I feel like there is not enough attention being paid to how much more control you have over AG batches. When you write your grain bill, you can come up with a seemingly infinite number of ways to get to your amber ME and even more to get to dark ME each of which would taste noticeably different. Steeping grains tend to bridge the gap somewhat but not completely. You will also find that the money you save per AG batch over extract will pay for the additional equipment within a few months of moderate to heavy brewing.
Lastly, and at the risk of pissing a number of people off, I can’t get past the ‘twang’. Much to the annoyance of extracters, there is a strange flavor/sensation at the finish of an extract beer which is often described as ‘twang’. I have not noticed twang in any AG beers and have tasted it in almost every extract batch I have ever tasted.
If you don’t notice a twang and don’t mind paying a bit more for convenience then stick with extract.
I brewed extract for ten years then a roommate in Colorado one night said hey you want to do an all grain batch? it’s way easy! so four hours later and a huge mess we had grain tea. no sugars what so ever. I went back to extract for a few more years and gave the A.G. another shot. well we had sugars this time but also an infection. determined to give it one more shot we nailed it! after that I stoped brewing for a few years and started back up again by brewing two extract kits from our host and well… it seemed to easy so it was back on the A.G. wagon again. this was six years ago and love A.g. brewing more then ever. I have thought about going back on winter days when I am chilling in a blizzard with 30MPH winds and cursing about how fun extract was from the comfort of my kitchen.
Agreed. For whatever reason I actually really liked the MB wheat HME kit. I’ve tried AG wheat batches a couple of times, but still haven’t been able to conjure up a recipe that I like quite as much.
Yeah, posting an “extract vs. AG” question on a beer forum is sort of like posting a “presbyterian vs. lutheran” question on a religion forum… :cheers: [/quote]
or “Who’s a better captain: Kirk or Picard?” on a Trekkie forum. :lol:
Yeah, posting an “extract vs. AG” question on a beer forum is sort of like posting a “presbyterian vs. lutheran” question on a religion forum… :cheers: [/quote]
or “Who’s a better captain: Kirk or Picard?” on a Trekkie forum. :lol: [/quote]
Lastly, and at the risk of pissing a number of people off, I can’t get past the ‘twang’. Much to the annoyance of extracters, there is a strange flavor/sensation at the finish of an extract beer which is often described as ‘twang’. I have not noticed twang in any AG beers and have tasted it in almost every extract batch I have ever tasted.
If you don’t notice a twang and don’t mind paying a bit more for convenience then stick with extract.[/quote]
Wait what, a “twang”? is this the same type of “twang” that people search for in Guinness clones? I’m trying to make a AG Guinness clone or atleast a good stout beer and they have always been missing that distinctive flavor. I heard of people using soured Guinness, but I am reluctant to go that path. Now I think I might try LME for a Guinness Clone.
I’ve been brewing extract for a year and I look forward to the day when I make the jump. I tend to think the worst that can happen is a bad batch fo beer. That just means I get to brew again and learn more. Only bummer is it’s a bit of an investment and you need the right amount of space. Two major problems for me!
Lots of brewers do all grain in their kitchens. If you have a 5-gallon pot and a stove that can bring 4 gallons to a boil, you can easily do 2.5 or 3-gallon batches using the brew-in-a-bag (BIAB) method. I just did a small batch of stout that way about 10 days ago. Really, the only investment beyond what you’d need to do a full-boil extract batch is a $5 package of paint strainer bags.
I’m set up for up to 10-gallon batches on the rig pictured below, but still do BIAB once in a while because it’s kinda fun to get up on a wintery day, stay inside, and brew in my PJs.
I just made the jump to all grain and had a blast. Undershot my OG but really enjoyed the process and can’t wait to try again. Even saved some propane by heating the mash and sparge water on the stove inside.
[quote=“Wrathius”]Even saved some propane by heating the mash and sparge water on the stove inside.[/quote]Get a bucket heater and a timer and you can have your strike water waiting for you in the AM.
If you have somebody to hand who is a knowledgable all grain brewer to be your buddy for a couple of brews, I wouldn’t wait but would go immediately to all grain. It’s just more fun in my opinion. More control, more options, more authentic. That being said, I did extract for about two years before making the jump. I was almost entirely self taught, and picked up most of my knowledge through this forum. I had a friend start brewing last fall and he was able to go immediately to all grain. We did a couple of batches on my system. After he acquired his equipment, we did a couple of batches together, and now he’s flying solo.
Good advice to brew with a friend a couple times when you’re getting started. I’ve helped a few club members who were extract brewers try out all grain on my system. I have them help brew a 10-gallon batch and split it with them. Starting out with all grain is certainly doable. However, you might want to try an extract batch or two while you’re gearing-up for all grain. That might be helpful developing an understanding of the brewing process and getting used to the things that have to be done beyond brew day (e.g., fermenting, bottling, etc.).
Most importantly, get a copy of a good homebrewing book like Palmer’s “How to Brew” and spend some time on this forum. It can also be very helpful to join your local homebrewer’s club where you’ll likely find a member willing to brew with you a couple times and get you on your feet.
You might get death threats.