Why do all grain when LME/DME & Partial Grain so EASY?

[ryno1ryno]

Just curious.

 

[AnOldUR]

Why brew your own beer when buying it from the store is so EASY?

Just curious.

 

[highgravitybacon]

Why brew your own beer when buying it from the store is so EASY?

Just curious.

Why buy it from the store when getting it delivered is so EASY?

 

[earwig]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/all-grain-vs-extract-brewing-189286/

check out that thread and then ask additional questions

 

[wiggybrewer]

Number 1 cost. Number 2 control. Number 3 , ITS WAY MORE FUN!!

 

[stpug]

Quite honestly, all grain can be (and frequently is) as easy as partial mash. Granted, I only ever did one partial mash but since switching to all grain I've found the process to be as easy in most respects. The single biggest difference I have found in extract/partial mash and all grain is the initial investment, otherwise the process is easy for all of them. I am finding that I have a cleaner kitchen doing all grain because there's plenty of down-time in the process that I'm able to keep things organized and picked up, rather than when I did extract/partial I felt attached to the stove thus trying to fit in the remainder.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Why do all grain when LME/DME & Partial Grain so EASY?

Price, control, variety, and results...in that order for me I guess. For the prices I charge my friends for beer...."free"....perhaps I couldn't afford extract any more....cheers.

 

[Phunhog]

It's not about it being "easier"!! It is about enjoying the process of brewing. Brewing with extracts takes a large part of the brewing process out of your hands.

 

[Zuljin]

Extract beer causes shingles.

 

[Yooper]

Why brew your own beer when buying it from the store is so EASY?

Just curious.

This.


If it was all about "easy", we'd either be buying 30 packs of High Life, or making Mr. friggin' Beer.

Frozen pizza is easy, too. But I make my own. Canned spaghettio's are easy. But I make my own pasta and sauce.

Easy can be convenient. But "good" or "excellent" is a better target, I think.

 

[mikescooling]

It's about a grass roots brewing, making better beer than is available to me. My great, great, great, grand father made beer, and so do I.

 

[ElyIrishBrew]

Extract beer causes shingles.

Oh s**t!

 

[shelly_belly]

All grain is just as easy and the results are better.

 

[Rev2010]

The answers are so plainly upfront. With extract you can't say "I want to use Belgian pilsner malt" or "I want to use Maris Otter and Vienna malt", etc. You simply can't choose from all the different malts available. You also have to dance around tweaking amounts - like take wheat... most wheat extract is 65% wheat 35% 2-row. Well what if you want 70% wheat to 30% pils? Also, what do you do if you want all pure german malts instead of american Briess or English Muntons?

Then there is the cost. Then there is dealing with that annoying sticky power that goes airborne at the slightest touch of an open bag. Then there's the super hot break/near boil overs. There are so many reasons why one would want to go AG. The main reason is control and flexibility. Another reason is cost, there are just so many reasons. And with partial mashing, why not just do AG? The cost is a lot cheaper and you don't have to deal with the extract powder and all the hassles therein. I actually would think partial mash brewing would be more complicated then either extract or AG since you'd have to take into account the composition of the extract and balance the AG part from there. Plus you have to steep/mash as a separate or additional step.



Rev.

 

[ryno1ryno]

I just think the variable temp requirements seems grueling and time consuming.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Cost and Control. More variety. Way more fun.

 

[Rev2010]

I just think the variable temp requirements seems grueling and time consuming.

What variable temp requirements? When I did extract with streeping grains I would steep the grains at around 160 then add water, bring to boil, stop the boil, add the extract, bring back to boil, add hops and proceed - still a number of steps and with AG I never need to stop the boil. How is it so different with AG? I sometimes single infuse and sometimes, like today, with my hefeweizen I did a ferulic acid rest at 110, a protein rest at 122, and a mash at 154. Really not that hard since it's just hot water infusions. But most of my beers are single infusion or 2 rest infusions.


Rev.

 

[suorangeguy]

Why make a lasagna from scratch when I can get a frozen one from Walmart?

 

[Phunhog]

I just think the variable temp requirements seems grueling and time consuming.

The "grueling" variable temperature requirement? Do you mean the 60 minutes that you need to hold your mash at a certain temperature? Are you kidding? It's only 60 minutes....and you could probably get by with a 45 minute mash. Heck...even if you completely missed your mash temp (within reason) you will still produce decent beer.

 

[sudbuster]

I just think the variable temp requirements seems grueling and time consuming.

Then there is no doubt to the resolution, stick with LME/DME & Partial Grain. You can still make some good beer and won't have to be bothered...

 

[Rev2010]

Why make a lasagna from scratch when I can get a frozen one from Walmart?

Rather than use witty analogies why not all of us just type out the merits of what we do no matter how redundant it may be and how many times it's already been said? Or we can just link to threads of the past covering the same topic that's been done over and over and over again.


Rev.

 

[Golddiggie]

I smell a troll

 

[ryno1ryno]

What variable temp requirements? When I did extract with streeping grains I would steep the grains at around 160 then add water, bring to boil, stop the boil, add the extract, bring back to boil, add hops and proceed - still a number of steps and with AG I never need to stop the boil. How is it so different with AG? I sometimes single infuse and sometimes, like today, with my hefeweizen I did a ferulic acid rest at 110, a protein rest at 122, and a mash at 154. Really not that hard since it's just hot water infusions. But most of my beers are single infusion or 2 rest infusions.


Rev.

Maybe I am getting confused with the detailed temp schedules for complex mashes.

I steeped crystal malt for 30 mins the other night, strained the grains then boiled in Kent Goldings for another hour with a hop ball. Seemed easy enough.

But I was reading about the AG stuff... and there seems to be an elaborate temp schedule.

 

[Phunhog]

Maybe I am getting confused with the detailed temp schedules for complex mashes.

I steeped crystal malt for 30 mins the other night, strained the grains then boiled in Kent Goldings for another hour with a hop ball. Seemed easy enough.

But I was reading about the AG stuff... and there seems to be an elaborate temp schedule.

There can be...but for 95% of my beers I use one temperature. I don't even do a mash out. Do a search for BIAB. It isn't much different from what you are doing now.

 

[iambeer]

There's something magical about making wort from grains.

There's something prefabricated about using malt extract.

Just me two cents.

 

[earwig]

Why shoot 29 rabbits and kill an elephant for its tusks to make buttons out of when I can buy a faux fur from walmart?

 

[iambeer]

Why shoot 29 rabbits and kill an elephant for its tusks to make buttons out of when I can buy a faux fur from walmart?

I'd rather kill 29 rabbits and an elephant than step into a walmart, even if there was a $10 fee.

 

[Nightshade]

All grain isn't half as hard as it seems people make it out to be, of course I have never done an extract, partial or biab either.

 

[Golddiggie]

I've done all three methods. While extract IS simple/easy, partial mash and all grain is as easy (or as difficult) as you want it to be. I do single temperature mashes, using a keg mash tun (direct firing it), batch sparge (single most of the time, might change that for a few to see if there's any gain), etc. Boil is the same either way. But, you'll boil more with all grain than you will with extract.

In the end, it's all about getting better beer. I also like the recipe control you get with all grain. This way, I KNOW what each ingredient is in my batch. With a few exceptions, you don't know what's in that extract. Plus, crushing the grain the day I'm brewing brings another level of ingredient freshness to the batch. :rockin:

 

[mforsman]

It's about getting granular and controlling one more step in the process.