BIAB you still need a large pot that can be used as a tun/BK

As for starters and proper aeration, you should be doing those with both extract and AG, so not sure what the comparison is there.

O2 kit... REALLY? Listen, great you love yours. However I have never used one, they are really unnecessary from a Hbrewer perspective (like many gadgets are). I have never had a problem getting good aeration using a funnel and letting is splash, the shake method, or now letting my pump do the work as I fill the fermenter.

If your point is to illustrate a focus on the aspects of fermentation temp control, starter usage and aeration then fine. But none of those things come at a loss of a MT (or even the $$ of adding a pot if you brew BIAB). IMO there is no way to replace the quality of properly mashed fresh wort over extract. So bearing in mind you focus on the former aspects, your extract wort will always have the ability to give you a product that is less than if you had made it fresh yourself (IMO).

 

[Koduolu]

IMO there is no way to replace the quality of properly mashed fresh wort over extract. So bearing in mind you focus on the former aspects, your extract wort will always have the ability to give you a product that is less than if you had made it fresh yourself (IMO).[/QUOTE]

+1 there. That was my point with the Maris Otter, you cant get that in extract. Same for SMaSH beers. You get to choose a color with extract, you get to choose a variety with grain.

I also control ferm temps by moving around my house, my pitch rates are aproximate as well, but my beer changed for the better when I started mashing.

I would say it is important to start brewing with extracts so that fermentation and sanitation can be learned and practiced. Mash temps and water chemistry can come later.

 

[Brizzo]

I just did my first Ag and it was waaaaay more fun then extract. I had been making great quality extract beers but that all grain batch was just plain old fun. A lot more work but it really just extended a fun brew day. I don't know how it will taste but if its bad I will just try again and if it's good i will have to try it again. It's just a win win

 

[stbnj]

Cause mash paddles look cool

 

[wt2]

I have made a few batches of all grain. I am a tightwad so it fits me well. I also malt my own barley as well. It is a lot of fun and I learn something new every time. Only one batch could I not drink but I started small so it was not a big deal (it still hurt). Each batch I change one or two inputs and taste the change. Tom T Hall would say "I like beer " and I agree! It might not taste like what you were after at first but you will soon find a type and flavors that you like and it will taste like beer!

 

[porterguy]

Am I the only one who actually smelts my own ore to make the steel for my kegs? And you people call yourselves homebrewers!

 

[spearko520]

Am I the only one who actually smelts my own ore to make the steel for my kegs? And you people call yourselves homebrewers!

i'm thinking yes. although i do have ten pounds of mercury in my garage for smelting gold- planning for post apocalyptic bling bling

 

[whitehause]

Don't know about smelting ore......but hammer forging a copper brew kettle....that's the ticket. Always wanted to do something with that jar of pennies that I'll never take to the bank.

 

[CPFITNESS]

Just because half the work is done for you does not make it a worse product.

Stoufers Lasagna is much much better then most people can make.

I bet there are more bad AG brewers then mini mashers percentage wise.

i understand your analogy but I guess I've just been blessed to be around a lot of good cooks in my life because stouffers lasagna aint cuttin it, lol

 

[old_tx_kbb]

Adding my $.02

I started out as an extract brewer...I moved to AG after a year. After 20 years of brewing AG I tried a science project recently and brewed a separate AG and an extract Bohemian Pilsner using the same recipe ( with an extract conversion )

The AG version was wonderful....the extact version was the first batch I've dumped in 18 years.

I guess in my own opinion, I'm a better AG brewer than an extract brewer. I brew AG because my AG brews taste better than my extract brews.

 

[duckredbeard]

My first two or three batches were extract with dry yeast, very little kettle hop. I was disappointed with the results. I remember going to the LHBS and asking about returning the $150 worth of equipment. He talked me into spending $25 more on equipment, gave me the ingredients for the first all grain batch. Fast forward to 14 months later (1998) where I was working as a pro brewer at a now defunct brewery where I got a GABF bronze. I love the process. And I eat a pound of grain just during mash in. And a few hop pellets. I've been known to eat the yeast also. I'm all in it.

 

[SwampassJ]

And a few hop pellets.

Glad to know I'm not the only whacko who sticks a pinch of hop pellets into my gums.

 

[Pilgarlic]

Glad to know I'm not the only whacko who sticks a pinch of hop pellets into my gums.

I'm a cyclist and I put them in my water bottle.

 

[Rev2010]

I'm a cyclist and I put them in my water bottle.

I use them as suppositories! Makes it smell oooh sooo fresh when I use the bathroom

Rev.