All Grain V Partial Mash.

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Up to this weekend, I'd done 11 kits, with one of which was a partial boil of unhopped extract and DME (hops only, no specialty grain). Some OK stuff (all got drunk!), but still searching...

Last week, I had the opportunity to sample most of Ross' 10 brews on tap -- blew me away. This last weekend, got the opportunity to brew my frist AG and watch 5 other AG brews get done, all but one using the BIAB method. The diffeence in the smell and taste of the wort is noticeable -- I just can't wait for the finished product.

I figure all I am really missing out on equipment wise is a large enough kettle (thinking of slicing a keg open) and a burner or heat source. With that, I'd just need to make a bag (dead easy). Sounds like you might already be set on the kettle and heat source, so I would absolutely give the BIAB a go. Will get you an AG without any big additional equipment investment.

I did watch one mash out in an esky as well and you could go the two esky route (one for hot water and one to mash in) for ~$100 I imagine. Lots of discussion over the weekend and I'd say there is definitely no reason not to try the BIAB first. Dead easy and cheap.

Cheers, Brian
 
I brewed extract/speciallty grain brews for far too long - I had the recipe of my favourite pommie quaffing beer direct from the brewery, but however hard i tried, my efforts tasted nothing like it - The beers were very good, I just couldn't get the flavour i was searching for. Did this recipe for my first AG & was blown away - suddenly using MO malt as the base instead of Coopers extract I was there.
I always like the coffee analogy. You can make a nice coffee from instant, especially if you buy a top quality one & probably be quite satisfied, but you'll never get the flavour & aroma that you get from fresh beans & that's exactly the same in brewing. I believe it was Tangent (apologies if I'm wrong) that gave the best ever description though - comparing extract/kit to a blow up doll - you can dress it up anyway you like, give it some lippy, but which ever way you look at it, it's still a blow up doll :D

Don't hesitate Adam, become part of the passion B)

cheers Ross...
 
I like the pizza analogy:

Buy ready-made/microwave pizza from shop: K&K
Buy bases, add own topping: extract + grain
Make base, add own topping: all grain

My pizzas are famous, of course. ;)
 
I like the pizza analogy:

Buy ready-made/microwave pizza from shop: K&K
Buy bases, add own topping: extract + grain
Make base, add own topping: all grain

My pizzas are famous, of course. ;)

Make some bases with some spent grain: AG + pizza master. :beerbang:
 
I forgot to mention one of the things that made the session so easy.

My grain bill, supplied by Ross, was all contained in a single vacuum sealed bag. It was freshly cracked and all I had to do was open it, listen to the satisfying whoosh, and dump it in the kettle/bag.

His shipping charges aren't too steep and you can save a bit of $$ by avoiding investing in a mill. I suspect you'll also get great results due to the consistency of the grind. I'm a big advocate of a quality coffee grinder & beans, but a vacuum sealed grain bill makes a lot of sense, especially as you are using it all at once (unlike coffee).

I know this is sounding like a shameless plug, but I'm not plugging myself and Ross really deserves the rave for service & selection (can't do better for hop choice either!).

Cheers, Brian
 
Paleman, it sounds like you don't have many notches to go. Are you doing full boils with your partials?

Doing a full boil extract brew is pretty good next step from doing partials with hopped extracts. If you use unhopped extract you can do a full 60min boil and add your full complement of hops. Combine this with a partial or some specialty steeping and you'll have plenty of options to play with.

To do a full boil extract brew you will need a full size pot to boil in. a 30-40 litre pot for a 23 litre batch and a heat source to match. Do some searches here on burners for some options.

The thing is, once you have the kit for a full boil extract brew, there is no excuse for not doing AG. Check out the "all-grain brewing in a bag" thread for details. The only extra kit you need is a grain bag.

I do allgrain because I like it. Gathering and making the kit, designing the beers from scratch and attempting to master the mashing process to hit the correct gravities give me as much satisfaction as the finished product does. If I just wanted good quality cheap beer, maybe I'd do things differently and maybe the end product wouldn't be as good. But I wouldn't have as much fun.

It sounds to me like you've decided already. Get yourself some AG gear and find a decent brewshop. Welcome to the club.

Thanks once again GH. Another top reply. :)

Basically i am mashing 2.5 to 3 kilo of grain, around 62 - 68 degrees, for 70 -75 minutes. Sparging with 78 degrees. Getting reasonable efficiency of around the low 70's.

Boil of 90 minutes, bittering hops added 60 minutes. My dried extract is added around 15 minutes from the end with flavouring hops, then usually aroma hops at a minute or flame out.

Makes for a beautiful Ale, with the appropriate Wyeast.

But i think actually building my beer from scratch is drawing me to the darkside :D

P.S. I dont use hopped Extracts.
Paleman,

If U can fit 3.34 kg of grain in your mash tun, then U can make a 25 litre batch of Berliner-style Weisse, like I did for the NSW Xmas in July case - 2006 (recipe here).

More or less, you're on the path to AG sooner than you think.

Sethule's suggestion :p
 
Paleman, it sounds like you don't have many notches to go. Are you doing full boils with your partials?

Doing a full boil extract brew is pretty good next step from doing partials with hopped extracts. If you use unhopped extract you can do a full 60min boil and add your full complement of hops. Combine this with a partial or some specialty steeping and you'll have plenty of options to play with.

To do a full boil extract brew you will need a full size pot to boil in. a 30-40 litre pot for a 23 litre batch and a heat source to match. Do some searches here on burners for some options.

The thing is, once you have the kit for a full boil extract brew, there is no excuse for not doing AG. Check out the "all-grain brewing in a bag" thread for details. The only extra kit you need is a grain bag.

I do allgrain because I like it. Gathering and making the kit, designing the beers from scratch and attempting to master the mashing process to hit the correct gravities give me as much satisfaction as the finished product does. If I just wanted good quality cheap beer, maybe I'd do things differently and maybe the end product wouldn't be as good. But I wouldn't have as much fun.

It sounds to me like you've decided already. Get yourself some AG gear and find a decent brewshop. Welcome to the club.

Thanks once again GH. Another top reply. :)

Basically i am mashing 2.5 to 3 kilo of grain, around 62 - 68 degrees, for 70 -75 minutes. Sparging with 78 degrees. Getting reasonable efficiency of around the low 70's.

Boil of 90 minutes, bittering hops added 60 minutes. My dried extract is added around 15 minutes from the end with flavouring hops, then usually aroma hops at a minute or flame out.

Makes for a beautiful Ale, with the appropriate Wyeast.

But i think actually building my beer from scratch is drawing me to the darkside :D

P.S. I dont use hopped Extracts.
Paleman,

If U can fit 3.34 kg of grain in your mash tun, then U can make a 25 litre batch of Berliner-style Weisse, like I did for the NSW Xmas in July case - 2006 (recipe here).

More or less, you're on the path to AG sooner than you think.

Sethule's suggestion :p

Thanks Les, that looks nice and easy...just bookmarked. Ta !! :D
 
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