Wow....how much better is All Grain Brewing?

[Digger11]

Im with verysupple. AG is more fun and gives more variety, but i struggle to taste much difference to a well brewed extract with extras.

 

[Spiesy]

My question is how accurately do you control your mash temp., thickness, pH, etc.?

With a good thermometer, water report, software, salts, Acidulated malt and a pH meter (or strips), there's no reason you can't control it just as well.

You get out what you put in... most of the time.

 

[Eagleburger]

I started on ag. As I was developing equipment and it was out of action, I did a few kits. I am a little disappointed to say the kits and peices were as good as my ag.

The biggest factor in good beer is fermentation temp. I read that when I first started and I wasreminded recently. I did two cubes of ale, one I pitched at 21degC because I was impatient, the other at 17.5degC. The taste difference is astounding.

 

[verysupple]

<snip>

The biggest factor in good beer is fermentation temp. <snip>

I definitely agree. However I'd add to fermentation temp. and say that fermentation over-all is the most important part. That includes oxygenation, pitching rate, having good healthy yeast, etc. and adequate warm maturation.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I third that. I've been doing the lotto beers and the biggest difference in beers is fermentation based - either diacetyl, fusels or other fermentation based issues.

The beers that come out on top are from brewers that have got that aspect sorted out.

 

[Mall]

The purchase of a spare fridge along with temperature controller was, for me, a great step. Stick fermentor/s in at 18 degrees and come back in two weeks, any time of year....simple.

Dry Hop to suit.

 

[thisispants]

Yep, I've made multiple extract brews and have now done 3 all grain. When I taste my extract beer it tastes like something is missing. My all grain brews have more body, better taste, more complexity, much better. I guess it could mean that when it comes to extract I have no idea, however this is my experience.

 

[TheBigD]

Now to convince Wifey that a Kegerator is a great investment...........

Remember Its easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission

 

[Blind Dog]

Personally I think it's a little silly to say that any one aspect of the brewing process is the most important. For me, being able to accurately control the mash (pH, length, temp...) has made just as much difference to the quality of the beers I brew as having the ability to control fermentation temperature, and neither would mean a thing if I wasn't totally anal about cleaning and sanitation from beginning to end. And the list could go on and on. Maybe because the ability to mash with control came before the fridge, my experience is different?

And no I'm not saying that you can't brew excellent beers from extract, cos that patently stupid.

 

[Eagleburger]

I like AG brewing and now I have a HERMS and PID control, I am now making beer exactly the way I like it.

 

[poggor]

i agree with pants- i feel it's easier to get body with grain than with extract. also, and someone might be able to correct me on this, i found it very hard to get very pale beers with extracts- always tended towards amber.

 

[Smokomark]

My worst ag beer shits all over my best kit/extract.

 

[verysupple]

i agree with pants- i feel it's easier to get body with grain than with extract. also, and someone might be able to correct me on this, i found it very hard to get very pale beers with extracts- always tended towards amber.

I never had those problems when I was doing extract brewing. It completely depends on the extract you're using though. Briess Pilsen extract is very pale - paler than any commercial Pilsner I ever bought. I mainly used Briess extracts and didn't notice any problems with body. In fact my main problem was getting them to finish dry enough.

 

[Pilchard]

The easiest way I can think of, enlist her help to wash, rinse, fill and cap a couple of full size batches. Explain that with her help the job will be done and you can spend the hour of time you gained doing that thing she wanted to do...


Then after a couple of batches (by this point she hates bottling) explain how if you had kegs, you could do the same amount of packaging in 1/4 of the time and you wouldn't need to store 10 slabs of empty bottles.

This is what happened here, she, from the goodness of her heart helped bottle so it went quicker........ I showed her how to fill the first keg and got a head slap as it was much easier less time consuming and she only need watch... And I'll quote ' why didn't you get kegs from the start'.....

 

[Tahoose]

This is what happened here, she, from the goodness of her heart helped bottle so it went quicker........ I showed her how to fill the first keg and got a head slap as it was much easier less time consuming and she only need watch... And I'll quote ' why didn't you get kegs from the start'.....

The best one, is "baby don't buy any more brew gear, just save up for the braumeister and you won't need to spend any more money after that"

I'm going to have to marry her.

 

[The Bearded Troll]

Oooooh that smell

 

[pist]

I agree, all grain is the beez knees! All that control you have over the body, fermentability etc, and the variety of styles you can make with AG is incredible.
Whilst I do agree it is possible to make a half decent beer using extract (drinking one now that I done as a keg filler), I couldn't go back for these reasons.
Welcome to the dark side mall, enjoy the fast slide down the slippery slope!

 

[storeboughtcheeseburgers]

You can only go so far with Extract. I think of it as cordial compared to AG.. prob a bit harsh, but I don't really see extract as real beer anymore. :\

And im still new, prob 5-10 AG down!

I did make an awful cloudy IPA in learning how important temp control is.. it is probably not as good as extract as its a bit of a fruity gingery disgusting thing really.

But these things happen. I got a temp controller and did a brew and found it takes a lot of stress out of the brewing process. I've conquered liquid yeast and starters, bought a stir plate.. the only part of AG I haven't dabbled in is water and PHs or step mashes.. or diacetyl management (haven't done an all grain pilsener).. Its nice to have a few things to learn but. Keeps it interesting. Thinking about doing a pilsener, but I don't think I will for a while - the wait time is a big downer .